Do Alarms Go Off When a Phone is On Silent?

This article will help you confirm whether or not alarms will go off when a phone is set to silent or Do Not Disturb. On most smartphones, alarms activate even if the phone is silent, vibrating, or on a Do Not Disturb mode. But you should still check the ringer volume and the alarm ringtone.

Does Silent Mode Mute Alarms?

The silent mode does not mute alarms. The alarm won't go off only when you switch off the phone, or there is no charge on the battery. Feature phones can play the alarm even when the phone is powered off, but iOS and Android smartphones don't have this feature yet as the alarm in modern phones is dependent on the OS inside.

Ensure that you have set the alarm to a ringtone (anything other than "None") and your phone's sound volume is set to a level where you can hear it.

Check Ringer Volume in iOS

Here's how to set the alarm in an iPhone to its loudest volume levels so that you can hear it.

1. Select Settings.

2. Select Sounds & Haptics.

3. Under Ringer and Alerts, drag the volume bar to the right to increase the volume or to the optimum level.

   Note:

   When you drag the volume slider to the left or right, the ringer will trigger and give you auditory feedback on the levels. Toggle the Change with Buttons switch to set the volume with the physical volume buttons on the side of the iPhone.

4. Open the Clock app to check the ringtone for the alarm.

5. Tap the alarm you want to check for the ringtone or select Edit on the top-left of the screen.

6. Tap on Sound and confirm that the alarm sound isn't set to None.

   Check Alarm Volume in Android

   Here's how to set the alarm in an Android to its loudest volume levels so that you can hear it.

7. Select Clock from the Homescreen.

8. Tap on an existing alarm or select the "+" icon to set up a new alarm.

9. Tap on Alarm sound (the toggle should also be on the On position)

10. Drag the alarm volume bar to the left or right to set an optimum volume.

11. Alternatively, you can set up an Android alarm to vibrate only from More > Settings > (Alerts) Vibrate for alarms and timers > On.

    Do Alarms Go Off on DND?

    The alarm will go off even if you have set the phone on the Do Not Disturb mode and the ringer is off. In the default behavior, the DND setting turns off calls and notifications, but it keeps any set alarms active so you can wake up on time. Androids allow for more customization than iOS.

    When you set up Do Not Disturb on Android, you can optionally turn off alarms. Android phones also allow the alarm to override the end time for DND.

    When you set up Do Not Disturb on iPhones, the alarm will go off at the appointed time.

    FAQ

    • Why is my phone alarm so quiet?

      Your phone alarm will typically use your system volume. To adjust it, either use the volume buttons on the side of your device, or look for a Sound heading in your phone's settings.

    • Why is my phone alarm not going off?

      Problems with your phone alarm can come from a variety of sources. First, make sure your volume is up, the alarm time is correct, and no other alarms are conflicting with the one you've set. Otherwise, restart your phone, check for a software update, or try a different alarm sound.