iPhone Alarms & Headphones The Complete Guide

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If you are wondering how you can set your alarms and play them through your headphones, you will find your answer here. Learn everything about setting, managing, and playing your alarms through headphones and AirPods

So without further ado, let’s see whether or not your iPhone alarms can be played through AirPods and headphones.

How Do I Get My iPhone Alarm To Play Through Headphones?

  1. Go to iPhone clock and open the alarm tab
  2. Click on edit in the top left and click on any of your alarms
  3. Go to sound and tpa on a sound to play it
  4. If you have headphones connected, the alarm will play through your iPhones speakers and wired or wireless headphons

In the case of iOS 11 or later, any alert tone on your iPhone automatically plays through both the built-in speakers as well as any wired or wireless speakers or headphones that are connected. There is no way to play your iPhone alarms only through the headphones or speakers if you have iOS 11 or later.

But if your iPhone has iOS 10 or older, you can mute your iPhone before connecting the headphones. After your headphones have been connected, your alarm would only be played through your headphones since you muted the built-in speaker.

If you currently own a Verizon iPhone and want to switch to AT&T, check my article here to learn how you can seamlessly switch your networks.

Do iPhones Alarms Play Through AirPods?

If you have your AirPods connected to your iPhone, your alarms will play through both your AirPods and the built-in speakers on your iPhone. But they won’t just play through your AirPods only.

If you have wired or Bluetooth headphones or speakers connected to your iPhone, your alarm will be play through the connected audio output, as well as your iPhone speakers. If you can’t hear the alarm ringing through any of these audio outputs, try the following steps:

  1. Restart your iPhone.
  2. Re-pair your AirPods by unpairing them and then pairing them again. To do so, go to Settings > Bluetooth and then tap next to your AirPods. An info panel will open up. Tap on “Forget This Device” and then connect your AirPods again using this guide.

You will now be able to hear your iPhone alarms on both your built-in speakers and your AirPod. Try it out by setting an alarm for one minute from now and see which audio output the alarm uses. 

However, if you are only trying to play your alarms through your AirPods, you would be disappointed to know that it does not work that way. Apple does not allow your alarms to play through your AirPods only. Read on to find out why!

If you are wondering what happens when you reset your iPhone to factory details, I recommend you read my article to find out if anything could go wrong.

Why Does My Alarm Not Play Through My AirPods?

Apple deliberately did not allow your alarms to play through your AirPods only. That’s because your AirPods can easily fall off when you are asleep, and if your alarms were to be only played through the AirPods, you would not be alerted by the alarm. Therefore, iPhone alarms play through both iPhone speakers & headphones

Apple made a smart move by not adding the option to play your alarms through AirPods only. Because if your AirPods were to fall off from your ears in the middle of the night, you would end up missing an important class or a meeting.

But if your alarm does not play at all through your AirPods or your built-in speakers, try the following steps:

  • Check the ringer volume on your iPhone. If it is too low, press the volume up button to bring it to an audible leve. Alternatively, you can also go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics, and use the slider under Ringer And Alerts to adjust the ringer volume.
  • If your iPhone only vibrates when the alarm goes off, you need to check if your alarm sound is not set to None. To do so, go to the Clock > Alarm tab > Edit. Tap on the desired alarm and in the Sound option, choose a Sound for your alarm. 

Now that you have made sure your iPhone alarm has a Sound selected, and its ringer volume is set to an audible level, you will hear the alarm playing through both your AirPods and your built-in speakers.

If your iPhone alarm still does not go off, please check my article to learn six ways to fix an iPhone alarm not going off.

How Do I Set An Alarm On My AirPods?

  1. Go to iPhones clock and navigate to the alarm tap
  2. Click on edit, tap on alarm select a sound and choose a sound for your alarm by tapping on it
  3. Connect your AirPods to your alarm, your alarm should be played via the AirPods and speakers.

Go to the Clock app and then switch to the Alarm tap. Click on Edit, tap on an alarm, select Sound and choose a Sound for your alarm by tapping on it. If you have your AirPods connected to your iPhone, your alarm would be play through both your speakers and your AirPods.

Your alarm will continue to play through the AirPods if they are turned on. The same is the case with any wired/wireless headphones or speakers connected to your iPhone. The alarm will play through the connected audio output device as well as the built-in iPhone speakers. There is no way to play your alarm only on your AirPods and not on the built-in iPhone speakers.

If you accidentally end up spilling water on your iPhone or another Apple device, please read my article to know if Apple care covers water damage.

Look into These iPhone Essentials, Sound Devices, and More!

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