Everyone knows how to set an alarm on the iPhone. However, what if you want to set an alarm for a later date? If you need to set an alarm for a month from now, the Clock app doesn’t offer a way to do this. But there is a secret workaround. Let’s find out how to use your iPhone to set an alarm for a future date.
Why You’ll Love This Tip:
- Make sure you have a more persistent alert to remind you of appointments or events.
- Ensure you have an alarm that goes off on your specified date and time.
iPhone: Set an Alarm for a Future Date
System Requirements
This tip was performed on an iPhone 15 Pro running iOS 18.3.1. Find out how to update to the latest version of iOS.
You can set reminders or calendar events on your iPhone, but often, these notifications can go off without much fanfare, which might make them easy to miss. You can also set alarms in the iPhone's Clock app that are persistent and loud, so they’re harder to miss. But you can’t set an alarm for a specific date in the future (unless the day you need it to go off is in the next seven days). But you can use the Shortcuts app to get around this restriction. Here’s how to set an alarm for a specific day on the iPhone:
- Open the Shortcuts app.
![iphone search with a red box around shortcuts app]()
- Tap the plus icon to create a new shortcut.
![iphone shortcuts app with a red box around plus icon]()
- Tap the search bar and type Date.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around date action]()
- Tap Current Date.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around current date]()
- Tap Specified Date.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around specified date]()
- Enter the date when you want your alarm to go off, and tap Done on the keyboard.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around done button on keyboard]()
- Tap the search bar again and search for If.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around if action]()
- Tap is exactly.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around is exactly button]()
- Select is today.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around is today button]()
- Tap the search bar again and find Add Alarm.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around add alarm action]()
- Tap and drag the Add Alarm function so that it is under the If function.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around alarm action with a red arrow pointing upward, indicating to tap and drag the action]()
- Tap Time.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around time button]()
- Enter the time you want your alarm to be set for on the specified date, and select Alarm to give your alarm a name.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around alarm button]()
- You can tap the X icon for Otherwise as it is not needed.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around x button next to otherwise action]()
- Tap Done.
![iphone create shortcut screen with a red box around done button]()
- Go to the Automation tab in the Shortcuts app and select the plus icon.
![iphone shortcuts app automation tab with a red box around plus icon]()
- Select time of day.
![iphone shortcuts create new automation with a red box around time of day option]()
- Enter the time as 12:01 am.
![iphone shortcuts create new automation with a red box around time entry field]()
- Choose Run Immediately.
![iphone shortcuts create new automation with a red box around run immediately option]()
- Tap Next.
![iphone shortcuts create new automation with a red box around next button]()
- Tap the shortcut you just created. I named mine Future date Alarm.
![iphone shortcuts create new automation with a red box around future date alarm shortcut]()
- You will now have an automation that every day at 12:01 am checks what day is today. If the date matches your specified date, it will automatically create an alarm for your specified time with the name you gave it.
![iphone shortcuts automation tab with a red box around newly created automation]()
If you have any questions about making shortcuts, like how you can rename a shortcut, check out our guide to making shortcuts.
So, can you schedule an alarm on the iPhone? As long as you use the Shortcuts app, yes, you can. There are also third-party alarm clock apps that can do this if the Shortcuts app is too complicated. Next, find out how to use the iPhone's nightstand mode.
