Are you tired of those jarring default alarms, especially the infamous "Radial" tone on iPhones? Imagine how refreshing it would be to wake up every morning to your favorite Apple Music tracks! The good news is that setting Apple Music as your alarm is actually simple.
In this latest guide, we will show you in detail how to set an Apple Music song as an alarm on iPhone, Android, and even smart speakers. Whether you want a quick setup or a fully customized Apple Music alarm, step-by-step guides are ready for you in the following. Let's get started!
Part 1. Official Way to Set Apple Music as an Alarm Clock on iPhone Directly
For Apple Music subscribers, setting a song as an iPhone alarm is a simple task. As long as your subscription is active and the song is added to your library, you can use it directly as an alarm sound in the Clock app. Here is the quick guide to help you set a song from Apple Music as an alarm on iPhone:
NOTE:
This method does not support custom Apple Music alarms, requires a continuous Apple Music subscription, and does not work for Android users. If you want to set Apple Music songs as ringtones or alarms without these restrictions, jump to Part 2 to discover a more flexible solution.
1. Open the Music app on your iPhone and log in with a subscribed account.
2. Search for the Apple Music song you wish to set as an alarm on your iPhone.
3. Tap the +Add button to add it to your Apple Music library.
1. Open the Clock app on your iPhone and switch to the Alarm tab.
2. Select an existing alarm or tap + to create a new one.
3. On the alarm editing page, turn to Sound > Pick a song, and select a song from your Apple Music library. Then, tap the save icon to finish setting your Apple Music song alarm.
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Part 2. Customizable Way to Get Apple Music Song Alarms on Android/iPhone
As previously mentioned, the official method only works for iOS users and lets you set an entire Apple Music track as an alarm clock. For Android users or iPhone users who want a custom Apple Music alarm, the best solution is to use a third-party tool to remove DRM from an Apple Music song and download it in a common format like M4A or MP3. This way, you can trim, transfer, and set Apple Music as an alarm on iPhone 16/17 or any Android device with ease.
Required Tool: TuneFab Apple Music Converter
To make a song from Apple Music your alarm, TuneFab Apple Music Converter is highly recommended. As a professional tool on Windows and Mac, it can convert any song from Apple Music to MP3, M4A, WAV, and FLAC, making it perfect for offline alarms that never expire.
Even better, TuneFab ensures the original Apple Music quality with various customizable options for the optimal output, up to 320kbps and 48kHz. Therefore, when you use Apple Music songs as alarms on mobile devices, you don't need to worry about lossy compression leading to bad alarm quality.
Why Choose TuneFab for Setting Apple Music as an Alarm?
- Download Apple Music songs once and use them as alarms forever, even after your subscription ends.
- Preserve the original ID3 tags for easy management.
- Ensure 35X faster speed to get protection-free Apple Music songs for mobile alarms.
- Support handling Apple Music playlists and albums in batches with one click.
- Feature the official Apple Music web player to make it easy to get started.
To begin with, let's start by downloading Apple Music songs to M4A or MP3 with TuneFab for mobile alarms.
Step 1. Log in to Apple Music Web Player on TuneFab
Download, install, and launch TuneFab Apple Music Converter on your computer. Log in to the web player with your Apple Music account.
Step 2. Select Your Favorite Apple Music Songs
Search for the song you'd like to set as an alarm. Click the "Add to Convert" button to fetch music information.
Step 3. Choose the Right Output Format
On the pop-up window, set M4A (for iPhone alarm) / MP3 (for Android alarm) as the output format.
Step 4. Download Apple Music Songs for iPhone/Android Alarms
Click "Convert Now" to download Apple Music songs to your computer. Once finished, click the Folder icon to locate the song file on your computer. You can now listen to these Apple Music songs offline and be ready to set an alarm for your iPhone and Samsung phone.
Once you have common Apple Music files, you can utilize some third-party editing programs to trim out the best parts in 30 seconds, and then transfer them to your iPhone or Android for settings as alarms. Follow the steps below according to your device.
How to Set Apple Music as Alarm on Android
It is easy to set an Apple Music song as an alarm on Android if it is converted to MP3.
1. Connect your Android phone to the computer, and transfer the MP3 you downloaded with TuneFab to the phone.
2. Trim your preferred segment of the track. Some Android phones, like Samsung Galaxy and Pixel, have built-in ringtone editing features. If available, you can directly cut the alarm clip to under 30 seconds when setting the alarm. Or, you will need to download a third-party ringtone maker app as an alternative.
3. Open the Clock app on your Android and select the alarm you wish to change its sound.
4. Go to the Alarm sound or Ringtone option and tap the + icon or Add New.
5. Choose the imported MP3 Apple Music ringtone file and save your settings. Then, you successfully use a song from Apple Music as an alarm on Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, etc.
