Open Settings and find the Clock app section

The alarm sound lives in your iPhone's Clock app, not in the main Settings menu. Open the Clock app directly — it's the one with a clock face icon, usually on your home screen or in the Utilities folder. Tap the Alarm tab at the bottom of the screen.

Find the alarm you want to change and tap the edit button (pencil icon) next to it. This opens the alarm details screen where you can adjust the time, label, repeat pattern, and sound.

Choose a new sound from the built-in library

In the alarm details screen, tap the line that says "Sound" — it will show your current alarm sound name. A list of all available sounds appears, organized by category: Sounds, Ringtones, and Recently Used.

Scroll through the options and tap any sound to hear a preview. The sound will play at your alarm volume, so you get an accurate sense of how it will sound when the alarm actually goes off. Once you find one you like, tap it to select it — a checkmark appears next to your choice.

Tap "Save" at the top right to apply the change to that alarm.

Key Takeaways

  • Alarm sounds are changed inside the Clock app, not in Settings — open Clock and tap the Alarm tab, then tap the pencil icon next to the alarm you want to edit.
  • Tap the Sound line to see all available options, which include built-in sounds, ringtones, and sounds you have used before.
  • Tap any sound to hear a preview before you commit to it, so you know exactly how it will sound when the alarm goes off.
  • After selecting a new sound, tap Save to apply the change — you can change the sound for each alarm individually.

Use a song from your music library as an alarm

If you want to wake up to a song instead of a standard alarm tone, scroll to the bottom of the sound list and tap "Pick a song." This opens your Music library. Find the song you want and tap it — it will now play as your alarm sound.

Keep in mind that songs start from the beginning each time the alarm goes off. If you choose a song with a long intro, you may not hear sound for several seconds after the alarm triggers.

Adjust alarm volume separately from your phone volume

Your alarm volume is controlled by the physical volume buttons on the side of your iPhone, not by the ringer volume. Press the volume up button to increase how loud the alarm will be, or the volume down button to make it quieter. You can do this while an alarm is playing, or you can set it ahead of time.

If you have turned on "Change with Buttons" in Settings > Sounds & Haptics, the volume buttons will adjust your ringer volume instead. In that case, use the Sounds & Haptics settings to control alarm volume separately.

Set different sounds for different alarms

Each alarm on your iPhone can have its own sound. If you have a 6 a.m. alarm for work and a 9 a.m. alarm for weekends, you can give them completely different sounds — or even different songs.

Edit each alarm individually by tapping the pencil icon next to it, then tap Sound and choose what you want for that specific alarm. This is useful if you want a gentle sound for early morning and something louder for an alarm you might sleep through.

Restore the default alarm sound if you change your mind

If you want to go back to the original iPhone alarm sound, open the Clock app, tap Alarm, and tap the pencil icon next to the alarm. Tap Sound and scroll to the top of the list — the first sound is usually "Alarm" or "Classic," which is the standard iPhone alarm tone.

Tap it to select it, then tap Save. Your alarm will now use the default sound again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my alarm not making any sound?

Check that your iPhone is not in Silent mode — the physical mute switch on the left side of the phone should be in the down position. Also check that your alarm volume is turned up using the volume buttons on the side of the phone. If the alarm sound is set to a song from your music library, make sure that song is still on your phone.

Can I use a sound I downloaded from the internet as an alarm?

Sounds you download must be added to your iPhone's music library or ringtone library first. You can add custom ringtones through the Files app or by syncing with iTunes on a computer. Once the sound is in your library, it will appear in the Clock app's sound list.

What happens to my alarm sound if I update iOS?

Your custom alarm sound choices stay the same after an iOS update. If you chose a song or custom sound, it will still be selected. The built-in alarm sounds may change slightly in how they sound, but your selection will not revert to the default.

Can I make a video or voice memo into an alarm sound?

Voice memos and videos cannot be used directly as alarm sounds. You can convert them to audio files and add them to your music library, but this requires a computer and iTunes or a third-party app. The simplest option is to choose from the sounds already built into your iPhone or use a song you own.