Waking up to a favorite song beats the default Radar tone. The iPhone Clock app can use any song in your Music library as an alarm sound, and the steps are the same on every iPhone, from the iPhone 7 to the latest models. This guide covers setting a song as an alarm, which songs work and which don’t, changing the sound for the Sleep schedule’s wake-up alarm, controlling alarm volume, and fixing an alarm that plays the wrong sound.
Quick Answer
Open Clock and tap Alarms. Tap an alarm (or + for a new one), then tap Sound. Under Songs, tap Pick a song, choose a song from your library, and tap Back, then Save.
Which Songs Can You Use?
| Source | Works as an alarm? |
|---|---|
| Songs purchased from iTunes or synced from a computer | Yes |
| Apple Music songs added to your library | Usually yes, as long as your subscription is active. Downloading the song makes it more reliable. |
| Spotify, YouTube Music, Amazon Music, and other apps | No. The Clock app can’t use their songs. |
| Voice memos or audio files | Not directly. Turn them into a custom ringtone first. |
If the song isn’t downloaded and your iPhone is offline when the alarm goes off, the alarm may play a default tone instead. To download a song, open it in the Music app, tap ⋯, and choose Download.
How to Set a Song as Your Alarm
- Open the Clock app and tap the Alarms tab.
- Tap an existing alarm to edit it, or tap + to create one.
- Tap Sound.
- Under Songs, tap Pick a song.
- Browse or search your library, then tap the song. It’s added to the Songs list with a check mark.
- Tap Back (the alarm name), then Save.
Songs you’ve used before stay in the Songs list, so you can switch between them quickly. The song starts from the beginning. The Clock app can’t start it partway through.
Change the Wake-Up Alarm Sound (Sleep Schedule)
The Sleep | Wake Up alarm at the top of the Alarms tab comes from the Health app’s Sleep schedule and has different sound options. It uses special wake-up sounds, not songs.
- In Clock > Alarms, tap Change next to Sleep | Wake Up, or open Health > Browse > Sleep > Full Schedule & Options.
- Edit the schedule and scroll to Alarm Options.
- Tap Sounds & Haptics and choose a wake-up sound.
If you want a song for your weekday wake-up, turn off the Sleep schedule alarm and create a regular alarm with a song instead.
Control Alarm Volume
- Alarm volume follows the Ringtone and Alerts volume, not the media volume. Adjust it in Settings > Sounds & Haptics.
- If Change with Buttons is off, the side buttons won’t change alarm volume. Use the slider in Settings.
- Alarms still play when the Ring/Silent switch or Action button is set to silent, and during Focus modes.
- Some songs are recorded quietly or start softly. Pick one with a strong opening if you’re a heavy sleeper.
Other Sound Options
- Ringtones: built-in tones like Radar, Apex, and Beacon are listed below Songs.
- Tone Store: buy more tones from the Sound screen’s Tone Store link.
- Haptics: tap Haptics (or Vibration) to choose or create a vibration pattern, or choose None.
- Vibrate only: scroll to the bottom of the tones list and choose None. Keep a vibration pattern on so the alarm still vibrates.
Troubleshooting
The alarm plays a default tone instead of my song
The song may not be downloaded, may have been removed from your library, or may have become unavailable in Apple Music. Download it, or pick a different song.
“Pick a song” is missing
Make sure the Music app is installed and Show Apple Music or your library is available in Settings > Apps > Music. Songs on Screen Time restricted lists may also be hidden.
The alarm didn’t make any sound
Check the Ringtone and Alerts volume. Also make sure a connected Bluetooth speaker or headphones didn’t take the sound, although alarms normally play from the iPhone speaker too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a Spotify song as my iPhone alarm?
No. The Clock app only uses songs in the Apple Music library and ringtones. Some third-party alarm apps can play streaming music, but they are less reliable than the built-in Clock.
Can each alarm have a different song?
Yes. Each alarm has its own sound setting.
Does the song play at full length?
It plays until you stop or snooze the alarm. If the song ends first, it repeats.
Summary
- Open Clock > Alarms and tap an alarm or +.
- Tap Sound > Pick a song and choose a song from your library.
- Tap Back, then Save.
- Download the song so it plays reliably.
- Change the Sleep schedule alarm’s sound in the Health app’s Sleep settings.
Kermit Matthews runs Live2Tech from just outside Philadelphia. He started on a university help desk, spent years as the IT person for small businesses, and has been writing tech guides full time since 2020. Each guide is checked on a device he owns, and re-checked when a menu moves. More about Kermit.