Apple finally gives iPhone alarms their own volume control
For years iPhone owners have been forced to keep the ringtone volume high if they wanted a reliable wake‑up alarm. Lower the ringer for a quiet night and the alarm follows suit – a recipe for oversleeping. With the arrival of iOS 27, Apple has introduced a dedicated volume setting for alarms and timers, meaning you can mute calls and notifications while still enjoying a blaring alarm in the morning.
How to enable the new alarm volume slider
The change is tucked away in the Sounds & Haptics pane of the Settings app. Follow these steps after updating to iOS 27:
- Open Settings → Sounds & Haptics.
- Scroll to the Alarms & Timers section.
- Turn off the toggle labelled “Match Ringtone Volume” (the exact wording used by Apple).
- A new slider appears labelled Alarm Volume – drag it to your preferred level.
- Adjust the regular Ringtone & Alert Volume slider as usual; the alarm will stay at the level you set in step 4.
That’s it. The next time you change the ringtone volume, the alarm stays untouched, allowing you to keep the phone silent at night without sacrificing a reliable wake‑up cue.
Why this matters for UK contract‑deal hunters
Most Android phones have let users set a separate alarm volume for ages, a feature that many iPhone users have complained about on forums and social media. By finally offering the same flexibility, Apple removes one of the small annoyances that could sway a buyer toward an Android device when negotiating a contract. If you’re comparing a new iPhone with, say, a Google Pixel or Samsung Galaxy on a 12‑month plan, the ability to keep alarms loud while keeping ringtones low is now a level‑playing field.
Additional sound customisations in iOS 27
While you’re in the Sounds & Haptics menu, Apple also lets you lock the volume of other system sounds:
- System alerts (notifications, keyboard clicks, etc.) – toggle off the “Match System Alerts” option and set a fixed level.
- Button behaviour – you can decide whether the side volume buttons adjust media playback only, or also affect ringtones. This isn’t new, but the setting is highlighted again, making it easier for users who missed it previously.
These tweaks are aimed at reducing unwanted interruptions while preserving the loudness you need for critical alerts like alarms.
iOS 27 beyond the alarm tweak
The alarm change is part of a broader set of quality‑of‑life updates in Apple’s 2026 software release. Highlights include:
- Siri AI – a revamped voice assistant that promises better contextual understanding.
- Liquid Glass – a refined UI theme that improves readability on OLED screens.
- Minor UI refinements across the Settings app, making hidden toggles like the new alarm volume easier to discover.
Apple typically rolls out major iOS versions in September alongside new hardware, so the public release of iOS 27 is expected later this month. For impatient users, a public beta is already downloadable via the Apple Developer portal, though Apple warns that beta builds can be unstable – always back up your data first.
How Android users have been handling this for years
On Android, the alarm volume is always independent of the ringtone. Users can set the alarm to maximum while keeping media and call volumes low, a feature that has been standard since early Android 4.x releases. The new iOS option narrows the gap, but Android still offers deeper customisation, such as per‑app sound profiles and Do‑Not‑Disturb schedules that can silence everything except alarms.
Bottom line for UK shoppers
If you’re eyeing an iPhone on a carrier contract (EE, O2, Three, etc.) and have been put off by the lack of separate alarm control, iOS 27 removes that hurdle. The setting is straightforward, works on any iPhone that can run iOS 27 (iPhone 8 and newer), and aligns the iPhone experience with what Android users have taken for granted. Keep an eye on the September rollout and consider testing the public beta if you’re comfortable with a bit of risk.
Source: Engadget, “How to make your iPhone’s alarm ring at full volume even when your calls are muted”, 7 Sept 2026.
