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iPhone alarm not going off or too quiet? 8 fixes
If your iPhone alarm isn't going off, is too quiet or only vibrates, check these settings. We walk you through each fix step by step.
Few things are more frustrating than oversleeping because your iPhone alarm didn't go off, or it was so quiet you didn't hear it. It's almost always down to a setting. Go through these checks in order: you'll have it sorted in two minutes.
1. Turn up the “Ringtone and Alerts” volume
Your alarm doesn't use the music or video volume, it uses the Ringtone and Alerts volume. Go to Settings › Sounds & Haptics and drag the slider up. If “Change with Buttons” is on, turning down a video's volume can also turn down your alarm without you noticing: switch it off so your alarm always rings at the same volume.
The Ring/Silent switch does not silence iPhone alarms. If your alarm is too quiet with your iPhone on silent, the problem is the Ringtone and Alerts volume.
2. The alarm gets quieter when you look at your iPhone
With Face ID, your iPhone lowers the alarm volume when it detects you're looking at the screen. If you pick it up half asleep, it can end up almost silent. Turn this off in Settings › Face ID & Passcode › Attention Aware Features (on some versions it's under Settings › Accessibility › Face ID & Attention).
3. Check the alarm sound
Open the alarm in the Clock app and tap Sound. If it says “None”, it will only vibrate. If you're using an Apple Music song that's no longer downloaded, it may fail: pick a system tone to test it.
4. Disconnect Bluetooth, AirPods and speakers
If your iPhone is connected to headphones or a Bluetooth speaker, the alarm may play through that device, possibly in another room. Disconnect them before going to sleep or check where the sound is coming out.
5. Check the time, AM/PM and the days
It sounds obvious, but it happens a lot: an alarm set for 7:00 PM instead of AM, or one that repeats Monday to Friday when you needed it on Saturday. Also make sure the alarm's toggle is turned on.
6. The Sleep alarm (Health) is separate
The alarm you set up in Health › Sleep or in “Sleep | Wake Up” has its own volume and sound. If that's the one failing, adjust it from the Health app, not from your regular alarms.
7. Restart your iPhone and update iOS
If everything looks right and it still fails, restart your iPhone and check for an update in Settings › General › Software Update. Apple has fixed alarm bugs in several iOS versions.
8. An alarm that's harder to ignore: one that talks to you
If the problem is that you turn off the alarm without realizing it, no setting will fix that. What works is an alarm that tells you something specific. With Alarma Voz, the alarm says your message out loud (“Get up, you have an exam today”) or plays your own recording. It uses iOS system alarms, so it rings with your iPhone on silent or locked.
- Use a phrase with an action: “Get up and turn on the light.”
- Add a second, more energetic alarm five minutes later.
- Use a familiar voice: record it yourself or ask someone in your family.
Not sure what to say? The wake-up messages and the free sound library have ideas ready to use.
If your Alarma Voz alarm doesn't go off
Check that the app has permission for alarms in Settings › Alarma Voz, that the alarm is turned on and that the Ringtone and Alerts volume is up. If you're using an audio from “My audios”, play it in the app to make sure you can hear it.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my iPhone alarm not going off?
The most common causes are the Ringtone and Alerts volume turned all the way down, the sound set to “None”, the sound playing through a Bluetooth device, or an alarm with the wrong time or days.
Why is my iPhone alarm so quiet?
It's usually the Ringtone and Alerts volume or Face ID's Attention Aware Features, which lower the volume when you look at the screen. Turn it up in Settings › Sounds & Haptics and turn off Attention Aware Features.
Does the iPhone alarm ring on silent mode?
Yes. Alarms from the Clock app and from apps that use system alarms, like Alarma Voz, ring even when your iPhone is on silent.
Does the alarm ring with Do Not Disturb on?
Yes, system alarms ring with Do Not Disturb and with Focus modes. Regular notifications from other apps don't.
What can I do if I turn off my alarm without waking up?
Use an alarm that talks to you with a specific message and set a second alarm five minutes later. A message with your name or an action is harder to ignore than a beep.