Open Settings and find the Clock app alarms

To change an alarm sound on your iPhone, you do not go through Settings. Instead, open the Clock app — the one with a clock face icon on your home screen — and tap the Alarm tab at the bottom. This tab shows all the alarms you have set.

Find the alarm you want to change and tap the Edit button in the top left corner. The alarm will open in edit mode, showing you all its details: the time, which days it repeats, and the sound it plays.

Key Takeaways

  • The Clock app, not Settings, is where you change alarm sounds on an iPhone.
  • Tap Edit next to the alarm you want to change, then tap the Sound row to see your options.
  • You can choose from built-in alarm tones, songs from your Music library, or sounds you have recorded yourself.
  • The preview button (speaker icon) lets you hear a sound before you save it as your alarm.

Tap the Sound row to see all available alarm tones

In the edit screen, look for the row labeled Sound. Tap it to open a list of all the sounds your iPhone can use for this alarm. At the top you will see Vibration — this is silent but makes your phone vibrate. Below that are the built-in alarm tones with names like Alarm, Beacon, Bells, Chime, and Digital.

Each built-in tone plays for a few seconds when you tap it, so you can hear what it sounds like before you choose. The currently selected sound has a checkmark next to it.

Choose from built-in tones, your music library, or recorded sounds

If you scroll down past the built-in alarm tones, you will see a section called Sounds that lists songs from your Music app library. Any song you own or have saved to your phone can become an alarm sound — the alarm will start playing from the beginning of the song. Tap any song to preview it and set it as your alarm.

You can also use sounds you have recorded yourself. If you have voice memos or other audio files saved on your phone, they may appear in this list. Tap one to hear it and select it.

Preview the sound before you save it

When you tap a sound, a small speaker icon appears next to it. Tap that icon to hear a preview of how the alarm will sound. This is especially useful if you are choosing a song from your library — you want to make sure the beginning of the song is something you actually want to wake up to, not a long instrumental intro.

If you change your mind while previewing, just tap a different sound. You can preview as many as you want before you decide.

Confirm your choice and save the alarm

Once you have chosen a sound you like, tap the Save button in the top right corner of the screen. Your alarm is now set to use that sound. The next time the alarm goes off, it will play the sound you selected instead of the old one.

If you want to change the sound back later, follow the same steps: open Clock, tap Alarm, tap Edit next to the alarm, tap Sound, and choose a different tone.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

The most common mistake is looking for alarm settings in the main Settings app instead of the Clock app. Settings controls system sounds like notifications and ringtones, but alarm sounds are only changed inside the Clock app itself.

Another mistake is choosing a song that starts very quietly. If you pick a song with a soft intro, you might sleep through the alarm. Test the sound at full volume before you rely on it — tap the speaker icon in the preview and make sure you can hear it clearly. If your phone is set to silent mode (the mute switch on the side), the alarm will still play, but it is worth checking that the volume buttons are turned up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a song from Spotify or Apple Music as an alarm?

Only if the song is downloaded to your phone. Streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music require an internet connection, and alarms work even when your phone is offline. read the song to your device first, then it will appear in your Music library and you can use it as an alarm sound.

What if I do not see my music library in the Sound list?

Make sure you have songs saved to your phone. Open the Music app and check that you have at least one song in your library. If you only stream music and have not downloaded anything, the Sounds section will be empty. read a song first, then go back to the Clock app and edit your alarm.

Will my alarm still go off if my phone is on silent?

Yes. Alarms ignore the silent switch on the side of your iPhone and will play at full volume regardless. However, if your volume buttons are turned all the way down, the alarm may be too quiet to hear. Check that your volume is set to at least medium before you go to sleep.

Can I set different sounds for different alarms?

Yes. Each alarm can have its own sound. Edit each alarm separately and choose a different tone for each one. This is useful if you have multiple alarms and want to know which one is going off by the sound alone.

How do I delete an alarm sound I do not want anymore?

You cannot delete built-in alarm tones — they are part of iOS. But you can delete custom sounds by removing the song or voice memo from your phone. Open the Music app, find the song, swipe left on it, and tap Delete. It will no longer appear as an option in your alarm sounds.