Open Settings and Find the Clock App
To change an alarm tone on your iPhone, start by opening the Settings app—the gray icon with gears on your home screen. Scroll down and tap Sounds & Haptics (or Sounds on older iPhones). You will see a section labeled Alarm with a dropdown menu showing your current tone.
If you prefer to change the tone directly from the Clock app instead, open Clock, tap the Alarm tab at the bottom, find the alarm you want to edit, and tap Edit in the upper left. Then tap the alarm name or time to open its full settings, and you will see the tone option there as well. Both routes lead to the same selection screen.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your default alarm tone in Settings under Sounds & Haptics, or edit a specific alarm directly in the Clock app.
- iPhone comes with built-in tones like Alarm, Beacon, and Radar, plus any tones you have downloaded from the iTunes Store.
- Changing the tone in Settings affects all future alarms unless you override it when creating a new one.
- If you want a song from your music library as an alarm, you must use a third-party app because iOS does not allow custom songs as native alarm tones.
Choose From Built-In Tones or Downloaded Sounds
When you tap the alarm tone dropdown, you will see a list of built-in options. Common ones include Alarm (a steady beeping sound), Beacon (a pulsing tone), Radar (a sweeping sound), and Bells (a ringing tone). Scroll through the full list to hear a preview of each—tap any tone to play it at full volume so you can judge how loud and jarring it will be when you are asleep.
If you have purchased or downloaded tones from the iTunes Store, they will appear in this same list below the built-in options. Tap any of them to preview and select. Once you choose a tone, it becomes your default for all new alarms you create, unless you change it again later.
Edit a Specific Alarm Instead of the Default
If you want to change the tone for only one alarm rather than all future ones, open the Clock app and tap the Alarm tab. Find the alarm you want to modify and swipe left on it, then tap the Edit button (or tap Edit in the upper left if you are already in that view). Tap the alarm name or the time to open the full alarm editor.
In the alarm details screen, you will see a Sound option. Tap it to open the same tone selection menu. Choose your new tone, then tap Save at the top right. This change affects only that one alarm—your other alarms keep their original tones, and your default setting in Settings remains unchanged.
Why Some Tones Sound Different Than Expected
When you preview a tone in the selection menu, it plays at full volume through your speaker. When the alarm actually goes off, the volume depends on your iPhone's physical volume buttons and your Sounds & Haptics settings. If you have set your phone to silent mode (using the mute switch on the side), the alarm will still ring, but it may sound quieter than the preview suggested.
Some tones also have a gradual fade-in built into them—they start soft and get louder over a few seconds. This is intentional and helps you wake more gently than a sudden blast. If you find a tone too subtle or too harsh after using it for a few days, you can always return to Settings or the Clock app and switch to a different one.
Using Music or Custom Sounds as Alarms
iOS does not allow you to set a song from your Music library or a custom sound file as a native iPhone alarm tone. The alarm system only recognizes tones purchased through the iTunes Store or the built-in sounds that come with your phone. If you want to wake to a specific song, you have two options: read a third-party alarm app from the App Store that supports custom music, or purchase the tone version of that song if it is available in iTunes.
Some popular third-party alarm apps like Alarmy, Sleep Cycle, and Alarm Clock Pro let you choose any song from your library as the alarm sound. These apps run independently from the native Clock app, so you will have both the built-in alarms and any custom alarms you set in the third-party app. Check the App Store reviews to find one that fits your needs.
Troubleshooting When Your Alarm Tone Does Not Change
If you changed the tone in Settings but your alarm still uses the old sound, check whether you edited the default setting or a specific alarm. Open the Clock app, tap Alarm, and tap Edit on the alarm that is not using the new tone. Tap the alarm details and look at the Sound field—if it shows a different tone than what you set in Settings, that alarm has its own custom tone that overrides the default.
If you changed the tone in Settings and it still is not working, restart your iPhone by powering it off and back on. Sometimes the change does not take effect until the phone restarts. If the problem persists, check that you are not in Do Not Disturb mode, which can affect how alarms sound. You can see your Do Not Disturb status in Control Center (swipe down from the top right on newer iPhones, or up from the bottom on older ones).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set different alarm tones for different times of day?
Yes. Create separate alarms in the Clock app for each time, then edit each one individually to use a different tone. For example, you could set a gentle tone for your 6 a.m. wake-up and a louder tone for your 7 a.m. backup alarm. Each alarm remembers its own sound setting.
Will my alarm tone change if I update my iPhone?
No. Your alarm tone settings stay the same after an iOS update. However, if you are using a tone you downloaded from iTunes and that tone is removed from the store, your alarm may revert to a built-in tone. Built-in tones are permanent and will not change.
Why does my alarm sound different on weekends?
Your alarm tone itself does not change, but your iPhone's volume settings might. If you lower your phone's volume on weekends or use Do Not Disturb mode, the alarm will sound quieter. Check your volume buttons and Control Center to confirm your settings are the same on weekdays and weekends.
Can I use a voice recording as an alarm tone?
The native Clock app does not support voice recordings as alarm tones. You would need to use a third-party alarm app that allows custom audio files, or record your message as a song and purchase it through iTunes if that option is available. Most third-party apps are free or low-cost and offer this feature.