iPhone alarm delayed sometimes? Here are some potential workarounds

Imagine waking up to find your iPhone alarm either didn’t go off or sounded much later than expected. You’re not alone. iPhone users have been reporting delayed alarms for years. I found a post on Reddit from five years ago talking about the problem. The latest report of the problem seems to have brought back a lot of attention to this strange glitch. This comes months after Apple claimed it was working on a fix.

Here’s a video of the bug in action from the Reddit thread from five years ago:

That said, if your alarm clock can’t be trusted, it can ruin your day. So I’ve read several dozen threads and articles discussing the problem and have listed down some potential reasons why this happens and what you can try to fix it. Just remember, I’m not guaranteeing any fixes here. What worked for some might not necessarily work for you. And since Apple hasn’t confirmed anything itself, every potential reason or fix can and should be treated as speculation. With that out of the way, let’s dive in.

Potential reasons behind delayed alarms

1. Attention awareness features

This setting reduces alarm volume if your iPhone thinks you’re looking at it. Sometimes it can silence alarms completely. Moving your phone slightly while the alarm rings may also silence it without your knowledge.

How to disable it:

• Go to Settings > Face ID Passcode.
• Turn off Attention Aware Features.

Many users report that this fixes alarms going off silently. It’s, however, unclear how and why this could be alarms getting delayed.

2. Focus modes interference

Focus modes like Do Not Disturb can block notifications and alarms if not properly configured.

Steps to check:

• • Open Settings > Focus.

• Tap on each focus mode to see if alarms are silenced.
• Make sure the Allow Notifications setting includes alarms.

3. Time zone confusion

Your phone may get confused about your time zone, especially after travel or time zone shifts.

How to fix it:

• Go to Settings > General > Date & Time.
• Ensure Set Automatically is on.

If alarms still misbehave, try toggling this off, and then back on.

Workarounds you can try for better reliability

1. Use Bedtime/Sleep schedules

This feature has proven more reliable for some users, according to chatter on forums.

How to set it up:

• Open the Health app.
• Tap Sleep > Full Schedule & Options.
• Set your wake-up time and make sure the alarm is on.

2. Restart Your iPhone

A simple restart can fix bugs causing delayed alarms.

Steps:

• Hold the Side button and either Volume button until the slider appears.
• Drag the slider to turn off.
• Turn the phone back on.

3. Delete and recreate alarms

Sometimes alarms themselves become glitchy.

Steps:

• Open the Clock app.
• Delete all existing alarms.
• Restart your phone, then recreate the alarms.

4. Update iOS

Apple releases updates to fix bugs, including alarm issues. So you should check for any available iOS updates on your iPhone.

How to update:

• Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
• Install any available updates.

5. Turn Off Bluetooth devices

Sometimes alarms may play through connected Bluetooth speakers or headphones.

Steps:

• Go to Settings > Bluetooth.
• Disconnect any paired devices before bed.

6. Set multiple alarms

If one alarm fails, another might save your morning.

Pro tip:

• Set alarms a few minutes apart.
• Use both recurring and single-instance alarms.

What users are saying

Users have shared mixed experiences online. On Reddit, some report that alarms go off silently or at random times. One user found that turning off scheduled reminders in the Calendar app helped. Another suggested laying the phone face-down to avoid Attention Awareness interference. Meanwhile, some are resorting to backups, like setting alarms on other smartphones or actual alarm clocks.

Apple has yet to provide an official statement on the matter, even though complaints date back to earlier iOS versions. Given this fact, the whole problem is even more puzzling. If the issue was caused by potential reasons as described above, Apple should have been able to address the issue for good by now. Since that’s clearly not happened, it’s possible that there might be a bigger underlying cause that we don’t know about yet.

Final thoughts

Since there doesn’t seem to be any obvious reason why this bug shows up now and then, nor is there any guaranteed fix, the best thing to do is set up multiple alarms. I’ve been doing it for years and it has never failed me. And after reading many threads, I’ve noticed this is what most people are doing anyway.

Until Apple rolls out a proper fix, staying proactive with these tips can make a big difference. If you’ve found other solutions that work, share them in the comments. Sometimes, the best fixes come from users tackling the problem together.