Apple is making it harder to silence your iPhone alarm by accident. A new feature found in iOS 26.1 Beta 2 replaces the usual Stop button with a slider, making groggy morning fumbles a bit less risky.
iPhone alarm adds “Slide to Stop” in iOS 26.1
Currently, iOS places the Snooze and Stop buttons side by side, an easy mistake waiting to happen when you’re half-awake. But in the latest beta, Apple replaces the Stop button with a “Slide to Stop” interaction.
Instead of a single tap, users must now swipe from left to right to shut off the alarm. The Snooze button remains a tap option, keeping it quick for those who want a few more minutes.
Why Apple is changing the alarm
The idea here is simple: reduce accidental dismissals. By requiring two distinct motions to tap for snooze, slide for stop, Apple minimizes the chance of hitting the wrong option when waking up.
This change also carries a bit of nostalgia. It mimics the old “Slide to Unlock” feature from early iPhones, retired back in 2016 with iOS 10. Now, it’s being reimagined for alarms.
iPhone alarm update also changes the Timer
The new design isn’t limited to alarms. The Timer feature in iOS 26.1 Beta 2 now uses a similar setup: a Repeat button and a Stop slider. The Stop icon appears on the button itself, reinforcing the gesture visually.
This change applies to:
- Clock app alarms
- Timer feature
- iOS 26.1 beta users
- Devices running on iOS 26 beta track
Not all beta features make it to the final iOS
While this slider feature feels like a solid UX improvement, Apple hasn’t confirmed its final rollout. Like many other beta features, it could be scrapped based on user feedback before the public release.
iPhone alarm changes hint at smarter wake-up design
The upcoming tweak to the iPhone alarm shows Apple is still iterating on small but meaningful UX decisions. If you’ve ever shut off your alarm by accident and overslept, this update might just save your morning.
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