Open the Clock app and tap Edit to change your alarm sound

To change what sound plays when your alarm goes off, open the Clock app on your iPhone — it's the one with a clock face icon on your home screen. Tap the Alarm tab at the bottom of the screen, then find the alarm you want to change and tap Edit next to it.

Once you're in the edit screen, scroll down until you see the Sound row. Tap on it to see all the ringtones and alert sounds available on your phone. The current sound has a checkmark next to it.

Key Takeaways

  • The Clock app's Alarm tab is where you find and edit every alarm on your phone.
  • You can pick from built-in iPhone sounds, or use any song in your Music library as an alarm.
  • Each alarm can have its own unique sound — you don't have to use the same ringtone for all of them.
  • If you don't hear your alarm, check that your phone is not in Silent mode, because Silent mode mutes alarms.

Choose from iPhone's built-in sounds or your own music

When you tap the Sound row, you'll see a list of ringtones at the top. These are the standard iPhone alarm sounds like "Alarm," "Beacon," "Bells," and others. Scroll through and tap any one to hear a preview — the sound plays immediately so you know what it will sound like when your alarm goes off.

Below the ringtones, you'll see a section called Sounds with more alert tones. Below that is a section labeled with your music library name (usually Music). This section shows songs you've added to your iPhone. You can use any of these songs as your alarm sound instead of the standard ringtones. Tap a song to preview it, then tap it again to select it.

Tap the sound you want and save your changes

Once you've picked the sound you want, a checkmark appears next to it. Now scroll back up to the top of the screen and tap the Save button in the upper right corner. Your alarm now uses the new sound.

The next time that alarm goes off, it will play the sound you selected. If you set multiple alarms, each one can have a different sound — just repeat these steps for each alarm you want to customize.

Why your alarm might not make any sound

If you set an alarm but don't hear it ring, the most common reason is that your iPhone is in Silent mode. This is the physical switch on the left side of your phone. When it's flipped down toward the back of the phone, a red line shows and your phone is silent — alarms won't make noise in this mode. Flip the switch up so the red line disappears, and your alarms will ring normally.

Another reason you might not hear an alarm is if your volume is turned all the way down. Use the volume buttons on the side of your phone to turn the volume up. You can also go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics and drag the Ringer and Alerts slider to the right to increase alarm volume.

Use a song from Apple Music or Spotify as your alarm

If you subscribe to Apple Music or Spotify, you can use songs from those services as alarms, but they have to be downloaded to your phone first. In Apple Music, find the song you want, tap the three dots next to it, and select Add to Library. Then go back to the Clock app, edit your alarm, and that song will appear in your Music section.

For Spotify, the process is different — Spotify songs cannot be used directly as iPhone alarms. Instead, you can download a song to your phone using a different method, or use one of the built-in iPhone sounds instead. If you use Apple Music, you have more flexibility with custom songs.

Set different sounds for different alarms

You don't have to use the same alarm sound for every alarm on your phone. Maybe you want your 6 a.m. alarm to be a gentle sound and your 9 a.m. alarm to be loud and attention-grabbing. Edit each alarm separately and pick a different sound for each one.

This is especially useful if you have multiple alarms in the morning. A quieter sound for your first alarm can help you wake up gently, while a louder sound for your backup alarm makes sure you don't oversleep. Just remember that Silent mode will still mute all of them, so keep your phone switched to normal mode if you rely on alarms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a song I bought on iTunes as my alarm?

Yes. Any song in your Music library can be used as an alarm sound. If you bought the song on iTunes or added it to your library from Apple Music, it will show up in the Music section when you edit your alarm. Just tap it to select it.

What happens if I delete a song that's set as my alarm?

If you delete a song from your phone that you've set as an alarm sound, your alarm will revert to the default "Alarm" sound the next time it goes off. The Clock app will automatically switch to a standard ringtone so your alarm still works.

Why can't I hear my alarm even though the volume is up?

Check the physical Silent switch on the left side of your phone. If it's flipped down (showing red), your phone is in Silent mode and alarms won't make noise. Flip it up so the red disappears. Also make sure you're not in Do Not Disturb mode — check Settings > Focus > Do Not Disturb to turn it off.

Can I set a different alarm sound for weekdays and weekends?

You can't set one alarm to automatically change sounds on different days, but you can create separate alarms for weekdays and weekends. Make one alarm that repeats Monday through Friday with one sound, and another that repeats Saturday and Sunday with a different sound. Edit each one with its own ringtone.