For years, Apple forced notifications and alarms to share the same volumes. That is finally changing in iOS 27.

Apple introduced new sound & haptics controls during WWDC26. Under the new settings, alarms, timers, notifications, and other sounds no longer have to follow the same volume slider.

People who lowered notification volume could also lower alarm volume without realizing it. An alarm, a timer, and a text message don't serve the same purpose, yet iPhone users have adjusted them through the same controls for years.

A kitchen timer may need to be heard from another room while dinner is cooking. A keyboard click or camera shutter sound rarely needs the same level of volume.

In iOS 27, Apple separates those sounds instead of treating them as part of the same group.

iOS 27 breaks apart one of the iPhone's oldest sound settings

Sounds & Haptics now includes separate sections for Ringtone, Alarms and Timers, and Alerts and System Sounds.

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone running the iOS 27 beta.
  2. Tap Sounds & Haptics.
  3. Select Alarms and Timers or Alerts and System Sounds.
  4. Turn off Match Ringtone Volume.
  5. Adjust the volume slider for that category to the level you want.
  6. Repeat the process for any other sound category you want to control independently.

Each category includes a Match Ringtone Volume option. Keeping it enabled ties that category to ringtone volume, while disabling it unlocks a separate volume slider.

Three iPhone screens showing Settings path to Sounds & Haptics and the alerts volume sliders, with purple outlines highlighting the Sounds & Haptics option and Match Ringtone Volume controlsiOS 27 breaks apart one of the iPhone's oldest sound settings

Alerts and System Sounds includes text notifications, keyboard clicks, camera shutter sounds, and other interface audio. The Alarms and Timers setting controls timer alerts and most alarm sounds.

Wake Up alarms and alarms with their own built-in volume controls aren't affected by the new settings.

iOS 27 doesn't provide separate volume controls for every sound on the iPhone. Apple still groups sounds into broader categories instead of offering individual sliders for every app, alarm, or notification type.

Daily use matters more than keynote demos

WWDC26 focused heavily on Apple Intelligence, Siri, and AI features. Separate volume controls probably won't attract the same attention, but many iPhone owners will interact with them far more often.

A morning alarm, a cooking timer, and a workday notification all compete for attention in different ways. Earlier versions of iOS tied those sounds to the same volume controls.

People who rely on alarms, timers, medication reminders, and other recurring alerts will likely notice the added flexibility immediately. iOS 27 removes a limitation that has shaped iPhone sound settings for years.

Millions of people use alarms, timers, and notifications every day. iOS 27 finally gives those sounds the flexibility they should have had all along.