Where to find and change your alarm sound
The alarm sound lives in your Clock app or Alarms app, not in your main Settings. Open whichever app your device uses for alarms — on most phones this is called Clock, Alarms, or just Clock & Alarms. Find the alarm you want to change, tap or click it to open its details, and look for a field labeled Sound, Alarm Tone, or Notification Sound. Tap that field and you will see a list of built-in sounds to choose from.
The exact steps depend on whether you use Android or iOS, but the principle is the same: the alarm app itself holds the sound choices, not your device's main settings. If you cannot find an Alarms app on your home screen, swipe down or check your app drawer — it may be grouped with Calendar or Weather.
Key Takeaways
- Alarm sounds are changed inside the Clock or Alarms app, not in your device's main Settings menu.
- You can set different sounds for different alarms, so your morning alarm can sound different from your medication reminder.
- Most phones come with 10 to 20 built-in alarm tones, and you can usually add custom sounds from your music library on Android.
- If you change a sound and it does not stick, check that your alarm is actually saved — many devices require you to tap Save or Done after making changes.
Changing alarms on iPhone
Open the Clock app and tap the Alarms tab at the bottom. Find the alarm you want to change and swipe left on it, then tap Edit. Scroll down to the Sound field and tap it. You will see a list of built-in alarm tones with names like Alarm, Beacon, Chime, and Digital. Tap the one you want to hear, then tap Back and Save at the top right.
iPhone limits you to the sounds Apple provides — you cannot use songs from your Music library as alarms. If none of the built-in tones appeal to you, your only option is to choose the one that bothers you least and rely on your phone's vibration to wake you. The vibration pattern cannot be changed for alarms, but it will go off at the same time as the sound.
Changing alarms on Android
Open your Clock app and tap Alarms or the alarm icon. Find the alarm you want to change and tap it to open its details. Look for Sound or Alarm Tone and tap it. Android shows you a list of built-in tones, but also gives you the option to choose a song from your phone's music library — tap the music note icon or a button labeled Add Custom Sound or Choose from Music. Pick the song you want and confirm.
Android phones vary by manufacturer, so the exact wording and button locations may differ. Samsung phones, for example, use slightly different menu names than Google Pixel phones. If you cannot find the Sound option, look for a gear icon or three-dot menu on the alarm itself — some Android versions hide sound settings there.
Using songs from your music library
Android lets you set any song stored on your phone as an alarm, but iOS does not. If you use Android and want to use a specific song, make sure it is downloaded to your phone — streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music do not always let alarms access their libraries. Downloaded music from Google Play Music, YouTube Music, or local files will work.
When you choose a custom song, the alarm will start playing from the beginning of the track. If you want the alarm to start at a specific moment in the song, you will need to trim the audio file using a separate app before setting it as your alarm. Some Android phones also let you set a fade-in time so the song starts quietly and gets louder, which can be gentler than a sudden blast of sound.
What to do if your alarm sound does not change
The most common reason an alarm sound does not change is that you did not save your changes. After you pick a new sound, look for a Save, Done, or Confirm button and tap it. If you close the alarm details without saving, your phone will keep the old sound.
If you saved but the sound still did not change, try deleting the alarm and creating a new one with the sound you want. On Android, if you chose a custom song and it is not playing, check that the song file is still on your phone — if you deleted it or moved it to cloud storage, the alarm cannot find it. On iPhone, restart your phone and try setting the alarm again; sometimes the Clock app needs a fresh start to register sound changes.
Setting different sounds for different alarms
You can give each alarm its own sound. This is useful if you have a morning alarm, a work reminder, a medication alarm, and a bedtime alarm — you can make each one distinct so you know which one is going off without looking at your phone. Create or edit each alarm separately and choose a different sound for each one.
Some people set their most important alarm to the loudest, most annoying built-in tone, and set less critical reminders to quieter or more pleasant sounds. This way your brain learns to respond urgently to the harsh sound and can ignore the gentler one if you are already awake. Experiment with a few combinations and see what works for your sleep habits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a song from Spotify or Apple Music as an alarm?
On Android, only if you read the song to your phone first — streaming services do not always let alarms access their libraries. On iPhone, you cannot use any music as an alarm, only the built-in tones Apple provides.
Why does my alarm still use the old sound after I changed it?
You probably did not save your changes. After picking a new sound, look for a Save or Done button and tap it before closing the alarm. If you saved and it still did not work, delete the alarm and create a new one.
Can I make my alarm gradually get louder instead of starting at full volume?
Some Android phones have a fade-in or gradual volume option in the alarm details. iPhone does not have this feature for built-in alarms, but you can use a third-party alarm app from the App Store if gradual wake-up is important to you.
What happens to my alarm sound if I delete the song from my phone?
On Android, if you set a custom song as your alarm and then delete that song, the alarm will not play — it will either be silent or fall back to a default tone. Keep any songs you use as alarms in your phone's storage.
Can I set a different alarm sound for weekdays and weekends?
No, but you can create two separate alarms — one for weekdays and one for weekends — and give each one a different sound. Set the weekday alarm to repeat Monday through Friday and the weekend alarm to repeat Saturday and Sunday.