Alarm fails (sometimes)

**InTheRed** · 12-08-2012, 08:28 PM

Anyone have trouble with their alarm? On occasion, I wake up and see that the phone says "alarm press to snooze" on the screen but it is not vibrating or making any alert sounds. This has caused me to oversleep a few times. Since I have had the phone since release in October 2011 I would say this has happened about 5-6 times on a host of different OS versions. I have done complete backup/restores a few times since I have had the phone. For a while this lack of faith I have had in the app caused me to go for an outside clock/alarm app, but I do prefer the internal one as long as it works.

**JustMe'D** · 12-08-2012, 08:29 PM

The alarm on my iPhone 4S has never failed me.

**Fit24** · 12-08-2012, 09:10 PM

My alarm works fine. I've never had a problem with it.

**TurboTiger** · 12-09-2012, 06:54 PM

Working well for me.

Good Luck

**ThePinkChameleon** · 12-09-2012, 07:39 PM

This has actually happened to me once and i don't even remember how long ago it was, and it has never happened again since. I can say that I was on iOS 5.0.1 so it had to be well before Nov.17th.

**steveh552** · 12-10-2012, 01:17 AM

I have a iPhone 5 and it just happened to me Friday night, thought I over slept by an hour

**GingerSnapsBack** · 12-10-2012, 09:14 AM

Mine has a few times. One thing I've noticed is that the way to hit the snooze and shut off the alarm are very similar. I've had my phone JB for a while, but I think one gesture snoozed the phone and one gesture shut the phone's alarm off. It was very easy for me to mean to hit snooze and yet I shut the alarm off by sliding my finger ever so slightly.

Does your phone go off then quit working or does it just never work?

**John Yester** · 12-10-2012, 09:17 AM

Never had an issue or had others i know report an issue.

Only thing I can think of is the music that is maybe used is no longer on the device?

But locally the ringers have always worked.

**Jaguarr40** · 12-10-2012, 09:32 AM

Have 3 set throughout the day for various things and the alarm has not failed me in the year I have owned my 4S.

**eve6er69** · 12-10-2012, 04:30 PM

ive heard my mother complain about this with her phone a couple of times. she uses hers for her daily wakeup.

**ross778** · 12-10-2012, 11:03 PM

I've had my iPhone 4S for about 6 months and mine has never failed to work. I hope I haven't just jinxed myself.

**benjimen** · 12-10-2012, 11:58 PM

I've had this happen to me (and been late for work) just enough to now use a regular alarm clock -- it's actually a dock for my iPhone for which there's an app that lets me program the alarm (and radio stations). The dock's alarm functionality works independently of my iPhone, and works whether the device is docked or not. Using the app to set it when docked is just for convenience, it works fine without it.

You mention considering some other alarm app instead of the native one. That's an even less reliable option as either the app has to be running, or it uses Notifications -- which will only sound an alarm briefly.

I ran into the issue with both my 4 & 4S -- and researched it at the time, there's a lot about it at the Apple forums. While there is no definitive word from Apple about the issue, what it seems to boil down to are incoming notifications. If one happens to come in while the Alarm is going off, it'll silence it. I tested it using Google Voice from my PC to send a text message to my iPhone while an alarm was sounding off, and sure enough -- it silenced it. Never ran into the issue with my 3GS -- either it didn't have the bug, or I never happened to receive a Notification while an alarm was going off. I haven't tested it with my iPhone 5 -- after a few times of telling work that 'my alarm didn't go off', the looks of disbelief have me not trusting any iOS device as my primary alarm clock.

If you have a 30-pin iOS device, I really like this alarm clock, compact and a great sounding mono-radio: Amazon.com: Memorex MA4221 FM Clock Radio for iPod and iPhone: MP3 Players & Accessories

I haven't read about any Lightning alarm-clock docks yet, but will get one eventually. Personally, I've found it's better to think of your iPhone as convenient way to set your >real< alarm clock

**ChrisLuce#IM** · 12-11-2012, 08:20 AM

I have been very lucky with my 3G, 3GS, 4, 4S and 5 so far. I would be in a lot of trouble if I overslept.

**Tunnelrunner** · 12-11-2012, 10:57 AM

I've never had a problem with the alarm not going off but it's also never been my primary one; it's always been a backup to my main alarm app "Alarmed." Main point being it's never a bad idea to have more than 1 alarm app serving as your wake up/get up for work call.

**Jaguarr40** · 12-11-2012, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by Pink

This has actually happened to me once and i don't even remember how long ago it was, and it has never happened again since. I can say that I was on iOS 5.0.1 so it had to be well before Nov.17th.

Nice new festive holiday avatar Pink...

**ThePinkChameleon** · 12-11-2012, 03:38 PM

Originally Posted by Jaguarr40

Nice new festive holiday avatar Pink...

thanks Jags!! Its also my lock screen on both my iPad & 4S - I absolutely love this wp

**Jaguarr40** · 12-11-2012, 06:18 PM

Originally Posted by Pink

thanks Jags!! Its also my lock screen on both my iPad & 4S - I absolutely love this wp

Well heck Pink, It is just you!

**JeevesVic** · 12-12-2012, 11:11 PM

My girlfriend has been having problems lately with her clock app on her iPhone 4.

I havent had a problem with my 5.

**ShaneBunting** · 12-16-2012, 01:19 PM

Ensure your volume is up full and the silent switch is off. Media Volume as well as Ringer could have something to do with it, so after setting the alarm make sure everything's turned up.

**benjimen** · 12-16-2012, 03:10 PM

That's true if you're using a 3rd-party alarm app, however, the beauty of the native Alarm App is that you can turn on the mute switch but alarms still sound off. 3rd-party apps are silenced if the mute switch is on.

**bobishinga** · 02-07-2013, 08:48 AM

I've had the same problem.

Solution:
When you create a new alarm, there will be some options at the top of the menu where you choose the time. One will say "sound". Somehow, your sound switch was turned off. Simply change the sound.

**benjimen** · 02-08-2013, 01:40 AM

Unless you flip the mute switch -- doesn't matter which 3rd party alarm you use, it won't make a sound :-(

Thanks though for stopping by ;-)

**John Yester** · 03-22-2013, 10:51 AM

Bringing this thread back up..

I did some other testing as the past couple days.. The alarm was on the screen but no sound.

It seems to be when I have things scheduled via Exchange in calendar.

So I removed those future events and now the alarm goes off and alerts me to wake up..

Odd but this has to be a calendar bug... Since the events are even set to not alert me via calendar settings.

**benjimen** · 03-22-2013, 11:12 AM

Odd -- mine works fine regardless of my Exchange settings. I just don't fully trust my iPhone's alarm -- it'll work fine for a while, then there'll be that one time it doesn't wake you up...

**JustMe'D** · 03-22-2013, 11:15 AM

Originally Posted by benjitek

Odd -- mine works fine regardless of my Exchange settings. I just don't fully trust my iPhone's alarm -- it'll work fine for a while, then there'll be that one time it doesn't wake you up...

Mine has yet to fail me regardless of the events I have in my calendar as well, and hopefully, that will continue to be the case.