iPhone Alarm Not Playing Song? Effective Solutions to Fix
An alarm is an essential tool for waking up on time and keeping your daily routine on track. For many people, setting a favorite song as the alarm sound is a great way to start the day in a better mood. Apple allows users to choose songs from Apple Music as alarm tones, making the iPhone alarm more personalized. However, some users report an annoying issue where the iPhone alarm is not playing song as expected, which can be both frustrating and inconvenient.
If your iPhone alarm is not playing song, you're not alone. This problem may occur due to system glitches, incorrect settings, or Apple Music–related issues. In this article, we'll explore the possible reasons why your iPhone alarm doesn't play songs and provide effective solutions to help you fix it quickly.

- Part 1: Why Does iPhone Alarm Not Play Songs?
- Part 2: How to Fix Alarm on iPhone Not Playing Songs?
- Solution 1: Turn off Dolby Atmos & Lossless Audio
- Solution 2: Check the Volume Level
- Solution 3: Re-download the Song
- Solution 4: Upgrade Clock and Apple Music Apps
- Solution 5: Update Your System
- Solution 6: Fix iPhone Alarm Not Playing Song with TunesKit iOS System Recovery HOT
- Solution 7: Utilize Third-party Alarm Clock Apps
- Part 3: FAQs about iPhone Alarm Not Playing Song
- Part 4: Conclusion
Part 1: Why Does iPhone Alarm Not Play Songs?
If your iPhone alarm is not playing song, it may be caused by several common reasons. Here are the main factors:
1. Unsupported Audio Formats
Not all audio formats are supported as iPhone alarm sounds. You can only set songs in compatible formats. If the song format is not supported, the alarm may fail to play it.
2. Dolby Atmos or Lossless Audio from Apple Music
Since iOS 16, Apple Music has introduced Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio for higher sound quality. However, songs downloaded in these formats may not work as alarm tones. If your iPhone alarm is not playing song, this could be one of the most common causes.
3. Song Removed from Apple Music Library or Device
If you remove a song from your Apple Music library or delete it from your iPhone, the alarm will no longer be able to access that file. As a result, the iPhone alarm will not play the selected song.
4. Apple Music Sync or Download Issues
If Apple Music is not downloading songs or fails to sync properly, your alarm may not be able to load the song in time. This can lead to the iPhone alarm not playing song as expected.
5. iOS System Glitches or Bugs
Temporary system issues or software bugs on your iPhone can also interfere with alarm functions. In some cases, these system glitches may cause the iPhone alarm not playing song problem.
Part 2: How to Fix Alarm on iPhone Not Playing Songs?
Now that you know the common reasons why your iPhone alarm is not playing song, it's time to fix the problem. The good news is that most of these issues can be resolved with a few simple settings checks or quick troubleshooting steps.
Solution 1: Turn off Dolby Atmos & Lossless Audio
Many users encounter the problem "alarm not playing song iPhone", because iPhone alarm is not supported to add a song with Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio due to bugs on the released iOS 16. So while turning off Dolby Atmos and Lossless Audio on the iPhone has an impact on the quality, it's actually an effective way to deal with the problem, and it's gotten a lot of feedback from users who've had the same problem as you. So, read up on the steps to turn both off and add a song to your alarm again.
1. Navigate to Apple Music on your Home Screen.
2. Tap on the Library shown on the button, and find Downloaded to see your downloaded music on your iPhone.
3. Tap on the song you want to delete, tap on the icon displayed on the top right, and you can see a pop-up that shows you the way to remove the music, tap Delete from Library.
4. Then, go to Settings and navigate to Music, find Dolby Atmos, and turn it off.
5. Go back to Audio Quality and switch Lossless Audio off.
6. Return and find the Download in Dolby Atmos and turn it off.
7. You can then download the song again and add it to your alarm. If you do not know how to set a song for your alarm on your iPhone, check out the steps in Solution 2.

Solution 2: Check the Volume Level
If your iPhone volume is too low, then it can also cause iPhone alarm not playing song. Ensure that your iPhone volume is set to an audible level. If not, just press and hold the Volume Up button on the side of your iPhone to increase the volume, or unlock the screen, swipe down from the top right corner of the screen to access the Control Center, find the Volume Adjustment Module, and swipe your finger up to increase the volume.

Solution 3: Re-download the Song
When the alarm on your iPhone does not play song on your device, bugs might exist to a song. The song might not have been downloaded, or it has been downloaded in the wrong format. You can re-download the song and add it to your alarm again to find out whether it can work on your iPhone. Here's the way to re-download the song and customize your alarm.
1. Go to Music on your Home Screen.
2. Search the song you want to add to your alarm, and tap on it.
3. You can see an icon with three dots locate on the top right, tap on it and choose Remove Download. After that, tap on the icon again and select Download.
4. Navigate to Clock.
5. Tap on the plus icon to create a new alarm.
6. Tap on Sound and find Pick a song, then you can add a song for your alarm.

