Many users are experiencing a software glitch that is causing the iPhone alarm clock to not play any sound at all. This is how you solve it.
iPhone alarm clock not working
Did you wake up too late once last week? And so did you overslept? Then there is a chance that you are having problems with your iPhone’s alarm clock. Many users complain on social media about the sound of the alarm clock on their iPhone. Better said: about the lack of sound when the alarm should go off. Due to a bug, the alarm on the iPhone does not go off at all, causing users to wake up much too late.
Also read: Tip: use a digital clock in Standby mode on your iPhone
Users who experience the problem set an alarm, but it does not ring. Apple has now acknowledged that there is a problem with the alarm in the Clock app. The company has not (yet) revealed what causes the bug. On social media, some users seem to have already discovered the cause. It may be due to a Face ID feature, which inadvertently turns off or softens your iPhone’s alarm clock.
Face ID feature possible cause
Apple has developed a special function for iPhones with Face ID that recognizes whether you are looking at the device. The iPhone’s TrueDepth camera first verifies that your eyes are on the camera before the device unlocks. This attention detection serves as an extra layer of security for the iPhone. According to users, it is precisely this function that ensures that the iPhone alarm clock no longer goes off.
Attention detection reportedly reduces the volume of the alarm clock or even turns it off completely. This seems to go wrong, because in some cases the iPhone registers attention detection while someone is still sleeping. This makes the sound of the alarm clock much softer. Apple has not yet confirmed that this is indeed the cause of the problem.
Are you experiencing problems with the alarm clock on your iPhone? Then this solution is at least worth a try for now. To turn off attention detection on your iPhone:
- Open ‘Settings’ on your iPhone;
- Go to ‘Face ID and passcode’;
- Enter your access code;
- Turn off the switch behind ‘Attention required for Face ID’.
iOS 17.5 will be released soon
Another option is of course to use an old-fashioned alarm clock. It is advisable to re-enable attention detection as soon as Apple has resolved the bug with the alarm clock on the iPhone. It still serves as an extra layer of security for the device. You can enable it via the same settings by turning the switch behind ‘Attention required for Face ID’ back on. In that case, Face ID only works if you are visibly looking at the TrueDepth camera.
Also read: Handy: this way you can turn off all alarm clocks at once on your iPhone
There is a good chance that Apple will fix the problem in iOS 17.5. We can probably install that update within two weeks, with no major new features expected. Apple mainly uses the update to solve problems, including this bug with the alarm clock on the iPhone. Want to know more about the next iOS update? Then read all about iOS 17.5 here!
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