Alarms not ringing on your iPhone? What Apple said and here's how to fix it

Apple has acknowledged the alarm issue and are working to fix it.

Waking up on time has become a struggle for numerous iPhone users recently, with reports flooding in about alarms failing to sound off as expected for the past few days. This glitch has caused significant inconvenience and even tardiness for many, prompting Apple to address the issue.

Apple confirmed to the Today Show that they are actively investigating the glitch. However, the tech giant has not provided a definitive timeline for when a solution will be rolled out.

US-based tech columnist Joanna Stern tweeted: “Today Show called me last night and said iPhone alarms aren't working! I hadn't heard that but Apple confirmed this AM that it is aware of an issue causing some alarms not play a sound and that it's working on a fix.”

Today Show called me last night and said iPhone alarms aren't working! I hadn't heard that but Apple confirmed this AM that it is aware of an issue causing some alarms not play a sound and that it's working on a fix.

My iPhone alarm woke me up right on time at 6:50AM! Anyone out…

— Joanna Stern (@JoannaStern) April 30, 2024

The consequences have been tangible, with individuals like TikTok user CarterPCS expressing frustration: “In the past six days of school, I’ve accumulated seven tardies. I could’ve sworn it was because my alarm wasn’t going off.”

This uncertainty has left many relying on unreliable alarms, resulting in unintended consequences such as arriving late to work. One social media user recounted: “I was literally late to work the other day because I slept through all four of my alarms that I had set.”

While Apple has not pinpointed the exact cause, speculation suggests a connection with the “attention awareness” feature on iPhones. This feature modifies phone behaviour based on user interaction, potentially muting alarms when the phone detects active engagement.

To address the issue, iPhone users are can navigate to “Settings,” select “Face ID & Passcode,” and disable the “Attention-Aware Features.” Although this may impact other functionalities, it offers a potential remedy to the alarm clock woes plaguing users.

Apple has not revealed what they are doing to fix the glitch.