In the relatively short time that they’ve been in production, Apple’s AirPods have gained a reputation for their comfort, convenience, and sound quality. They’re a great solution for listening to music, making calls, or any other audio-related task.
Will my alarm go off with AirPods in?
When you set an alarm on your smartphone, tablet, or any other device that is hooked up to your AirPods via Bluetooth, it will go off as normal. The alarm is triggered by the device, which then plays it through any speakers or headphones which are connected.
Despite the seemingly straightforward answer to this question, other factors could impact whether your alarm will be audible through AirPods.
You may need to adjust the settings of your iPhone or another device, or you may need to check that the AirPods are connected correctly.
In this article, I’ll present you with all of the information you need so that you can ensure that you won’t miss your alarm when using AirPods!
AirPods & Alarms – Explained
AirPods connect to your iPhone or another mobile device via Bluetooth. When the devices are paired, any audio that is triggered by the smartphone will be outputted through the AirPods.
This includes any music, videos, voice memos, or phone calls that you make on your phone. Additionally, it also includes any alarms that you set.
When you set an alarm on your iPhone or another device, you choose a specific time for it to go off. If you don’t have your AirPods connected to the device, the alarm tone will simply play through the inbuilt speakers.
However, if your AirPods are connected to your phone at the time that the alarm is set to go off, it will not come out of the inbuilt speakers, but rather be outputted through the AirPods.
This means that for you to hear the alarm you’ve set on your phone, you’ll need to have the AirPods in your ears, assuming they’ve been connected via Bluetooth.
Why Does My Alarm Not Go Off With AirPods In?
Most people rely on their phone alarms to get them up at the right time in the morning, or to remind them to carry out an important task. If your alarm doesn’t go off, this can have serious consequences leading to you potentially being late or missing an important event.
- If you find that your alarm doesn’t go off when your AirPods are connected to your smartphone or another device, this will understandably cause some worry. You’ll be pleased to know that there are some simple steps you can take to rectify this problem.
The first step to troubleshoot why your alarm isn’t playing through your AirPods is to check that they are connected to the device via Bluetooth.
- If you’re using an iPhone, simply go to the settings and select Bluetooth, and you should find AirPods in the list of connected devices.
If your AirPods are indeed hooked up to your iPhone or another device, but your alarm still won’t go off, you need to check the volume settings.
Simply press the volume up button on the side of the device, and you should see the volume status appear on the screen. If the volume is set to a low value, this is likely causing your alarm to be inaudible through the AirPods.
Another measure you can take to figure out why your alarm isn’t going off is to check the volume settings on the AirPods to ensure that they haven’t been muted by mistake or turned down previously and not turned back up.
- It’s also possible that the settings on your iPhone are impacting the loudness of the alarm in your AirPods.
If the “none” setting is selected on the alarm ringtone menu, you’ll need to change this to a sound of your choice otherwise the phone will only vibrate when the alarm goes off.
If all of the above measures fail to solve the problem, you may need to restart your phone, unpair the AirPods and then reconnect them again.
This can be done by simply holding down the home button and the on/off button on the iPhone for a few seconds.
Once the phone has restarted, you can then go to the Bluetooth menu and choose to forget the AirPods. Then, you can reconnect them, and test your alarm again.
Is it OK to Sleep With AirPods In?
Listening to calming music, guided meditations, or other sounds is a great way to relax before going to sleep.
With many apps and YouTube channels dedicated to providing this type of content, more people are choosing to drift off with their AirPods or other earphones still in.
Compared to wired headphones, AirPods are undeniably safer to use when sleeping.
The lack of cables minimizes the risk of you getting tangled up as you move around while asleep, which potentially be very dangerous in some rare cases.
AirPods are ergonomically designed and tend to sit comfortably in the ear without causing tension. For this reason, sleeping with them should cause no disruption to your sleep from a comfort standpoint.
Nevertheless, there are some other concerns about sleeping with AirPods.
First of all, it makes it much more difficult for you to hear any noises that occur during the night, which would have likely woken you up if you didn’t have the AirPods in your ears.
If you have children or other people living with you, this could potentially mean you don’t hear them if they require your help or assistance.
Additionally, if the specific audio that you’re listening to in your AirPods when falling to sleep is quiet, you might turn the volume up so that you can hear it comfortably. Then, if an advert comes on, or your alarm goes off, this could cause a spike in loudness which at best will wake you up abruptly, but in a worst-case scenario could damage your hearing.
I’ve listed the most obvious issues with wearing AirPods when sleeping, but there are also some other short-term and long-term risks that should be considered. These include:
- Build-up of ear wax
- Ear infections
- Damage to hearing
- Sleep disruption
There is some speculation that the radiation that comes from Bluetooth devices could be harmful to humans, so this should also be taken into consideration before sleeping with your AirPods in.
However, there is no concrete evidence, and more research needs to be done.
Some reputable scientists have raised concerns about AirPods and similar devices, stating that using them for too long could be detrimental to our health. Sleeping with them in obviously increases the amount of time you’re exposed to the RF emitted by Bluetooth devices.
Check out this YouTube video that shows customs settings for your Airpods.
Can You Lower The Alarm Volume in AirPods?
To lower the volume of your alarm, you’ll need to go into the settings on your iPhone or another device. In the alarm menu, you can set the volume that will be played through your AirPods.
The volume that the AirPods are set to will also impact the overall level of the alarm. If you have the AirPods set to full volume, you might want to reduce the level of the alarm on your phone to avoid it being overly loud.
If you are using your AirPods with a different smartphone, tablet, or laptop, you should be able to use the same steps to adjust the volume of the alarm you’ve set so that it won’t be too loud.
A simple way to adjust the volume of the alarm would be to simply use the volume controls that are installed on the side of the iPhone to reduce the overall level.
To test the volume of your AirPods, you can use the “sounds and vibrations” previewing feature found in the alarm and ringtone settings.
This will allow you to check that the volume of the alarm is at an optimal level when it is played through the AirPods so that you don’t have to worry about it being too quiet or dangerously loud.
Airpods Pro is now available, I have written a comprehensive guide to help you decide if you should choose AirPods or AirPods Pro. There are various pros and cons to both.
This guide will help you decide if AirPods Pro is worth it for your circumstances and needs.
Related Questions
Can AirPods read text messages?
Another useful feature of AirPods is their ability to read text messages.
This can be achieved by using the “Announce Messages” feature on your iPhone. When the AirPods are connected and you receive a new message, you can instruct Siri to read the text to you.
What is the maximum volume of AirPods?
The average volume that AirPods can produce is around 100 dB. This is why it is recommended that the volume should be set at around 60-70% of the maximum. This will help to avoid hearing damage which can occur over time.
Do AirPods wear out over time?
While Apple AirPods are quite robust compared to other earbud devices, because they are battery powered, they will inevitably lose capacity over time. This occurs every time the AirPods battery is charged, but they should last you for several years before the battery needs replacing.
Can Reset Airpods Be Tracked?
I have written an article on this subject. You can read it here.
Do Airpods Work With Zoom?
For full detailed information be sure to check out this article.
Should Airpods Have the Same Serial Number?
This is often confusing for many Airpod owners, so be sure to check out this article.