Open Settings and find the Sounds & Haptics menu
To change your alarm tone, start by opening the Settings app on your iPhone — it's the gray icon with gears. Scroll down and tap Sounds & Haptics (on older iPhones, this may say just Sounds).
Once you're in Sounds & Haptics, scroll down until you see Alarm listed among the sound options. This is separate from ringtone, notification sounds, and text tones, so make sure you're tapping the right one.
Key Takeaways
- Alarm tone settings are in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Alarm, not in the Clock app itself.
- Apple's built-in alarm tones are organized by category — Classic, Modern, and Bells — and you can preview each one before saving.
- If you've purchased songs from iTunes or added music to your iPhone, you can use those as alarm tones instead of the default options.
- Changing the alarm tone in Settings changes the default for all new alarms you create, but existing alarms keep their original tone unless you edit them individually.
Tap Alarm and listen to the built-in tone options
When you tap Alarm, you'll see a list of built-in tones organized into groups: Classic, Modern, and Bells. Each tone has a name like "Radar," "Alarm," or "Chime." Tap any tone to hear a preview — it will play for a few seconds so you can decide if you like it.
The tone with a checkmark next to it is your current alarm tone. You don't have to listen to every option; scroll through and tap the ones that sound appealing to you. Once you find one you want, tap it again to confirm the selection. The checkmark will move to your new choice, and you're done.
Use a song from your music library as an alarm tone
If you want to wake up to a song instead of a standard alarm tone, scroll to the bottom of the Sounds & Haptics > Alarm menu and tap Pick a song. This opens your music library so you can choose any song you've purchased through iTunes or added to your iPhone.
When you select a song, your iPhone will use the beginning of that track as your alarm. The alarm will start playing from the very start of the song, so pick something with an opening you actually want to hear at full volume. Once you tap the song, it becomes your new alarm tone for all future alarms.
Change the tone for an existing alarm in the Clock app
If you've already created an alarm and want to change only that alarm's tone — without changing your default — open the Clock app and go to the Alarm tab. Find the alarm you want to edit and tap Edit in the top left corner.
Tap the alarm name or time to open the full alarm details. Scroll down and tap the current tone name (it will show something like "Radar" or "Chime"). You'll see the same list of built-in tones and the option to pick a song. Select a new tone, then tap Save at the top right. This changes only that one alarm, leaving your other alarms unchanged.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is looking for alarm settings inside the Clock app itself. The Clock app lets you edit individual alarms, but the default alarm tone is set only in Settings > Sounds & Haptics. If you change the tone in Settings, it affects only new alarms you create after that point — alarms you've already set will keep their old tone unless you edit them one by one.
Another mistake is choosing a song that starts quietly. If you pick a song with a slow intro or soft opening, you may sleep through the first 10 seconds. Test your choice by setting an alarm for a few minutes from now and letting it ring so you hear how loud and noticeable it actually is.
What to do if you don't see your song in the music library
If you want to use a song as an alarm but it doesn't appear when you tap Pick a song, the song may not be synced to your iPhone. Songs purchased through iTunes or added via Apple Music should appear automatically, but downloaded or transferred music sometimes doesn't show up in the alarm picker.
Make sure the song is actually on your iPhone by opening the Music app and searching for it. If it's there but won't show up as an alarm tone option, try restarting your iPhone. If the song still doesn't appear, it may be a DRM-protected file that Apple's system doesn't allow as an alarm tone — in that case, stick with the built-in tones or try a different song.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my alarm tone affect my ringtone or notification sounds?
No. Alarm, ringtone, text tone, and notification sounds are all separate settings. Changing your alarm tone in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Alarm will not change any other sound on your phone. Each one has its own menu in the Sounds & Haptics section.
Can I set different alarm tones for different alarms?
Yes. You can set a default tone in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Alarm, and then edit individual alarms in the Clock app to use different tones. Open the Clock app, tap Edit on the alarm you want to change, and select a new tone before saving.
What if my alarm tone is too quiet?
The volume of your alarm is controlled by the physical volume buttons on the side of your iPhone and the volume slider in the Clock app when an alarm is ringing. Make sure your iPhone isn't in Silent mode (the mute switch on the side should not be in the down position). You can also test a new tone by setting an alarm for a few minutes away to hear how loud it actually plays.
Can I use a voice memo or a song I recorded as an alarm tone?
Voice memos and personally recorded audio don't appear in the alarm tone picker. You can only use songs from your music library or Apple's built-in tones. If you want to use a recording, you would need to transfer it to your computer, add it to iTunes, and sync it to your iPhone as a music file first.