How do I wake up to a song on my Android?
Waking up to your favorite song or melody can be a pleasant way to start the day compared to a traditional alarm. Research shows that melodic alarms increase arousal, cognition, and attention, helping you feel more energized and less groggy in the morning (source). On Android devices, you have a few different options to set a song as your alarm tone or play music when your alarm goes off. This guide will walk through how to wake up to music on an Android phone or tablet.
Prerequisites
To set a song as your Android alarm tone, you’ll need:
- An Android phone or tablet running Android 5.0 or later. Older versions of Android may not fully support newer alarm features.
Your device will also need:
- Speakers or headphones to play the alarm song.
- An internet connection (preferably WiFi) if streaming the song from a music service.
- Sufficient storage space for music files if using a locally stored song.
Make sure the song you want to use is compatible with your device and saved locally or available through your streaming service. You’ll also want to pick a song that isn’t too quiet or relaxed – the goal is to wake you up, after all!
Set a song as your alarm tone
The easiest way to wake up to your favorite song on an Android phone is to set it directly as your alarm tone. Here’s how:
Open the Clock app on your device and tap on the “Alarm” tab at the bottom. Next, tap the “+” icon to create a new alarm.
In the alarm settings, tap on the “Sound” option and select “Add song” or “Pick song” depending on your Android version. This will open up your music library, where you can browse and select the desired song as your alarm tone.
Once you’ve picked your tune, just tap “OK” to confirm. You can preview the song directly in the alarm settings to make sure it’s the right one. Now when your alarm goes off in the morning, your chosen song will play to wake you up!
For reference, see this guide: How to Set a Song as an Alarm on an Android Device
Use third-party alarm apps
While the stock Android clock app allows you to set songs as alarms, its music features are limited. If you want more customization and music integration, using a third-party alarm clock app is recommended.
Some top options include:
- Alarmy – Set challenges like math problems or barcode scanning to turn off alarm.
- Sleep Cycle – Analyzes sleep cycles and wakes you up at optimal time.
- Anghami – Integrates music streaming with alarm clock features.
These apps allow you to wake up to songs from your device library or music streaming services. They provide many more options for customizing your morning alarm experience.
Play music after dismissing alarm
One way to play music after your alarm goes off is by using the Do It Later app. This free app allows you to schedule tasks like playing music at a specific time or after an event like dismissing your alarm. Here’s how to use it:
1. Download and install the Do It Later app from the Play Store.
2. Open the app and tap the plus icon to create a new task.
3. Select “Alarm dismissed” as the event trigger.
4. Tap “Play” and select the song or playlist you want to hear after your alarm.
5. Adjust the delay time if you don’t want the music to start immediately.
6. Tap “Add” to save the task. The app will now play the selected music automatically after you dismiss your alarm clock.
The Do It Later app provides an easy way to start your day by playing upbeat music right after your alarm wakes you up. Just make sure to allow notifications so the app can run properly in the background.
Adjust alarm volume
To make sure your morning song is loud enough to wake you up, you’ll want to increase the alarm volume on your Android phone. The default alarm volume might be too low, especially if you want to wake up to music or a Spotify playlist.
There are a couple ways to turn up the volume for your alarm clock on Android:
- When your alarm goes off in the morning, press the Volume Up button on the side of your phone. This will temporarily increase the alarm volume just for that instance.
- Go to Settings > Sound > Alarm volume and drag the slider to the right to permanently increase the max alarm volume. You can set a separate volume level for alarms compared to your media or call volumes.
- If you have a Samsung Galaxy, there’s an option to gradually increase alarm volume under Clock app > Alarm > Options. Toggle this on so your alarm starts quieter and gets louder over time.
With your alarm volume boosted, you’ll be able to hear your morning soundtrack clearly and wake up refreshed. Just be sure to test it out the night before to make sure the song is loud enough but not too jarring.
Source: https://www.alphr.com/change-android-alarm-volume/
Troubleshooting
If your music alarm is not functioning properly, there are some steps you can take to troubleshoot and fix common issues:
Restart your phone – Sometimes restarting your Android can clear up bugs and glitches with apps like your alarm. Simply power your phone off completely and then turn it back on. [1]
Check your alarm volume and ringtone – Make sure your phone’s volume is turned up loud enough to hear the alarm, and double check that you have properly set a song as your alarm ringtone. The song should appear under alarm sound in your clock app settings.
Clear app cache and data – In your phone settings, find the Clock app and select to clear the cache and app data. This will reset the app and often resolves issues. Then try setting your song as the alarm again.
Use a different music app – If your default clock app won’t play songs properly, try downloading a third party alarm app instead. Many have advanced options for using songs for alarms. Just allow notifications access for the new alarm app.
Update your phone software and apps – Having the latest OS and app versions can sometimes fix alarm bugs. Check for any available updates and install them. Restart after updating.
Check Do Not Disturb settings – Make sure your phone is not set to Do Not Disturb mode during the time your alarm goes off, as this will block alarm sounds.
Customize your alarm
There are several ways to customize your alarm on Android to help you wake up happier and start your day right. You can change the snooze duration, add a playlist, set the volume, and more.
To customize snooze, open the Clock app and tap on the current snooze duration shown below the alarm time (e.g. 5 mins). You can select a custom snooze duration from 1 minute up to 1 hour.
You can also add a playlist instead of a single song for your alarm. Go to the Alarm sound section, tap “Add playlist” and select a playlist from your music app. This will shuffle songs from the playlist every time the alarm goes off.
Adjust the alarm volume by pressing the volume keys on your phone while on the alarm screen. The volume keys control the alarm volume separately from your ringtone volume.
Some launchers like Nova Launcher also let you set the swipe action on alarms to customize what happens when you swipe on an alarm.
With all these customizations, you can create the perfect morning wake up experience.
Morning Routine Tips
Here are some tips to help you wake up feeling refreshed by setting a soothing alarm tone on your Android phone:
Set your alarm at least 30 minutes before you need to get up so you don’t feel rushed. Allow time to wake up slowly.
Choose an upbeat song with positive lyrics or a smooth instrumental as your alarm tone. Avoid jarring noises.
Set the volume to rise gradually so the song eases you awake. Don’t make it too loud.
Use a lamp or sunrise alarm clock to wake up to light. This signals your body to wake gradually.
Keep your room cool, around 65°F (18°C). A cooler room promotes better sleep.
Avoid using your phone before bedtime. The blue light can disrupt your circadian rhythm.
Go to bed at the same time each night and wake up at the same time to regulate your sleep cycle.
Exercise during the day to sleep more soundly. But avoid strenuous activity 2-3 hours before bed.
Relax before bed by taking a warm bath, meditating, or reading.
Conclusion
To recap, you have a few options for waking up to music on an Android phone. The simplest way is to set a song as your default alarm ringtone in the Clock app settings. You can also download third-party alarm apps like Alarmy or Morning Routine that have advanced musical alarm features.
After your alarm goes off, you may want to continue playing music as part of your morning routine. You can use media apps like Spotify, YouTube Music, or Google Play Music for this purpose. Just remember to adjust the alarm volume so the music isn’t too loud.
Set your favorite upbeat song as your alarm tone to start the day off right. Create a morning playlist to listen to while getting ready to keep you motivated. And explore different alarm apps to find one with the perfect musical wakeup experience for you.