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iOS 11 enable alarms in silent mode

Hello everyone.


I always have my phone in silent mode. There’s a number of reasons for this, which goes beyond the scope of my question.


However, I imagine one common reason for people using silent mode is so they don’t get woken up by alerts in their sleep - especially alerts which aren’t muted by Do Not Disturb.


However, in iOS 11 Apple have, in all their wisdom, decided to mute alarms if your phone is in silent mode. Genius!


Does anyone know a way to override this brilliant new feature?

Posted on Sep 25, 2017 5:10 PM

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Posted on Oct 13, 2017 9:09 AM

Had the same problem, iPhone 6, using iOS 11.0.1 which seems more stable than iOS 11.0.2 in my experience. Turning the phone OFF and ON solved the issue for me.


I’m scared to update to 11.0.3; it seems like new updates focus on newer models and not us iPhone 6 users. If my phone becomes obsolete because of software, I’ll demand that Apple either reverts my phone to iOS 10.3.3 or give me hardware that supports the software they force upon us.

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Oct 13, 2017 9:09 AM in response to courtneyfromglastonbury

Had the same problem, iPhone 6, using iOS 11.0.1 which seems more stable than iOS 11.0.2 in my experience. Turning the phone OFF and ON solved the issue for me.


I’m scared to update to 11.0.3; it seems like new updates focus on newer models and not us iPhone 6 users. If my phone becomes obsolete because of software, I’ll demand that Apple either reverts my phone to iOS 10.3.3 or give me hardware that supports the software they force upon us.

Oct 13, 2017 2:33 PM in response to Flenix

For what it's worth, I've now bought a Samsung S8+.

Not only does the alarm ring on silent mode, it also tells me the time and reads me news and weather.


Such a small thing in iOS was the final nail that made me take the plunge, but anyone else reading this I advise looking into it. I know we all want to hate Android but its really not all that bad and iPhone prices are just getting stupid now 😉

Oct 23, 2017 5:57 AM in response to Flenix

That seems like an unnecessary and expensive solution, but hey suit yourself. If you think Apple support cares that you switched to Samsung...hah!


Anyways, for me, after the iOS 11 update on my iPhone 8, i noticed all my alarms were silent. After two days if no alarms, I went into edit an alarm and noticed that the alarm ringer was changed to none! Which means it would ring but it wouldn’t make sound. Go figure iOS 11! It was like that for ALL of my alarms so i just changed the ringers back to whatever tone i had before. Problem solved...and i didn't have to spend $700! User uploaded file

Sep 25, 2017 10:28 PM in response to askbarnabas

I’m not using Do Not Disturb, it doesn’t mute alerts from some apps I have which is why I’m using the silent switch instead.

I tried to screencap a video of it just now, but apparently recording the screen doesn’t record the audio? Maybe my phone is just broken... at any rate with the alarm ringing, if I toggle the side switch the audio turns on and off matching the silence mode. I’m also on a 6s (plus) so if we’re both on iOS 11 then it must be a setting somewhere.

Oct 24, 2017 2:39 PM in response to LosTheCreative

To be fair, the alarm thing was more a final nail in the coffin than "ALARM DIDN'T WORK? NEW PHONE AT ONCE!"

I was due an upgrade anyway, and the 8/X were both just ridiculously expensive (Especially here in the UK, it's about 25% more than US prices). Samsung were running an offer to trade in any old iPhone to get a load off the S8, so I handed them my smashed 4S and ran.

Dec 29, 2017 6:10 AM in response to Flenix

I am frustrated by alarms going off when I put everything on silent [vibrate, lowered volume], Airplane Mode, Do Not Disturb - short of deleting all my alarms or turning off the iPhone - there doesn't seem to be a way to turn these things OFF when I am in church, theatre, meetings, on the phone, etc.
Turning off the iPhone doesn't allow me to use the phone in these instances so that doesn't work for me.

Not only are the sounding alarms embarrassing, it is infuriating that any silent mode isn't really silent at all. Even at lowered volume the alarms blare full blast. What?? Why??
I am frustrated at this lack of control over my device. Who the heck thought up this characteristic??

Feb 5, 2018 2:17 PM in response to Flenix

I don't WANT my alarms / reminders to ring when I am in silent mode, vibrate, or lowered volume. Why can't there just be an 'always on' switch for alarms/reminders that need to blare no matter what?
I do not need my reminder to take my Vitamin C going off in the theatre, doctors' offices, church, meetings, etc.I


What happened to silent mode???

iOS 11 enable alarms in silent mode

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