How to Set Custom Songs from Apple Music as Alarm on iPhone
This method is definitely far more flexible than the official one, as it allows you to trim any segment and set a song as an alarm on iPhone without any restrictions. Here are the detailed steps.
1. Open iTunes on your computer (or the Music app on Mac). Drag the converted M4A song into it.
2. Play the song, and notice the start time and stop time of your wanted part.
3. Right-click on the song, choose Song Info > Options, and reset the start and stop time.
4. Click File > Convert > Create AAC Version. You will get a new shortened version of the song in the library.
5. Show the file in Windows File Explorer (or Finder on Mac). Change the file extension from .m4a to .m4r.
6. Connect your iPhone to the computer and drag the M4R file to the Tones section in iTunes.
7. On your iPhone, navigate to Clock > Alarm. Choose an alarm, then tap Sound, and select your custom Apple Music ringtone as the alarm sound.
💡 Pro Tip: iOS 26 now supports directly setting MP3 files under 30 seconds as alarms, no need to convert to M4R first! Just import the MP3 to your iPhone and select it in the Clock app.
Part 3. How to Set Apple Music as an Alarm on Smart Speakers
Besides using your phone, you may also be used to starting your day with a smart speaker. On these devices, setting Apple Music as an alarm usually relies on voice assistants or their apps. Also, an active Apple Music subscription is a must-have.
On Apple HomePod
If you are using a HomePod or HomePod mini, you can seamlessly make a song from Apple Music your alarm. Simply say to Siri: "Hey Siri, play (song title) at 7 AM every morning to wake me up." Alternatively, you can configure it manually in the Home app on your iPhone:
1. Open the Home app and long-press your HomePod.
2. Scroll down to find "Alarms" and tap "New Alarm".
3. Under the "Audio" option, select "Play Media," then tap "Choose Media..." to use an Apple Music song for your alarm on HomePod.
On Google Nest/Alexa
Amazon Echo and Google Nest also support Apple Music, but you will need to link your account beforehand. The general steps are as follows:
1. Open the Google Home/Amazon Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
2. Go to "Settings" > "Music" or "Music & Podcasts".
3. Link your Apple Music account. Once connected, you can set Apple Music as your default music provider for smoother voice commands, for example:
"Alexa, play Apple Music at 7 AM."
"Hey Google, play my liked songs on Apple Music at 7 AM."
Part 4. FAQs About Setting Apple Music as Alarm
Do I need an Apple Music subscription to set a song as my alarm?
Yes, you need an active Apple Music subscription to set Apple Music as alarm. The songs must be downloaded and saved in your music library. However, there is an exception: you can use songs purchased from iTunes as alarms without an Apple Music subscription. However, if you use TuneFab to download Apple Music to MP3 for the alarm, you can use the song forever without a subscription.
Why isn't Apple Music working for my alarm?
If your Apple Music alarm is not playing, please check these common issues and fixes:
- Subscription Expired: Renew your Apple Music subscription plan and keep it active.
- Lossless/Dolby Atmos Issues: iPhone alarms sometimes struggle with Lossless/Dolby formats. In this case, you can delete the song first. Go to "Settings" > "Music" and change the audio quality from Lossless/Dolby Atmos to a lower option. Then, try again.
- Not Downloaded: Ensure the song is downloaded for offline use.
To avoid these issues, you can also use TuneFab Apple Music Converter to convert Apple Music songs into MP3 or M4A files for alarms.
How to set any tune as iPhone alarm without computer?
You can set any tune as your iPhone alarm without computer by creating a custom ringtone using Apple's GarageBand app. It allows you to set a song as alarm on iPhone without Apple Music. Here are the streamlined steps:
1. Download and install GarageBand from the App Store.
2. Open GarageBand, create a new project, and select "Audio Recorder."
3. Tap the "Tracks" view icon, then the "Loop" icon, and choose "Music."
4. Find and import your desired song by tapping and holding it.
5. Trim the song to the desired length (30 seconds or less).
6. Name the ringtone and tap "Export." Long press the song file, then share the project as a "Ringtone."
7. Open the Clock app, go to the "Alarm" tab, create or edit an alarm, and select your custom ringtone from "Sound."
Final Words
Now you know how to set Apple Music as alarm on iPhone, Android, and smart speakers. The official method is quick and simple, but it comes with limitations.
If you want a custom Apple Music alarm that never expires, TuneFab Apple Music Converter is a more reliable choice. It lets you download Apple Music songs as common files, trim them freely, and use them as alarm sounds across different devices. Try TuneFab Apple Music Converter today and create your custom Apple Music alarm sound for free!
