Open Settings and find the Alarms section
To change an alarm tone on your iPhone, start by opening the Settings app from your home screen. Tap Sounds & Haptics (or Sounds on older models). Scroll down until you see Alarm — this is where iPhone stores the default sound that plays when any alarm goes off.
Tapping Alarm opens a list of built-in tones. These are the sounds Apple includes with every iPhone. You can preview any tone by tapping it — your phone will play a sample so you can hear what it sounds like before you set it as your alarm.
Key Takeaways
- The alarm tone setting in Settings > Sounds & Haptics controls the default sound for all new alarms you create.
- You can also change the tone for a specific alarm directly in the Clock app without touching Settings.
- iPhone comes with dozens of built-in tones, and you can use songs from your Music library as alarm sounds.
- If you want a song as your alarm, it must be in your iPhone's Music app — songs from streaming services usually cannot be used.
Choose a tone from the built-in list
Apple includes tones with names like Alarm, Beacon, Chime, Radar, and Scifi. Each one plays a short preview when you tap it. The tone you select becomes the default for every new alarm you create going forward — existing alarms keep their old tone unless you change them individually.
If you want to hear a tone at full volume before committing to it, tap the tone name and wait for the preview to finish. Some tones are gentle and gradual; others are loud and sudden. Pick one that will wake you reliably but won't startle you awake if you are already half-conscious.
Use a song from your Music library as an alarm
You can set any song stored in your iPhone's Music app as an alarm tone. In Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Alarm, scroll to the bottom of the tone list. You will see a section labeled Music with your library listed below it. Tap any song to preview it and set it as your default alarm.
The song will play from the beginning when your alarm goes off. Keep in mind that songs from Apple Music, Spotify, or other streaming services usually cannot be used — only songs you own or have downloaded to your phone work. If a song does not appear in the Music section, it is not available as an alarm tone on that device.
Change the alarm tone for one specific alarm
If you want different alarms to use different tones, you do not have to change the default in Settings each time. Open the Clock app, tap the Alarm tab at the bottom, and find the alarm you want to edit. Tap Edit in the top left corner.
Scroll down to the Sound row and tap it. You will see the same list of built-in tones and your Music library. Select the tone you want for that specific alarm. When you tap Save, only that alarm will use the new tone — your other alarms and your default setting stay unchanged.
Understand the difference between default and individual alarms
The tone you set in Settings becomes the default for every new alarm you create. If you create an alarm and do not change its tone, it will use whatever you selected in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Alarm.
Changing the default does not affect alarms you already created. If you had an alarm set to Chime and later change the default to Radar, that old alarm stays on Chime. You have to edit each existing alarm individually if you want them all to match a new tone. This design lets you keep some alarms on a gentle tone and others on a loud one if that works better for your schedule.
Troubleshoot if your alarm tone is not playing
If your alarm goes off silently or plays a different tone than you selected, check that your iPhone is not in Silent mode. The physical mute switch on the side of your phone silences alarms — flip it so the switch shows red. Alarms will then play at whatever volume you set in Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Volume.
If you chose a song from your Music library and it is not playing, the song may have been deleted or moved. Open the Clock app, edit the alarm, and select a different tone. Built-in tones always work because they are stored on your phone; songs only work if they remain in your Music app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a song I bought on iTunes as an alarm tone?
Yes. Any song in your Music library that you own or have downloaded to your phone can be an alarm tone. Open the Clock app, edit the alarm, tap Sound, scroll to Music, and select the song. Streaming-only songs do not work because they are not stored on your device.
Will changing the default alarm tone affect alarms I already set?
No. Alarms you created before the change keep their original tone. The new default only applies to alarms you create after you change it. To change an existing alarm's tone, open the Clock app, tap Edit on that alarm, and select a new sound.
Why is my alarm not making any sound?
Check the mute switch on the side of your iPhone — it should not show red. If the switch is off and you still hear nothing, make sure your volume is turned up in Settings > Sounds & Haptics. If you chose a song as your alarm and it is not playing, the song may have been deleted from your Music app.
Can I use a ringtone or notification sound as an alarm tone?
No. Alarm tones are separate from ringtones and notification sounds. You can only use the built-in alarm tones or songs from your Music library. Ringtones and notification sounds are managed in different sections of Settings.