How to Change Snooze Time on iPhone

What to Know

  • Snooze time on iPhone is nine minutes.
  • You cannot change iPhone snooze length.
  • You can disable snooze while setting up an alarm in the Clock app, or you can download a third-party app that allows you to adjust snooze time.

How do you change the snooze time on an iPhone? While Apple does not allow you to change the default snooze time on the iPhone, there are two ways to get around this and change your iPhone snooze time anyway. We'll show you how to shorten snooze on your iPhone or lengthen it using these alternatives.

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How Long Is Snooze on an iPhone?

iPhone snooze time is always nine minutes. Unfortunately, it's not possible to change the snooze length on your iPhone. This nine-minute timeframe can seem like an eternity if you are a heavy sleeper or short-lived if you usually need a little extra time.

So why is the default iPhone snooze time nine minutes? According to Apple Explained, it has its origins in the physical limitations of mechanical alarm clocks; setting a 10-minute snooze interval was not physically possible with older clocks. Why Apple decided to stick with the nine-minute snooze interval when the iPhone has no such limitation is a question only they can answer.

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What's a snoozy iPhone user to do? There are two options: set multiple alarms in the Apple Clock app, or use a third-party app. If getting a good night's sleep is important to you, learn how to use your iPhone to improve your sleep.

How to Change Snooze Time on iPhone via Multiple Alarms

Since adjusting the nine-minute snooze time isn’t an option with the iPhone’s Clock app, one way to work around that is to set multiple alarms at your preferred snooze intervals but disable the snooze function so that you don't have alarms and snoozes happening at the same time. Has your clock gotten mixed up? Learn how to quickly adjust your date and time settings

Here's how to set multiple alarms as an alternative to changing the iPhone snooze time:

  1. Open the Clock app.

    how to change snooze time on iphone
  2. Tap on the Alarm tab if you're not already there.

    change snooze time iphone
  3. Tap the Add icon in the upper-right corner to create a new alarm.

    how do you set snooze time on iphone
  4. Enter your preferred wake-up time using the left and center slider.

    changing snooze time iphone
  5. Toggle off Snooze.

    how to change time of snooze on iphone
  6. Tap Save in the upper-right corner.

    how do you change the snooze time on an iphone
  7. Then, create a new alarm by tapping the Add button.

    alarm settings iphone
  8. Set the next alarm for a custom time like five minutes later or fifteen minutes later.

    how do you change snooze time on iphone
  9. Toggle off Snooze.

    how long is snooze on iphone
  10. Tap Save.

    how long iphone snooze

Now, when your first alarm goes off, you simply need to turn it off and wait for the next alarm to sound. Did you know that you can use your iPhone as an Alarm clock? Learn how to use Standby Mode on iPhone.  

Apps That Allow You to Change Snooze Time iPhone

If you don't want to deal with the hassle of setting multiple alarms just to get the right amount of snoozing in, you can turn to third-party alarm clock apps. There are multiple free alarm clock apps that you can find in the App Store, including apps that let you customize your snooze times and apps for those of us who are heavy sleepers. Here are our choices for some apps that can help you get your well-deserved rest.

Loud Morning Alarm

Alarmy - Joyful Alarm clock (Free)

This alarm by Alarmy allows you to set the iPhone snooze time for 1, 3, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, or 60 minutes. There are tons of different ways to wake up in the morning, including shaking, taking pictures, solving math problems, playing memory games, and more. This app was easy to use and was one of our favorites. Its different options to wake up make getting up in the morning a thrill. Outside of its basic features, it has an option for a monthly or lifetime subscription that provides you with more options to help you wake up, including typing, walking, and even a time pressure option that will read you the time and alarm label every minute until you get up. 
 

Loud Alarm Clock

Loud Alarm Clock – the LOUDEST (Free)

This very loud alarm app claims to be the loudest and most annoying, and it lets you set the iPhone alarm snooze for 2, 5, 9, 10, 15, or 30 minutes. It also features different sounds, from car or fire alarms to chalkboard nails, that are sure to wake you up. The app has a minimalist design and easy-to-use interface; you can simply click on the alarm icon to set your alarm or enable voice commands. It is free to use the basic features but has additional features you have to pay for, such as removing ads, extra alarm sounds, and even different character voices. 


Alarm Clock for Me

Alarm Clock for Me ($3.99)

This one isn't free, but it is really cool. With this alarm, you can change the snooze time on the iPhone to intervals from 1 to 60 minutes. It comes with an option to wake up to your favorite music, and if you still need a little extra help getting up, it has an option to flash your phone lights with your alarm. This app has a simple user interface, making setting your alarms very easy. If you’re the type of person who wants complete control of their snooze times, Alarm Clock for Me is the alarm clock for you.

Changing Snooze Time iPhone with Alarmy

If you don’t want the hassle of setting up multiple alarms in order to change the snooze time on your iPhone, the simple solution is to download a third-party alarm clock app. Here we'll show you how to use one, Alarmy, to set up an alarm with a custom snooze length.

  1. After downloading Alarmy from the App Store, tap the Alarmy icon on to open it.

    Home screen with icon for the third-party Alarmy app marked.
  2. You may have some setup screens to go through but once you get to the main screen, tap the blue plus button in the lower-right corner to add a new alarm.

    Alarmy app on the Alarms tab with the Plus button marked.
  3. Tap Alarm in the little menu that appears.

    Alarmy app with the Plus button menu open and the Alarm option marked.
  4. On this screen, you can set the alarm time, and some other unique features of Alarmy. Tap Snooze toward the bottom of the options to open a list of snooze options.

    Alarmy app with the new alarm options screen open and the Snooze option marked.
  5. Here, you can select a variety of snooze lengths, from 1 minute to 60 minutes, or simply turn it off.

    Alarmy app with the Snooze duration screen open.
  6. When you've picked the option you want, just tap Done, and then Done in the alarm settings, and you're all set.

    Alarmy app with the Snooze duration screen open and the Done button marked.

Now you've got an alarm set with a snooze duration that should be more suited to your needs! If you enjoyed this tip, you might want to learn how to change the time font on your iPhone, and how to change the Auto Lock time on your iPhone

FAQ

  • Why is the iPhone snooze 9 minutes? According to Apple Explained, when clockmakers first started producing mechanical alarm clocks, it was difficult to adjust the "clock's gear teeth to line up perfectly for a ten-minute snooze." This meant they had to choose between a snooze time of ten minutes and forty-three seconds or nine minutes and three seconds. Apple has continued with the tradition.
  • What is the perfect snooze time? The perfect snooze time is long enough that you can potentially sleep again but not too long that you fall back into a deep sleep. Nine minutes, the time of snooze for Apple alarms, is a pretty good time period, but for some, it can be too long. The perfect snooze time will vary based on the individual.
  • Is it better to have snooze on or off? Turning snooze off when setting up the alarm prevents accidentally tapping snooze, which is impossible to turn off once you've done so. 
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    Author Details

    Leanne Hays's picture

    Author Details

    Leanne Hays

    Leanne Hays has over a dozen years of experience writing for online publications. As a Feature Writer for iPhone Life, she has authored hundreds of how-to, Apple news, and gear review articles, as well as a comprehensive Photos App guide. Leanne holds degrees in education and science and loves troubleshooting and repair. This combination makes her a perfect fit as manager of our Ask an Expert service, which helps iPhone Life Insiders with Apple hardware and software issues.
    In off-work hours, Leanne is a mother of two, homesteader, audiobook fanatic, musician, and learning enthusiast.