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Why is my Android alarm not going off?

By the AndroidAnswers Editorial Team · Updated

About 5 minutes · Sound & calls

Illustration of a phone showing an alarm clock, with a crescent moon on one side and a sun on the other

Steps to check

  1. Check the alarm itself: on, right time, and a real sound

    Open the Clock app and tap the Alarm tab. Make sure the switch next to the alarm is on, the time shows the right AM or PM, and the right days are picked. Tap the alarm and check its sound. Google notes that if the alarm sound is set to Silent and vibration is off, the alarm will not go off. If the alarm plays a song from a music app, pick one of the phone's built-in sounds for now and test again, because some music app accounts do not work for alarm songs.

    Samsung Clock → Alarm tab → tap the alarm. Make sure the Alarm sound switch is on, then tap Alarm sound → Ringtone to pick a sound. If you turned an alarm off for one day, its switch stays off until you turn it back on (the Clock app may offer to turn it back on for the next day). Tap Save.Pixel Clock → Alarm → tap the alarm block. Tap the alarm sound and pick one from Device sounds. Tap Vibrate if you also want vibration.

  2. Turn up the alarm volume

    Alarms have their own volume, separate from the ringtone and media volume. A very low alarm volume is easy to sleep through. Google's Clock app even warns you when an alarm went off with the alarm volume below 30%. Raise the alarm volume, then set a test alarm two minutes ahead to hear it.

    Samsung Clock → tap the alarm → Alarm sound, then drag the volume slider. Also open Clock → More options (three dots) → Settings and turn off Silence alarms when system sound is off, so alarms still ring when the phone is on mute or vibrate.Pixel Clock → More (three dots) → Settings. Under Alarms, drag the Alarm volume slider up. Gradually increase volume makes the alarm start soft and get louder, so leave it off if you need a loud alarm right away.

  3. Let alarms through Do Not Disturb, Bedtime, and Sleep mode

    Do Not Disturb and bedtime-style modes can silence alarms if alarms are not on their allowed list. These modes can also turn on by themselves on a schedule, so you may not notice they were on. Check that alarms are allowed in every mode you use at night.

    Samsung Swipe down with two fingers, touch and hold Do not disturb, then under Allowed during Do not disturb tap Alarms and sounds and turn on Alarms. If you use Sleep mode in the Clock app, it can turn on Do not disturb too, so check the same setting.Pixel Settings → Modes → Do Not Disturb → Notification filters → Alarms & other interruptions, and allow alarms. Do the same for Bedtime if you use it. On older Android versions this is under Settings → Sound & vibration → Do Not Disturb.

  4. Turn on Clock notifications and keep Clock out of battery limits

    Alarms need the Clock app's notifications to be allowed. Open Settings → Notifications → App notifications, find Clock, and make sure notifications are on (names can differ by phone). Battery-saving features can also hold Clock back. Google's Clock app shows a message if Battery Saver may have stopped an alarm. Make sure Clock is allowed to run in the background.

    Samsung Settings → Battery and device care → Battery → Background usage limits. Make sure Clock is not listed under Sleeping apps or Deep sleeping apps. You can add Clock to Never sleeping apps.Pixel If you see a message that Battery Saver may have stopped your alarm, go to Settings → Battery → Battery Saver and either turn it off or add Clock as an essential app in the Battery Saver settings.

  5. Space out alarms that are close together

    If you set several alarms a few minutes apart, Google's Clock help says the first one may be canceled when two alarms are too close. Leave at least 5 minutes between alarms. If you need a backup, set it 5 or more minutes after the first one rather than right next to it.

  6. Restart, update, and test again

    Restart the phone. Then update the Clock app and the phone's software, since an update can bring fixes. In the Play Store, tap your profile icon → Manage apps & device → Updates available. After updating, set a test alarm two minutes ahead with the screen locked and the phone set the way you usually keep it at night.

    Samsung Settings → Software update → Download and install. The Samsung Clock app can be updated from Galaxy Store or Play Store.Pixel Settings → System → Software update. Update Clock from the Play Store.

  7. When to ask for help

    If the test alarm still stays silent with a sound picked, the alarm volume up, alarms allowed in Do Not Disturb, Clock notifications on, and the phone updated, contact Samsung, Google, or your phone maker. Until it is fixed, a plain bedside alarm clock is a good backup for anything important. Back up your photos before any factory reset a support agent may suggest.

Normal vs. not

Usually normal

An alarm that stayed quiet because Do Not Disturb or a bedtime mode was on, the alarm sound was set to Silent, the alarm volume was very low, or two alarms were set too close together.

Worth a closer look

A test alarm that stays silent after you pick a sound, turn up the alarm volume, allow alarms in Do Not Disturb, turn on Clock notifications, and update the phone. That is worth a call to the phone maker.

What people are saying

Common questions

Will my alarm go off if my phone is on silent or vibrate?

Usually yes, because alarms use their own volume. On Samsung, make sure Silence alarms when system sound is off is turned off in Clock settings. On any phone, Do Not Disturb and bedtime modes must allow alarms.

Why did one of my alarms go off but not the other?

Check that both alarms have the same sound, volume, and days, and that they are at least 5 minutes apart. Google's Clock help says an alarm set too close to another one may be canceled.

Can I use a song as my alarm?

Yes, the Clock app can use songs from some music apps, but some free accounts do not work for alarm songs. If a song alarm stays quiet, switch to one of the phone's built-in sounds and test again.

Sources we checked

Menu names can differ by phone brand and Android version. See our editorial policy for how we check steps.