What to Do When Google Assistant Won't Set Your Alarm

Don't get mad - try these fixes

A woman tries to set an alarm, but Google Assistant won't set an alarm.

Sirijit Jongcharoenkulchai / EyeEm / Getty 

by Jeremy Laukkonen
Jeremy Laukkonen is tech writer and the creator of a popular blog and video game startup. He also ghostwrites articles for numerous major trade publications.
Updated December 05, 2019

Google Assistant is a virtual assistant that allows you to use voice commands to send text messages, make appointments, and even set alarms. The Google Assistant alarm function uses the same default clock app that allows you to manually set timers and alarms.

When Google Assistant won't set your alarm, but you can still set alarms manually, there's usually some type of problem with the Google app on your phone.

If Google Assistant won't set alarms on your Google Home device, make sure that your Google Home device has a strong connection to your Wi-Fi network and that it has been updated to the latest firmware.

How to Restore Your Google Assistant to Working Order

If Google Assistant sets alarms, and they never go off, or if it refuses to set alarms at all, there is probably some type of issue with your Google app. The Google app is responsible for a lot of behind the scenes functionality, including Google Assistant voice commands, so when it malfunctions, you can end up having this type of problem.

The first thing you should try is to restore your Google app to its original factory state. This process uninstalls any updates you have ever downloaded for the Google app, so it can restore Google Assistant to working order if your problem was caused by some type of bug in a recent update.

  1. Open the Settings app, and tap Apps & notifications.

    A screenshot of the Android settings app.

    If you have an older version of Android, you may need to tap Apps instead.

  2. Tap Google.

    A screenshot of the Android apps and notifications menu.

  3. Tap the ⋮ (three vertical dots) menu icon.

    A screenshot of the Google app info screen.

    If you don't see the ⋮ (three vertical dots) menu icon, your Google app has never been updated or you have an older version of Android or the Google app that doesn't allow updates to be uninstalled. In that case, you will have to move on to the next troubleshooting section.

  4. Tap Uninstall Updates.

    A screenshot of the Google app uninstall updates option.

  5. Tap OK.

    A screenshot of the Google app factory restoration confirmation screen.

  6. Wait for the Google app updates to uninstall, and check to see if Google Assistant is able to set alarms. If it isn't, move on to the next troubleshooting section.

Remove Corrupted Date In Your Google App to Fix Alarms

Google Assistant can also malfunction due to corrupt local data, which can result in alarms that don't set or don't go off. The easiest way to fix this is to clear the cache and local data storage of the Google app.

  1. Open the Settings app, and tap Apps & notifications.

    A screenshot of the Android settings app.

    If you have an older version of Android, you may need to tap Apps instead.

  2. Tap Google.

    A screenshot of the Android apps and notifications screen.

  3. Tap Storage.

    A screenshot of the Google app info screen.

  4. Tap Clear Cache.

    A screenshot of the Google app storage screen.

  5. Tap Clear Storage.

    A screenshot of the Google app storage screen.

    If you have an older version of Android, you may have to tap Manage Data instead.

  6. Tap Clear All Data.

    A screenshot of the Google app search storage screen.

  7. Tap OK.

    A screenshot of the Google app data deletion confirmation screen.

  8. Check to see if Google Assistant is able to set alarms. If it still can't, move on to the next troubleshooting section.

Completely Refresh Your Google Assistant When It Won't Set Alarms

If your Google Assistant still can't set alarms after rolling back Google app updates and clearing local data, your last option is to completely refresh Google Assistant. This process also involves the Google app, but you actually have to disable it and then re-enable it.

If you are unable to uninstall updates due to your version of Android or the Google app preventing it, disabling the app should forcibly roll it back to the state it was in when you first got your phone.

  1. Open the Settings app, and tap Apps & notifications.

    A screenshot of the Android settings app.

    If you have an older version of Android, you might need to tap Apps instead.

  2. Tap Google.

    A screenshot of the Android apps and notifications screen.

  3. Tap Disable.

    A screenshot of the Google app info screen.

  4. Tap Disable App.

    A screenshot of the Google app disable confirmation screen.

  5. Tap OK.

    A screenshot of the Google app factory restore confirmation screen.

  6. Tap Enable.

    A screenshot of the Google app info screen with the app disabled.

  7. Check to see if Google Assistant is able to set alarms. If it isn't, download and install the latest Google app update directly from the Google Play Store.

    A screenshot of the Google app in the Google Play Store with the app needing an update.

  8. After the update has finished, check to see if Google Assistant is able to set alarms. If it still isn't able to set alarms, you'll have to wait for Google to issue a fix. You can visit the official Google Assistant support forum for additional information and to report your problem.