Mobile Device Tips: How to Use Your Smartphone as an Alarm Clock

Lesson 8: How to Use Your Smartphone as an Alarm Clock

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How to use your smartphone as an alarm clock

Cartoon image of an alarm clock wearing a cape and standing on a smartphone

You may be familiar with the well-known features of smartphones, like texting and browsing the Internet. But smartphones can do many of the same things as other devices, including alarm clocks. Most smartphones come with a clock app that includes programmable alarms and other features, and more alarm apps are available to download as well.

Android

For Android devices, the built-in Clock app can schedule one-time alarms and weekly repeating alarms. It's possible to create multiple alarms and turn them on or off individually.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about the Clock app's features.

donedoneedit hotspotsalarm app

More Settings

The overflow menu contains more settings for the Clock app.

alarm app

Enable or Disable

Individually enable or disable each scheduled alarm with this slider on the right.

alarm app

Scheduled Alarm

Each scheduled alarm is listed with an overview of its settings. Tap the alarm to change its scheduled time.

alarm app

More Alarm Settings

You can tap the down arrow to access more settings for each scheduled alarm.

alarm app

New Alarm

You can click this icon to schedule a new alarm.

alarm app

Function Icons

These icons represent the different functions of the Clock app. Tap the Alarm icon on the left to view scheduled alarms.

alarm app

Each alarm can be customized further by changing the alarm sound, labeling the alarm, and setting it to repeat on certain days of the week. Tap the down arrow at the bottom-right of a scheduled alarm to see these additional settings.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about additional settings for scheduled alarms.

doneedit hotspotsAlarm details

Repeat

You can set the alarm to repeat on certain days every week. The selection of weekdays is hidden if Repeat is not checked.

Alarm details

Vibrate

You can set your device to vibrate when the alarm begins.

Alarm details

Alarm Ringtone

You can select any ringtone or a different sound to play as the alarm.

Alarm details

Label

Here, you can type a label for this alarm.

Alarm details

Delete

Click the trash can icon to delete this alarm.

Alarm details

When you create a new alarm or tap an existing alarm to edit it, a screen with a clock face will appear, allowing you to set the time of the alarm.

Setting an alarm

iOS

The iOS Clock app has all of the same features as Android's Clock app, but the interface is different. You can configure multiple alarms, schedule them to repeat weekly, and customize the alarm sound.

Click the buttons in the interactive below to learn more about the Clock app's features.

edit hotspotsClock on iOS

Edit Alarms

To edit any of the settings of a scheduled alarm, tap the word Edit, then tap the alarm you want to edit.

Clock on iOS

New Alarm

You can click the plus icon to schedule a new alarm.

Clock on iOS

Scheduled Alarm

Each scheduled alarm is listed with an overview of its settings.

Clock on iOS

Enable or Disable

Individually enable or disable each scheduled alarm with this slider on the right.

Clock on iOS

Function Icons

These icons represent the different functions of the Clock app. Tap the Alarm icon to view scheduled alarms.

Clock on iOS

When you create a new alarm or edit an existing one, the screen will list all of the available settings. Use the rotary menu at the top to change the time of the alarm, or tap one of the options below to configure this setting.

Alarm settings

More apps and features

If you want more from your alarm clock app, there is a wide selection of apps available for any smartphone. Many are free, but some cost a few dollars.

Some clock apps can play a song from your library instead of an alarm. Others can play a live news or weather report. If you need extra motivation to get up, there are apps that make the alarm difficult to turn off. Some apps can even post to social media, informing your friends if you got up late.

Alarm clock app in the App Store

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