How to fix Apple iPhone XS Max alarm function that is not working properly, phone won’t alarm on set time/date [Troubleshooting Guide]

Many people these days rely on their smartphones to serve as alarm clocks. A basis of this preference is the fact that the alarm function entrenched into the Clock app is very convenient. With Apple’s recent iOS 12 platform release, iPhones are already equipped with an enhanced clock feature dubbed as the Bedtime Wake Up Alarm.

But for some reason, some iPhone XS Max owners are having trouble to get this feature work as intended. Some people thought of this as the alarm bug on iOS 12. Read on to find out what triggers the problem and what workarounds to try in case you too will encounter it on your iPhone XS Max.

Before we move on to our troubleshooting, if you are looking for a solution to a different issue, make sure you drop by our troubleshooting page as we’ve already addressed some of the most common problems reported by our readers. Find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If you still need our help after that, then feel free to contact us by filling up our iPhone issues questionnaire.

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How to troubleshoot iPhone XS Max with alarm function that’s not working?

Before troubleshooting, check the alarm sound on your iPhone XS Max by launching the Clock app. Then tap Edit to select an alarm and tap sound to check.

If you happen to download and install a third-party alarm app on your iPhone XS Max, then try to disable or remove it. Doing so will help you rule out app conflicts.

Test to see if the alarm function is already working. If it’s still not, then move on and start troubleshooting software problems that may have inflicted troubles on the phone’s alarm function or clock system.

First solution: Adjust the Alarm Volume on your iPhone XS Max.

Your alarm sound level may be too low that you could barely hear it and thus you missed the alarm. To make sure this isn’t the issue, check and manage the ringer and alerts sound level on your iPhone Xs Max with these steps:

  1. Tap to open the Settings app.
  2. Select Sounds & Haptics.
  3. Navigate to Ringers and Alerts.
  4. Then drag the slider left or right. You should hear an alert sound playing as you drag the slider.
  5. Set the loudness to a desired level.

Pressing the Volume buttons on the side of your iPhone will not affect or change the alarm volume unless you enable the option to Change with Buttons.

Second solution: Manage or delete other existing alarms then set up a new one.

If you’ve previously set up multiple alarms, there’s a tendency that you’ve selected the wrong alarm. So chances are that you didn’t hear your alarm sound because it’s set to a later date and time or the alarm sound was set to none. To rule this out, manage and/or delete any unused alarms from your iPhone XS Max with these steps:

  1. Tap to open the Clock app.
  2. Go to the Alarm tab.
  3. Tap Edit on the top-left corner of the screen.
  4. Tap to select the alarm you want to make changes with.
  5. Also make sure that the alarm sound is not set to None or else you won’t hear it sound.
  6. Then tap Save to apply the changes.
  7. To delete existing alarms on your phone, you can swipe left over the alarm you wish to delete and then tap Delete. Alternatively, you can tap Edit, tap the Minus (-) icon then tap Delete to confirm.

After deleting unused alarms, set up a new sample alarm to see if the problem is gone. You can also ask Siri to set the alarm for you. Just say Hey Siri, set an alarm for [desired time].

Third solution: Reset all settings on your iPhone XS Max.

Customized settings on your iPhone can also cause conflict to your alarm settings. This is likely to blame if your alarm was working fine and suddenly stopped working after applying some changes on your phone settings. To clear this out, follow these steps to reset all settings on your iPhone XS Max. This reset will erase all customized settings without affecting internal data stored on the phone memory. Here’s how it’s done:

  1. Tap Settings from the Home screen.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down to and tap Reset.
  4. Select Reset all settings option.
  5. If prompted, enter your device passcode to continue.
  6. Then tap the option to confirm all settings reset.

Reboot your iPhone after the reset then enable features and options you want to use on your device.

Fourth solution: Download and install new software update for your phone.

Installing the latest iOS version on your iPhone may also address the issue if what you’re dealing with is the so-called alarm bug. If your iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi, has at least 50 percent battery life and enough storage space, then updating iOS via over-the-air is possible.

  • To check for new updates, go to Settings-> General-> Software update menu.

If a new iOS version is available, you should see an update notification that gives you options to Download and Install new update.

After updating, reboot/soft reset your iPhone XS Max to apply the recent system changes and to clear cache on the phone memory and system folders.

Fifth solution: Wipe your iPhone XS Max then restore to its factory defaults (master reset).

If you the alarm is still not working after applying all prior workarounds, then you may opt to troubleshoot further and resort to a factory reset. What you’re dealing with could be due to some fatal system errors that require advanced solutions. At this point, backing up of critical data is recommended. Once you’re all set, factory reset your iPhone Xs Max with these steps:

  1. Tap to open Settings app from Home.
  2. Tap General.
  3. Scroll down to and tap Reset.
  4. Select the option to Erase all content and settings.
  5. When asked, enter your device passcode.
  6. Then tap the option to confirm master reset.

Your phone will then start wiping data and then restore factory defaults. When the reset is finished, your device restarts by itself. Allow it to boot up then set up your iPhone Xs Max as new and then create a new test alarm with these steps:

  1. Open the Clock app from the Home screen or through the Control Center.
  2. Go to the Alarm tab.
  3. Tap the Plus (+) sign then set a desired time for the alarm.
  4. To set up a recurring alarm, tap Repeat.
  5. To select a sound that plays when the alarm sounds, tap Sound.
  6. To set a name for your alarm, tap Label.
  7. Finally, tap SAVE to create and activate your alarm.

Check and see if your alarm works. If it’s not, then you’re most likely dealing with a complex system error that may have caused the iPhone XS Max alarm system to malfunction.

For Bedtime alarms to be heard, be sure not to enable Do Not Disturb During Bedtime option as this will silence all calls and alerts that arrive when your phone is locked. Also ensure that the Wake Up Sound level is set to the highest.

Seek more help

For further suggestions and advanced troubleshooting methods, contact your carrier’s tech support or Apple Support and report the problem. Be sure to let them know of what exactly had transpired and how you end up having trouble getting your iPhone XS Max alarm function to work. To rule out hardware damage from the possible causes, you can take a trip to the nearest Apple service center in your place and ask the technician to evaluate physical components of your iPhone XS Max.

Connect with us

If you need more help with the use of certain functions and features of the Apple iPhone XS Max smartphone, feel free to visit our Tutorial Page. There you can find a list of how-to contents, step-by-step tutorials, as well as answers to FAQs regarding iPhone XS Max. If you have other concerns or encountered some troubles while using the phone, you can reach us through this form. Just be sure to tell us more details of the problem or device issue(s) you may have and we will be more than happy to assist you further.

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