Where to find and change your alarm sound

Open the Clock app on your iPhone — it's the one with a clock face icon, usually on your home screen or in the Utilities folder. Tap the Alarm tab at the bottom of the screen. Find the alarm you want to change and swipe left on it, or tap Edit in the top left corner.

Once you're editing that alarm, tap the line that shows the current sound name — it might say "Radar," "Bells," or another tone. A list of available sounds will appear. Scroll through the options and tap any sound to hear a preview of it. When you find one you like, tap it to select it, then tap Save at the top right.

The change takes effect when ready. The next time that alarm goes off, it will use the new sound you selected.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Clock app, go to the Alarm tab, and tap Edit next to the alarm you want to change.
  • Tap the sound name to see all available alarm tones and preview each one before selecting.
  • You can use songs from your Music library as alarm sounds by scrolling to the bottom of the sound list and tapping a song.
  • Different alarms can have different sounds — change each one separately by editing them one at a time.
  • If you don't hear a preview when you tap a sound, check that your iPhone volume is turned up and not on silent mode.

Using songs from your music library as alarms

You're not limited to the built-in alarm tones. When you tap the sound name to edit an alarm, scroll all the way to the bottom of the list. You'll see a section labeled Music or Songs that shows music you've added to your iPhone.

Tap any song to preview it and select it as your alarm sound. The song will start playing from the beginning when the alarm goes off. This works with any song in your Music app — whether you purchased it, added it from Apple Music, or synced it from your computer.

Keep in mind that if you delete a song from your iPhone later, that alarm will revert to a default tone. Also, songs don't fade in the way built-in alarm tones do — they play at full volume when ready.

What to do if you can't hear the preview

When you tap a sound to preview it, your iPhone should play a short sample. If you hear nothing, check two things first: whether your phone is in silent mode and whether the volume is turned up.

Look at the left side of your iPhone near the top. If you see a small switch with an orange dot showing, your phone is in silent mode — flip that switch toward the back of the phone to turn off silent mode. Then use the volume buttons on the side of your phone to turn the volume up.

Once silent mode is off and volume is up, try tapping a sound again. You should hear the preview. Silent mode does not affect alarms themselves — alarms will still go off even when silent mode is on — but it does prevent you from hearing previews while you're setting them up.

Setting different sounds for different alarms

Each alarm on your iPhone can have its own unique sound. If you have multiple alarms set, you can customize each one separately by editing them one at a time.

Go to the Clock app, tap Alarm, and tap Edit. Then tap each alarm individually and change its sound the same way you did the first one. This is useful if you want a gentle tone for your morning wake-up and a louder tone for an important appointment reminder.

You can also give each alarm a custom label so you remember what it's for. When you're editing an alarm, tap the label field at the top (where it might say "Alarm" or a time) and type a new name like "Work" or "Gym." This label appears on your lock screen when the alarm goes off.

Resetting to a default alarm sound

If you've set a custom song as your alarm and want to go back to a built-in tone, the process is the same. Open the Clock app, tap Alarm, tap Edit next to the alarm, and tap the sound name.

Scroll back up to the top of the list where the standard tones are — sounds like "Radar," "Bells," "Alarm," and "Chime." Tap whichever one you prefer and then tap Save. The alarm will now use that standard tone instead of your custom song.

Troubleshooting alarm sounds that won't change

Sometimes you'll tap a sound, see it selected, but the alarm still uses the old sound when it goes off. This usually means you forgot to tap Save after selecting the new sound. Always look for the Save button in the top right corner of the editing screen and tap it before leaving.

If you selected a song from your Music library and it's no longer available on your iPhone, the alarm will automatically switch back to a default tone. Check your Music app to make sure the song is still there. If you deleted it, you'll need to add it back or choose a different song.

If an alarm is still not using the sound you selected after you've saved it, try closing the Clock app completely and opening it again. On most iPhones, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app switcher, find the Clock app, and swipe it up to close it. Then tap the Clock app icon to reopen it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a ringtone as an alarm sound?

Ringtones and alarm sounds are separate on iPhone. You can only use sounds from the Clock app's built-in list or songs from your Music library. If you want to use a specific ringtone as an alarm, you'll need to add that audio file to your Music library first, then select it from the Music section when editing your alarm.

Why does my alarm sound keep changing back to the default?

If you selected a song and it keeps reverting to a default tone, the song may have been deleted from your iPhone. Check your Music app to confirm the song is still there. If it's gone, add it back or choose a different song. Always tap Save after selecting a new sound to make sure the change sticks.

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

Yes. Alarms ignore silent mode — they will go off at full volume even if your phone is switched to silent. However, silent mode does prevent you from hearing sound previews while you're setting up the alarm, so you won't know what it sounds like until it actually goes off.

Can I set the same alarm sound for all my alarms at once?

No, you have to change each alarm individually. Open the Clock app, tap Alarm, tap Edit, and change the sound for each alarm one at a time. There's no bulk option to explore the same sound to multiple alarms at once.

What happens if I update my iPhone — will my custom alarm sounds stay?

Built-in alarm tones will stay the same after an update. If you're using a song from your Music library as an alarm sound, it will stay as long as that song remains on your iPhone. If the song gets deleted during the update or afterward, the alarm will revert to a default tone.