To change the alarm sound on your iPhone, open Clock, tap Alarms, select the alarm time, then open Sound, choose a song or ringtone, and save the alarm. For a Sleep Schedule wake-up alarm, tap Change beside it in Clock to change the next alarm only, or edit the schedule in the Health app to change it every day.
The short version
- Change a regular alarm through its own Sound setting.
- Choose a ringtone instead of None if your alarm only vibrates.
- Sleep Schedule uses Sounds & Haptics and cannot use songs.
- Choose whether a Sleep change applies once or to the recurring schedule.
- Purchased tones and GarageBand ringtones give regular alarms more sound choices.
| Method | What it does | Time | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clock alarm | Sets an individual tone | Under a minute | A regular alarm needs a new sound |
| Sound and volume checks | Restores audible ringing | A few minutes | An alarm vibrates or sounds quiet |
| Next Sleep alarm | Changes one wake-up alert | Under a minute | You want a temporary change |
| Recurring Sleep schedule | Changes scheduled wake-up alerts | A few minutes | You want the sound to stay changed |
| Purchased tones | Adds or restores store sounds | A few minutes | You want a store ringtone |
| GarageBand ringtone | Creates a custom sound | About 10 minutes | You have suitable audio ready |
| HomePod alarm check | Identifies a speaker alarm | Under a minute | The alarm rings on HomePod |
| Alarm app | Uses the app's sound choices | A few minutes | The alarm belongs to another app |
Change a regular Clock alarm sound
Regular alarms and Sleep Schedule alarms use different settings. Choose a regular Clock alarm if you want a song; its sound options include vibrations, songs, and ringtones. An alarm created this way is separate from your sleep schedule.
Edit an existing alarm
Open Clock and tap Alarms, then tap the alarm time. You can also tap Edit first and select the alarm. Open Sound and choose the song or ringtone you want.
Finish saving the alarm with the Done button on iOS 27 and iOS 26. On iOS 18, the button is Save. Repeat the process for any other alarm whose sound you want to change.
Choose a sound for a new alarm
In Clock > Alarms, tap the Add button and set the time. Open Sound and select your tone before saving. Use Repeat to choose the days it should ring and Label to give it a name.
Replace an alarm
If you would rather replace an alarm, note its time and repeat days before deleting it. Swipe left on it in Alarms, then tap the Trash button on iOS 27 or iOS 26, or Delete on iOS 18. Create the replacement with Add, set its time and sound, restore any repeat days, and save.
Fix an alarm that vibrates or sounds too quiet
Open the affected alarm's Sound setting and choose a ringtone if it is set to None. Save the alarm afterward. If your iPhone is in StandBy, alarm haptics are turned off, so an alarm set to None can be silent; choose a sound.
If it is still hard to hear, raise the alarm volume. On iOS 27, open Settings > Sounds & Haptics. Under Alarms and Timers, turn off Match Ringtone Volume, then drag the slider to set a separate alarm volume. By default, alarms and timers match the ringtone volume.
On iOS 26, open Settings > Sounds & Haptics and adjust the slider under Ringtone and Alerts. On iOS 18, the slider is labeled Ringtone and Alert Volume. These older controls adjust the volume used by regular alarms.
Silent mode and Do Not Disturb do not silence a regular Clock alarm. If you picked a vibration for the alarm but feel nothing outside StandBy, check that vibration is not turned off for the whole phone; the steps to make your iPhone vibrate on silent cover that setting.
If an alarm rings at an unexpected time, check the phone's clock before changing its tone again. You can adjust the time on your iPhone if it is wrong.
Change only the next Sleep Schedule alarm
Open Clock, tap Alarms, then tap Change beside the sleep wake-up alarm. Scroll to Alarm Options and turn Alarm on. Open Sounds & Haptics and choose a vibration or ringtone.
Tap Done, then choose Change Next Alarm Only to keep the change temporary. Your normal schedule resumes after the next wake-up time. This is the route to use when you want a different sound for one morning without changing the recurring schedule.
