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JamesMk2BFK
User level: Level 1 (4 points)

Strange alarm behaviour - deafening during phone calls…

Alarm behaviour - am I doing something wrong? I use the alarms on my phone to help remind me to complete various things. However the alarm behaviour can sometimes be extremely annoying. During phone calls it can be completely deafening and sometimes cancelling it cancels the call. When connected to car play even if the volume is down on the car the alarm sound is very loud. You can’t turn the main volume down on the phone because it says it is controlled by CarPlay. Sometimes cancelling the alarm on the phone doesn’t cancel it on car play. I understand the volume of the alarm is linked to the main phone volume but even if this is low the alarm is still very loud. I can’t be the only one that is struggling with this especially the deafening alarms during phone calls?

Posted on Sep 18, 2026 4:55 AM

1 reply

Ben Luthor
User level: Level 1 (28 points)

Sep 18, 2026 5:02 AM in response to JamesMk2BFK

1. Stop Using Alarms for Reminders (The Best Fix)

The stock Alarm system is designed to wake you up from a deep sleep, which is why it behaves so aggressively. For daytime tasks, you should transition to alternative tools:


  • Switch to the Apple Reminders App: Open the Apple Reminders App and set time-based alerts. Reminders handle active phone calls elegantly—they will play a soft, brief chime in your ear instead of a blaring horn, and dismissing them won't crash your phone call.
  • Switch to Apple Calendar: For specific, time-blocked events, schedule them on your calendar. Like reminders, calendar alerts behave like standard notifications rather than overriding system blockades.


2. Tame the Alarm Volume Mechanics

If you absolutely must use the Clock app for your reminders, you need to decouple your alarm volume from your physical side buttons:

  1. Open your iPhone Settings.
  2. Tap on Sounds & Haptics.
  3. Look at the Ringtone and Alerts slider.
  4. Turn OFF the toggle for Change with Buttons.


Why this matters: When this is on, turning down a podcast or a phone call with your side buttons does not lower your alarm volume. It stays locked to whatever your master alert volume is. Turning this off ensures your ringer/alarm stays fixed at a lower, safer volume level that you explicitly set on that slider.


3. Fix the CarPlay Deafening Blast

CarPlay isolates different "audio streams" (Voice Guidance, Media, Phone Calls, and System Alerts). If your alarm or ringer is deafening in the car, it means your car's Alert Stream volume is cranked up independently of your music volume.

  • The Fix: The very next time an alarm goes off while you are connected to CarPlay, immediately turn down the physical volume knob on your car's dashboard while the alarm sound is actively playing. This adjusts the specific "Alert" volume profile for CarPlay and will remember that lower setting for future alerts. 

4. Use the Proper CarPlay Dismissal Method

When an alarm triggers on CarPlay, it can cause a synchronization glitch where dismissing it on the handset doesn't tell the car to stop playing the audio track.

  • The Fix: Do not touch your phone. Look at your car's dashboard screen. When the alert banner pops up, tap the notification directly on the CarPlay screen and select "Stop" or "Dismiss" there. Handling it strictly through the car's interface prevents the communication loop from breaking and protects your ongoing phone call.


Originally posted at discussions.apple.com/thread/256359661