Solution 4: Ensure Clock and Apple Music Apps Are Up To Date
Apple periodically releases updates to fix common issues like the iPhone alarm not playing song. So you can check if Apple has released any updates about Clock and Apple Music. Here are the exact steps:
1. Open the App Store on your iPhone, then tap your personal user avatar in the upper right corner.
2. In the UPCOMING AUTOMATIC UPDATES section, check if there are any updates available for Clock and Apple Music apps, if so, tap on the Update button.
Alternatively, you can open the App Store, tap the Search button at the bottom right corner of the screen, and type Clock and Apple Music app in the search box, respectively, to see if there are any available updates.

Solution 5: Update Your System
It's advisable to update your software to enhance your user experience. This can potentially resolve iPhone alarm issues you may be experiencing. To check for software updates, follow these steps:
1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap on General.
3. Tap the Software Update option.
4. Tap on Update Now button if an update is available.

Solution 6: Fix iPhone Alarm Not Playing Song with TunesKit iOS System Recovery
Have you tried all the ways to fix the problem and none of them worked? There may be some issues with your iOS system. Try to fix your system with a professional iOS system recovery tool. TunesKit iOS System Recovery is highly recommended to help you figure out the iPhone alarm not playing song issue. It is a professional tool for fixing common iOS system issues on iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. It supports the latest iOS versions and can resolve over 150 problems, such as iPod stuck in boot loops, DFU mode, restarts, and iTunes errors.
If your iPhone alarm is not playing song due to a system glitch, this tool can help fix it quickly and safely. It also lets you upgrade or downgrade iOS without jailbreaking. With a simple interface and high success rate, TunesKit iOS System Recovery is easy to use for beginners.
Key Features of TunesKit iOS System Recovery
Fix iPhone Alarm not playing song without data loss, available on Mac/Win and supports iOS 26, and it provide Standard Repair and Deep Repair to fix.
It only takes 4 steps and a few minutes to fix the alarm for not playing the song completely! Download TunesKit iOS System Recovery to fix your iPhone with the detailed steps written below.
Step 1:Connect Your Device to PC
To fix the alarm not playing songs, you require to connect iPhone to a computer and ensure that the iPhone is connected throughout the repair process. Click on "iOS System Repair" on the interface to start fixing. Then on the next page, TunesKit lists a number of iOS issues, and if you don't find your problem from there, you can also click the Start button to continue.

Step 2:Choose Repair Type
It comes with Standard Repair and Deep Repair. Standard Repair is recommended first due to data on your iPhone that will not be removed while repairing. While Deep Repair will erase your iPhone data for giving your iPhone a deep and complete repair. When Standard Repair does not work, you can choose the Deep Repair to fix alarm on iPhone not playing song.

Step 3:Put the Device into DFU Mode or Recovery Mode
Put your device into DFU or Recovery Mode, folowing the on-screen instructions. If there is any trouble, go back to the main interface, and select the "Enter/Exit Recovery Mode" to put it into Recovery Mode in one click.

Step 4:Download Firmware Package & Begin to Repair
Check your device's info and start to download the firmware package. Click on "Repair" button to fix the issue on your iPhone when verification is done. It only takes you a few minutes.

Solution 7: Utilize Third-party Alarm Clock Apps
You can explore third-party alarm clock apps as an alternative solution. These apps offer a variety of features and customization options, including some hit songs and ringtones. Simply browse the App Store and search for alarm clock apps to find one that suits your preferences.
Part 3: FAQs about iPhone Alarm Not Playing Song
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1. Can I use Spotify or YouTube Music songs for my iPhone alarm?
Not directly through the default Clock app.
Apple's Clock app only integrates with your Apple Music Library or files purchased via the iTunes Store. To use a Spotify track, you would technically need to find a third-party alarm app that supports Spotify integration, though these are often less reliable than the native system alarm because they require the app to stay open in the background. -
2. What happens if my Apple Music subscription expires?
If your subscription lapses, any songs you "downloaded" from the Apple Music catalog are DRM-protected (Digital Rights Management). Once the subscription ends, the keys to play those files are revoked. The Clock app will no longer be able to play the file and will revert to the default radar tone.
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3. I bought the song on iTunes years ago. Why isn't it working?
It is likely "offloaded." To save space, iOS sometimes removes the actual file of rarely used songs while keeping the listing in your library. You can open the Music app, and find the song. If you see a cloud icon next to it, tap it to re-download the file to your device.
Part 4: Conclusion
"iPhone alarm not playing song on iPhone" can be easily fixed by changing the quality of downloaded music, adding a new song to the alarm or fixing the system with the useful tool, TunesKit iOS System Recovery. It's a good choice to use this tool to help you fix the issue easily and quickly. Hope that you can learn something to fix your iPhone from this article.