What to Do With Broken Android Alarm [updated]
Most of us wake up in the morning using our smartphone. Unless your battery really sucks, we don’t often run into a situation where you are alone at home . But when your alarm clock is unreliable and you have something important to go somewhere, you have big problems. This is exactly what is happening with the Clock app for Android, as a new bug breaks the alarm function that many of us use every day.
There are many reports of disgruntled (but apparently slept well) Android Clock users who complain that their alarm doesn’t go off. The app’s Play Store page is filled with one-star reviews , and the Reddit thread showcases a wide variety of Android users who are confused, frustrated, and looking for answers. While the Pixel lineup is one of the most common issues, users of other devices like OnePlus and Oppo have also complained.
Those who have encountered the alarm clock error say that their alarm will vibrate but stop immediately. One Redditor says that after testing their device, the alarm went off five out of six times. Basically, they are playing Russian roulette with their alarm clock; who wants to take a chance?
Is there a fix for the Android alarm clock error?
So happy you asked; Yes! Google has quietly released a fix for a bug that 9to5Google discovered on September 13th . It looks like it was a joint issue with Google Clock as well as incorrect integration with Spotify. To fix the error, you need to use Google Clock version 6.4.1 or newer.
If you have automatic application updates enabled, the patch should be installed automatically. To check for a new update manually, go to the Play Store and search for Watch ( or click here ). Click on the one owned by Google LLC; if you see an Update option, tap it.
Download a third party alarm clock app as an alternative
If your trust in Google Clock is undermined, you may be thinking of third-party options. Fortunately, there are tons of options in the Play Store. In fact, there are so many options that you can probably pick one at random, download it, and wake up in perfect order tomorrow morning. But if you’re looking for recommendations, we have a couple you might like.
If you’re looking for something a little different, you might want to consider the sleep cycle. This free app actually tracks your sleep patterns to determine which sleep cycle you might be in at any given moment. This information is needed to try to wake you up when you are at the easiest point in your cycle. By default, you set a 30 minute window in which you can wake up; If you need to get up by 6:30 am, the Sleep Cycle program will wake you up anywhere between 6:00 am and 6:30 am, when it’s easiest for you to get up.
If you find it really difficult to wake up, you might consider an alarm clock for sound sleepers . As the name suggests, the app is intended for people who usually sleep or accidentally turn off their alarms. This is because it allows you to set “tasks” that force you to complete a task before the alarm can be turned off. It could be a code entry task, a math task, an easy task – the list goes on. You may want to experiment with different problems to find what works best for you.
Alarmy is another great choice. As with the previous app, Alarmy has missions that you can set to wake up in the morning. Take a photo, shake your phone, or choose a set of math problems to complete before turning it off. And you’ll want to turn it off because Alarmy gets loud . It also bills itself as the world’s highest rated alarm clock app; If peer review is important to you, Alarmy can be your application.
This story was originally published on September 3, 2021 and updated on September 13, 2021.