[Digital Today reporter Yoonseo Lee (이윤서)] The iPhone's "silent alarm" issue is expected to improve in iOS 27.

On June 25 local time, IT outlet TechRadar reported that Apple revamped iOS 27 to allow separate volume controls for alarms, ringtones and system notifications.

In iOS 26 and earlier, a single volume slider applied to ringtones, alarms and system notifications. As a result, if a user lowered the ringtone volume to 0, the alarm could effectively also become silent. The screen would show the alarm as if it were ringing, but no sound would play, leading to cases where it failed to wake users.

User complaints have extended to reports of real damage. One user on community site Reddit wrote, "The alarm was definitely set and it did go off in the morning, but the problem is that it doesn't make a sound," adding, "I almost lost my job." There were also claims of people actually losing their jobs because of the same issue.

Apple did not issue a separate warning about this in earlier versions. In other words, the structure made it difficult for users to notice that lowering system volume could also make alarms inaudible.

A settings screen confirmed by iOS 27 beta users shows a new volume section under the Sound & Haptics menu. Separate sliders were added for ringtones, alarms and timers, and notifications and system sounds. This allows users to keep ringtones muted while turning up alarm volume separately.

This change is seen as a measure to improve reliability in situations where an alarm must sound, rather than a simple convenience feature. iPhone users have had difficulty directly confirming that an alarm could be turned off while lowering other sounds. iOS 27 allows independent management of alarm volume, reducing that risk.

Another alarm issue has also been raised. Some users have complained that an alarm initially rings loudly and then suddenly drops in volume. In such cases, Face ID recognition has been cited as a possible factor. If the iPhone determines the user is looking at the screen, it may assume the user is already awake and weaken the alarm. This setting can be disabled under "Require Attention for Face ID" in the Face ID & Passcode menu.

Apple plans to release iOS 27 this autumn. That increases the likelihood that the silent alarm problem caused by linked ringtone and alarm volume will be largely resolved in the next operating system.