Change the recurring Sleep Schedule sound
On iOS 27, open Health and tap Browse > Sleep > Sleep. On iOS 26, use Search > Sleep > Sleep. On iOS 18, tap Browse > Sleep.
Scroll to Your Schedule, open Full Schedule & Options, and tap Edit for the schedule you want to change. Turn Alarm on, then choose its sound, volume, vibration, and snooze option. Tap Done to apply the changes to every day in that schedule.
If you have separate weekday and weekend schedules, choose the one you want to edit. Sleep Schedule cannot use a song as its alarm sound. For music, use a regular Clock alarm and choose a song from its Sound setting instead.
Use purchased tones for a Clock alarm
Open iTunes Store and select Tones; if you do not see it, tap More first. Browse or use Search to find a sound. Tap a tone to preview it, then tap its price to buy it. Return to the regular alarm's Sound setting and select the purchased tone.
You can also reach the store through Settings > Sounds & Haptics, then open Ringtone and tap Tone Store. Store availability and features depend on your country or region. Check the preview before buying so you choose the sound you want.
To restore earlier purchases, open Settings > Sounds & Haptics, tap a sound item below Ringtone, then tap Download All Purchased Tones. The option may be absent if everything is already downloaded or you have not purchased tones. After downloading, return to the alarm to choose its sound.
Create a custom ringtone with GarageBand
Use GarageBand to turn your own audio into a ringtone, installing it from the App Store if needed. Follow Apple's custom ringtone instructions for iPhone to prepare the audio you want to use. Protected music files cannot be used for ringtones.
From GarageBand's My Songs browser, touch and hold the song, tap Share, then tap Ringtone. Tap Export; exported ringtones have a maximum length of 30 seconds. After export, you can choose Done without assigning it as your call ringtone, then select it in the Clock alarm's Sound setting.
Keep HomePod alarms separate
If the alarm rings on HomePod, first identify it as a speaker alarm before editing anything in Clock. HomePod has its own alarms and can wake you with music. A sound chosen for a regular iPhone alarm belongs to that Clock alarm.
To create an alarm on the speaker, ask Siri on HomePod to wake you at the time you want. For an alarm that should ring on your iPhone instead, create a regular Clock alarm and choose its Sound. Treat these as separate alarms when deciding which sound to change.
Change the sound in an alarm app
For apps that ring like the Clock app on iOS 26 or later, open the app and allow alarm access when prompted. Create or edit the alarm inside that app and use the sound choices it provides. If you turned off alarm access for the app, turn it back on in Settings, in that app's own settings, then set the alarm again.
Apple's AlarmKit feature supports custom sounds, but the app decides which choices to provide. By default, an alarm using this feature uses the system sound when the developer has not specified another sound. Choose a regular Clock song or ringtone when you want to manage the alarm through Apple's Clock settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I set a different sound for each iPhone alarm?
Yes, change each regular alarm through its own Sound setting. Select the alarm time in Clock and save your choice for that alarm.
Can Sleep Schedule use the same songs as Clock alarms?
No, Sleep Schedule alarms cannot use songs. Use a regular Clock alarm if you want a song rather than a sleep wake-up ringtone.
Why do I not see Download All Purchased Tones?
It may be absent because all your purchased tones are already downloaded. It can also be absent if you have not purchased any tones.
Can HomePod alarm sounds change my iPhone alarm sound?
No, a HomePod alarm belongs to the speaker. Change the iPhone alarm separately in Clock or through its Sleep Schedule controls.
Does Silent mode stop an iPhone alarm from ringing?
No, regular Clock alarms still sound in Silent mode or with Do Not Disturb enabled. Check the alarm's tone and volume if you cannot hear it.
Can I change the alarm sound through ringtone settings?
No. Each regular alarm's tone is set in Clock under Sound. Use Settings > Sounds & Haptics for its volume controls or to open the Tone Store.