Answer checked 4 November 2026
Will my alarm go off on Do Not Disturb?
For the Clock app, yes. Apple says iPhone alarms ring through it. Samsung and Pixel let alarms through too, unless Alarms was switched off. Check yours below.
Your phone
Guessed from your browser
Your alarm
What's on tonight?
Pick all that apply
It should ring, with a catch.
One setting changes how it rings. Read it below.
Do not disturb
Rings
Alarms get through unless Alarms is switched off in Do not disturb. If Sleep mode turned it on, check Sleep's own options too.
- Settings
- Notifications
- Do not disturb
- Alarms and sounds
- Alarms
Mute or vibrate
Rings, with a catch
Mute and Vibrate don't stop alarms, unless this Clock setting is on. Make sure it's off. Some phones word it as alarms and timers vibrating only.
- Clock
- More options
- Settings
- Silence alarms when system sound is off
Checked against Samsung's guides for One UI 8.5 on 4 and 5 November 2026.
What happened?
Try these first
Turn off Silence alarms when system sound is off
With it on, Mute or Vibrate silences your alarms too. Some phones word it as alarms and timers vibrating only.
- Clock
- More options
- Settings
Let alarms through Do not disturb
Do not disturb has its own Alarms switch. It's normally on, but check it.
- Settings
- Notifications
- Do not disturb
- Alarms and sounds
- Alarms
Check your Sleep mode
Sleep mode can turn on Do not disturb with its own options. Samsung doesn't say if alarms get through, so check, then test.
- Settings
- Modes and Routines
- Modes
- Sleep
If it rang, your phone did its part.
Not sure it made a sound? Pick Didn't ring or Too quiet for the fixes. Waking up is the hard part, and Bed Quitter keeps ringing until you're out of bed and moving.
- iPhone: it rings
- Apple says Clock alarms sound in Do Not Disturb and every Focus, Sleep included.
- Samsung: it rings
- As long as the Alarms switch in Do not disturb is on, which it normally is.
Sources: Samsung, Samsung's Galaxy S26 guide, Verizon
Where to check it
Thirty seconds tonight can save a late morning. The names below come from official help pages and phone guides, so yours may differ a little.
| iPhone | Nothing to change for the Clock app. Another alarm app may need to be let through your Focus.
|
| Samsung | Make sure Alarms is on. If you use Sleep mode, check its Do not disturb options too.
|
| Pixel | Make sure Alarms is on. If Bedtime or another mode is on too, check it the same way. If any of them blocks alarms, they stay quiet.
|
| Other Android | Look in your Do Not Disturb settings for an Alarms switch. Menus differ by maker, so run the 2-minute test too. |
Two things that can stop it
| A second mode at the same time | When two modes are on, like Do Not Disturb and Bedtime, Android follows the stricter setting for each kind of sound. If either one blocks alarms, they stay quiet. Samsung's Sleep mode can switch on Do not disturb with its own options too. |
| An alarm app instead of Clock | On iPhone, alarm apps you've allowed to set alarms get through, but apps that only send notifications can be hidden by a Focus. On Android, battery limits can stop alarm apps too. |
Test it in 2 minutes
Set an alarm for
Pick a time two minutes from now.
- 1Set it in the alarm app you wake up with.
- 2Turn on what you'll have on tonight, like Do Not Disturb or silent.
- 3Lock the phone and put it face down.
Did it ring on time?
It rang with tonight's settings.
A short test can't catch everything, like an overnight restart or a flat battery. Keep the phone charging, and test again after a software update or a new alarm app.
On iPhone, your sleep schedule's alarm has its own volume, and if you wear an Apple Watch to bed it can play only on the watch. This test doesn't cover that alarm.
Then something is holding it back.
Your phone's fixes are next, most likely first.
Questions people ask
Does Sleep Focus turn off my alarm?
No. Sleep Focus lets Clock alarms through. If you wear an Apple Watch to bed, your sleep schedule's alarm may play only on the watch. On iOS 26.4 and later, turn on Always Play on iPhone in that alarm's options.
Will my alarm go off on silent and Do Not Disturb?
Yes, from the Clock app on iPhone and Pixel. On Samsung too, unless the Clock setting Silence alarms when system sound is off is on. Some phones word it as alarms and timers vibrating only. With it on, Mute or Vibrate can keep it quiet.
Do alarm apps work in Do Not Disturb?
It depends on the app. On iPhone, alarm apps you've allowed to set alarms ring through any Focus, and older apps may not. On Android, Do Not Disturb usually treats an alarm app like the Clock, but an app that plays its alarm like music follows the Media sounds switch instead. Battery limits can still stop it.
Do Not Disturb
An alarm that keeps ringing until you're up.
Bed Quitter keeps ringing until you get out of bed and move. On Android, it warns you the evening before if Do Not Disturb or a low volume would keep it quiet. No photo or video from the camera leaves your phone.
You're on the list. We'll email you once, at launch.
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