Open Settings, tap Sounds & Haptics, then select a new tone from the Alarm list

To change your iPhone alarm tone, open the Settings app, scroll down and tap Sounds & Haptics, then tap Alarm. A list of built-in tones appears — tap any one to hear a preview, then tap it again to confirm your choice. The change takes effect when ready on your next alarm.

This method works on all current iPhone models running iOS 16 or later. The process takes about 30 seconds and requires no additional apps or purchases.

Key Takeaways

  • You change alarm tones in Settings under Sounds & Haptics, not in the Clock app itself.
  • iPhone comes with roughly 30 built-in alarm tones you can preview before selecting.
  • You can also set different tones for different alarms by editing each alarm individually in the Clock app.
  • Custom tones from your music library or GarageBand require a workaround through the Files app or a computer.

Where to find the Alarm sound setting

The Sounds & Haptics menu controls all system sounds on your iPhone, including alarms, notifications, and ringtones. It is not in the Clock app — many people look there first and do not find it. Open Settings, scroll past the top section, and look for Sounds & Haptics (on older iPhones it may say Sounds instead).

Once you tap Sounds & Haptics, scroll down to the Alarm row. This is separate from the Ringtone setting and the Notification Sounds setting, so make sure you are tapping the right one.

How to preview and select a new tone

When you tap Alarm, a full list of available tones appears. Each tone name describes its character — Alarm, Beacon, Bells, Chime, Chord, Classic, Cosmic, Digital, Dots, Echo, Flourish, Glass, Harp, Highlight, Hum, Marimba, Neon, Newsflash, Pebble, Ping, Radar, Sci-Fi, Siren, Sonar, Strum, Synth, Trill, Tritone, Twinkle, and Xylophone. Tap any name once to hear a 3-second preview.

When you find one you like, tap it again to select it. A checkmark appears next to your choice. You do not need to tap a Save or Confirm button — the selection saves automatically. Your next alarm will use the new tone.

Setting different tones for different alarms

If you want one alarm to use a different tone than your default, you can set it per alarm. Open the Clock app, tap the Alarms tab at the bottom, then tap Edit on any alarm you want to change. Tap Sound, and a list of tones appears — select the one you want for that specific alarm only.

This method overrides your system default for that alarm alone. Other alarms will still use whatever tone you set in Sounds & Haptics. This is useful if you want a gentle tone for a morning alarm and a louder tone for an important appointment.

Using songs from your music library as alarm tones

iPhone does not let you pick songs directly from the Alarm menu, but you can use music you own through a workaround. Create a ringtone from a song using GarageBand (Apple's free music app), export it, and then it will appear in your Alarm tone list. Alternatively, you can use the Files app to move a custom audio file into the correct folder, though this requires more technical steps.

The simplest approach is GarageBand: open the app, create a new project, import or record your audio, trim it to 30 seconds or less, tap the Share button, select Ringtone, and name it. Once created, the ringtone appears in your Sounds & Haptics Alarm list and in the Clock app's per-alarm sound menu.

Why your alarm tone might not change

If you change the tone but your alarm still uses the old sound, check whether you edited the system default or just one individual alarm. Open the Clock app and tap Edit on the alarm that is not using the new tone — if it has its own sound selected, that overrides your system setting. Change it to Default, and it will use whatever you set in Sounds & Haptics.

If you are using a custom tone and it does not appear in the list, make sure it was created as a ringtone (not just saved as a file). GarageBand exports are the most reliable method. Restart your iPhone if a newly created tone still does not show up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a song from Apple Music as my alarm tone?

Not directly — Apple Music songs are protected and cannot be used as alarm tones. You can use songs you own (purchased or ripped from a CD), or you can recreate a short section of a song in GarageBand and export it as a ringtone. That workaround takes a few minutes but gives you the sound you want.

Will my alarm tone change if I update iOS?

No. Your selected tone stays the same after an iOS update. If you are using a custom tone you created, make sure it was properly exported as a ringtone so it survives the update.

Why does my alarm still use the old tone after I changed it?

The most common reason is that individual alarm has its own tone set. Open the Clock app, tap Edit on that alarm, tap Sound, and change it from a specific tone to Default. Then it will use your system-wide alarm tone from Sounds & Haptics.

Can I set a different tone for weekday and weekend alarms?

Not automatically, but you can create two separate alarms — one for weekdays and one for weekends — and assign each a different tone in the Clock app. Edit each alarm, tap Sound, and pick the tone you want for that specific alarm.