Open Settings and find the Clock app section

The alarm tone on your iPhone lives in the Clock app, not in the main Settings. The fastest way there is to open the Clock app directly from your home screen — it's the icon that looks like a clock face. Tap the "Alarm" tab at the bottom of the screen.

If you have an existing alarm set, you'll see it listed. Tap "Edit" in the top left corner, then tap the alarm you want to change. If you don't have an alarm yet, tap the plus sign to create one first, then follow these same steps once it appears in your list.

Key Takeaways

  • Open the Clock app on your home screen, tap Alarm, then tap Edit and select the alarm you want to change.
  • Tap the "Sound" row to see all available alarm tones, including any custom sounds you've added to your phone.
  • Tap your choice once to hear a preview, then tap "Back" to confirm the selection — the app saves automatically.
  • If you want a song from your music library as an alarm, add it to a playlist called "Alarm Sounds" first, then select it from the Sound menu.

Tap Sound and choose from the list

Once you're editing your alarm, scroll down until you see the row labeled "Sound." Tap it. Your iPhone will show you every tone available — these include the built-in sounds like Alarm, Beacon, Bells, and Chime, plus any custom sounds you've added to your phone over time.

Each tone plays a short preview when you tap it, so you can hear what it sounds like before you commit. The tone you currently have selected will have a checkmark next to it. Scroll through the list until you find one you want to use.

Confirm your choice and save

Once you've found a tone you like, tap it once more to select it. The checkmark will move to that tone. Then tap "Back" in the top left corner to return to your alarm details. Your iPhone saves the change automatically — you don't need to tap a Save button.

The next time that alarm goes off, it will use the new tone you selected. If you change your mind later, you can repeat these steps at any time to pick a different sound.

Using songs from your music library as alarms

If you want to wake up to a song instead of a standard alarm tone, you can use music from your library. The trick is that your iPhone only shows songs that are in a playlist called "Alarm Sounds." If you don't have that playlist yet, create one in the Music app first.

Add the songs you want to use as alarms to that playlist. Then go back to your alarm settings, tap Sound, and scroll to the bottom of the list. You'll see a section for songs from your "Alarm Sounds" playlist. Tap the song you want. The song will play from the beginning when your alarm goes off, which gives you a gentler wake-up than a standard tone if that's what you prefer.

Why some tones might not appear in your list

If you're looking for a specific tone you remember having before, it might not show up in the Sound menu. This usually happens because you deleted a custom sound, or because you're using a tone that came from a third-party app that's no longer installed on your phone.

Built-in tones like Alarm, Beacon, and Chime will always be there. If you want to add new sounds beyond what comes with your iPhone, you can read them from the App Store or create them using GarageBand, then add them to your phone. Once they're on your device, they'll appear in the Sound list the next time you edit an alarm.

Troubleshooting if your alarm doesn't use the new tone

If you changed the tone but your alarm still plays the old sound, the most common reason is that you didn't actually save the change. Go back into the Clock app, tap Alarm, tap Edit, select your alarm, and check the Sound row again. Make sure the checkmark is next to the tone you want.

Another possibility is that you have Do Not Disturb turned on. When Do Not Disturb is active, your iPhone may use a different alarm behavior. Check your Control Center (swipe down from the top right on newer iPhones, or up from the bottom on older ones) and make sure Do Not Disturb is off. Your alarm will still go off when Do Not Disturb is on, but the tone settings might not work as expected.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a voice recording as my alarm tone?

Not directly through the Clock app. You can record audio in the Voice Memos app, but iPhone doesn't let you select Voice Memos recordings as alarm tones. Your best option is to add a song to your "Alarm Sounds" playlist and use that instead, or stick with the built-in tones and custom sounds available in the Sound menu.

Why does my alarm play a different tone than the one I selected?

This usually means Do Not Disturb is on, or the tone you selected was deleted from your phone. Check your Control Center to turn off Do Not Disturb, then go back to your alarm settings and pick a tone again. If the tone you want isn't in the list anymore, choose a different one from the available options.

Can I set different alarm tones for different alarms?

Yes. Each alarm has its own Sound setting. Edit one alarm, change its tone, go back, then edit the next alarm and change its tone separately. This way you can have different sounds for your morning alarm, your work reminder, and any other alarms you've set.

What happens to my alarm tone if I update my iPhone?

Built-in tones stay the same after an update. If you're using a custom sound or a song from your music library, it will still be there as long as the file is still on your phone. If you deleted the file before updating, you'll need to add it back and reassign it to your alarm.