iPhone

iPhone alarm not going off? 8 things to check

Photo of Abu Bakar Saadat

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Updated 21 October 2026 · Checked October 2026

Devices: iPhone 17e (iOS 27.0.1) and iPhone 14 Pro (iOS 27.0.1)

Publisher: Saadat Rafiq

2 min read8 steps

Screenshot from the guide: iPhone alarm not going off? 8 things to check

What changed: new screenshots from our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording checked against those screens.

howtosimply.com/guides/iphone-alarm-not-going-off-8-things-to-check/ · Checked October 2026 · iPhone 17e (iOS 27.0.1) and iPhone 14 Pro (iOS 27.0.1)

In this guide
  1. Check the alarm is on and set for today
  2. Check AM and PM
  3. Check the alarm sound
  4. Raise the alarm volume
  5. Turn off Attention Aware Features for a test
  6. Disconnect headphones and speakers
  7. Look at the Sleep schedule
  8. Restart and update
  9. Good to know
  10. Sources
Quick answer

Open the Clock app and check the alarm is switched on, set for the right days and has a sound that is not None. Then raise the Ringtone slider under Settings, Sounds & Haptics (called Ringtone and Alerts on iOS 26 and earlier). Silent mode and Do Not Disturb do not mute alarms, but a volume of zero does.

7 of 8 steps with real screenshots · 1 official source below

Device
iPhone
Shown on
iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 17e), iOS 27.0.1 (iPhone 14 Pro)
App
Clock
Real screenshots
7 of 8 steps
Checked
October 2026
Sources
1 official, linked below

Step by step

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Steps
Also include
  1. iPhone screen: Check the alarm is on and set for today

    Check the alarm is on and set for today

    Open Clock, Alarms. The switch must be green. Tap the alarm and look at Repeat: an alarm set for weekdays stays silent at the weekend. On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27.0.1 the days are buttons, M T W T F S S, right under Repeat on the alarm page itself (shown here on Add Alarm, which has the same layout).

  2. Check AM and PM

    On a 12-hour clock, 7:00 PM instead of 7:00 AM is the classic mistake.

  3. iPhone screen: Check the alarm sound

    Check the alarm sound

    Tap the alarm, then Sound. If None is selected, the alarm only vibrates. Pick a ringtone. On our iPhone 17e, Haptics is the first row at the top and None is at the very bottom of the list.

  4. iPhone screen: Raise the alarm volume

    Raise the alarm volume

    Open Settings, Sounds & Haptics and drag the Ringtone slider to the right. Clock alarms use this slider, not the media volume. Turn off Change with Buttons so you cannot lower it by accident. On iOS 27.0.1 the page also has an Alarms and Timers section with a Match Ringtone Volume switch. Its note says it does not affect wake-up alarms and other alarms that have their own volume control.

  5. iPhone screen: Turn off Attention Aware Features for a test

    Turn off Attention Aware Features for a test

    On Face ID iPhones, the alarm gets quieter when the phone sees you looking at it. If it seems too quiet, switch this off under Settings, Face ID & Passcode. It is also under Settings, Accessibility, Face ID & Attention.

  6. iPhone screen: Disconnect headphones and speakers

    Disconnect headphones and speakers

    Alarms play on the iPhone speaker, but a stuck Bluetooth connection can cause odd behaviour. Switch Bluetooth off overnight as a test.

  7. iPhone screen: Look at the Sleep schedule

    Look at the Sleep schedule

    A wake-up alarm set in Health or under Clock, Alarms, Sleep has its own sound and volume. If you use a sleep schedule, check its alarm sound and volume there. On our iPhone 17e no schedule was set: Sleep | Wake Up showed No Alarm, and Set Up opened this note, Sleep is Now in Health, with a Set Up in Health button.

  8. iPhone screen: Restart and update

    Restart and update

    Restart the phone and install any iOS update. Delete the alarm and create a new one if it still fails.

What changed: new screenshots from our own iPhone 17e on iOS 27.0.1, dark mode, and the wording checked against those screens.

What we saw on our device

  • Check the alarm is on and set for today: On our iPhone 17e with iOS 27.0.1 the days are buttons, M T W T F S S, right under Repeat on the alarm page itself (shown here on Add Alarm, which has the same layout).
  • Check the alarm sound: On our iPhone 17e, Haptics is the first row at the top and None is at the very bottom of the list.
  • Look at the Sleep schedule: On our iPhone 17e no schedule was set: Sleep | Wake Up showed No Alarm, and Set Up opened this note, Sleep is Now in Health, with a Set Up in Health button.

About this guide

Clock alarms on an iPhone are designed to sound even in Silent mode and during a Focus. When one fails, it is almost always the alarm volume, the chosen sound or the schedule.

The screenshots are our own, taken on an iPhone 14 Pro and an iPhone 17e, both running iOS 27.0.1 in dark mode. The 14 Pro pictures were recorded over USB in QuickTime.

Good to know

Do not rely on a third-party alarm app for something important. Other apps can be muted by Silent mode and Focus; the built-in Clock alarm is not.

The phone must be switched on for an alarm to sound. It does not turn itself on.

Test it: set an alarm two minutes ahead, lock the phone and wait.

In short: Alarm on, right days, a real sound, and the Ringtone volume up.

Sources

Links checked in October 2026. Menus and features can change after software updates. These steps match the version named at the top.

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