Open the Clock App and Find Your Alarm

To change an alarm on your iPhone, start by opening the Clock app. This is the built-in app with a clock face icon—it comes standard on every iPhone. Tap the app once to open it.

At the bottom of the screen, you'll see four tabs. Tap the Alarm tab (it looks like a bell icon). This shows all the alarms you've already set. Find the alarm you want to change in the list.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Clock app, tap the Alarm tab at the bottom, and tap Edit to change any existing alarm.
  • You can adjust the time, turn the alarm on or off, change the sound, and set which days it repeats.
  • Swipe left on an alarm to delete it, or tap the toggle switch to turn it off without deleting it.
  • Changes save automatically when you tap Done—you don't need to confirm or save separately.
  • If you want to change the label (the name of the alarm), tap the label field and type a new one.

Tap Edit to Start Making Changes

Once you've located the alarm you want to change, tap the word Edit in the upper left corner of the Alarm tab. The alarms in your list will now show circles on the left side, and the layout will shift slightly to let you make edits.

Tap the alarm you want to change. The alarm details will open, showing you all the settings you can adjust: the time, the label, the sound, and the days it repeats.

Change the Time Your Alarm Goes Off

The time appears at the top of the alarm details screen. Tap on the time to open a dial where you can set a new time. You'll see hour and minute wheels that spin. Scroll up or down on each wheel to set the exact time you want the alarm to ring.

The hour wheel shows numbers 1 through 12 (for a 12-hour clock) or 0 through 23 (if your phone is set to 24-hour time). The minute wheel shows numbers in 5-minute increments: 0, 5, 10, 15, and so on. Once the time is correct, tap outside the dial or tap another field to close it.

Adjust the Label, Sound, and Repeat Settings

Below the time, you'll see a Label field. This is where you type what the alarm is for—for example, "Wake up" or "Gym reminder." Tap the label field and type a new name if you want to change it. This label is what appears on your screen when the alarm goes off.

The Sound field shows which tone will play when the alarm rings. Tap it to hear a list of available sounds and pick a different one. You can choose from built-in tones like Alarm, Beacon, or Chime, or any ringtone you've added to your phone.

The Repeat field controls which days the alarm goes off. Tap it to choose specific days (Monday through Sunday), or leave it set to "Never" if you want the alarm to go off just once. If you select repeat days, the alarm will ring at the same time on those days every week.

Turn the Alarm On or Off Without Deleting It

If you don't want to change the alarm details but just want to turn it off temporarily, you don't need to enter Edit mode. Go to the Alarm tab, and you'll see a toggle switch (a circle button) next to each alarm. Tap the toggle to turn the alarm off—it will turn gray. Tap it again to turn the alarm back on—it will turn green.

This is useful when you want to keep the alarm saved but don't need it for a few days. The alarm settings stay exactly as they were; only the on/off status changes.

Save Your Changes and Exit

Once you've made all the changes you want, tap the Done button in the upper right corner. Your changes save when ready—there's no separate save step. The alarm details screen will close, and you'll return to the Alarm tab.

Your new alarm time, sound, label, and repeat settings are now active. If the alarm is turned on (the toggle is green), it will go off at the new time you set.

Delete an Alarm You No Longer Need

If you want to remove an alarm entirely, go to the Alarm tab and tap Edit. Swipe left on the alarm you want to delete. A red Delete button will appear on the right side. Tap Delete to remove the alarm permanently.

Alternatively, if you're already viewing the alarm details (after tapping Edit and then tapping the alarm), scroll down to the bottom of the screen. You'll see a red Delete Alarm button. Tap it to remove the alarm.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change an alarm without entering Edit mode?

You can turn an alarm on or off using the toggle switch without Edit mode, but to change the time, sound, label, or repeat days, you must tap Edit first and then tap the specific alarm. The toggle switch only controls whether the alarm is active.

What happens if I set an alarm for a time that's already passed today?

If you set a one-time alarm (Repeat set to Never) for a time earlier in the day, the alarm will go off tomorrow at that time instead. If you set a repeating alarm for a time that's already passed, it will go off at that time on the next scheduled day.

Can I use a song from my music library as an alarm sound?

No. The Clock app only lets you choose from built-in alarm tones and ringtones you've added through Settings. You cannot use songs from Apple Music or your personal music library as alarm sounds on the standard Clock app.

Do my alarm changes sync across all my Apple devices?

Yes, if you're signed into the same iCloud account on multiple devices, your alarms will sync. Changes you make on your iPhone will appear on your iPad or Mac within a few moments, as long as all devices are connected to the internet.

What if I accidentally deleted an alarm?

Unfortunately, there's no undo button in the Clock app. If you delete an alarm, you'll need to create a new one with the same settings. However, if you deleted it just moments ago, you can try closing the Clock app completely and reopening it—sometimes this restores recent changes.