# Why can’t I set my iPhone like a radio alarm clock, **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 1, 2023, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480 "2023-01-01T20:21:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/1 "2023-01-01T20:21:46Z")
Radio alarm clocks have been around for decades. For much of my life, I woke up to my local public radio station. Now I have an iPhone. It has a clock. It has alarms of various kinds. It can play my local public radio station in the Music app. But somehow I can’t set a wake up alarm that plays my local public radio station. WTF? This website claims there is a way to do it, but when I try, I get stuck at Step 7. I just don’t see an option to choose radio at that point. > **[How to have your iPhone alarm turn on your favorite radio station](https://www.iphonefaq.org/archives/977561)** > > A lot of people like to (or at least used to like to, before they started using smart phones as alarm clocks instead of good old clock radios) wake up to a local news station to hear traffic, weather, sports scores and more, or to their favorite... Help! Why can’t I do this? Or have I just not found the right thing? Is there an app for this ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/2 "2023-01-01T21:12:37Z")
I thought that each radio station would have its own app (if they want to) which allows you to play the station over a cellular network – especially I would expect a public radio station to do so. I don’t think any smart phone, not even an iPhone, is designed to get radio signals “over the air,” the same way a radio does. At the point where the instruction tells you to tap on a Music app, tap on the radio station app instead. This is my guess, I don’t own an iPhone and never have used one. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/3 "2023-01-01T22:10:59Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I don’t think any smart phone, not even an iPhone, is designed to get radio signals “over the air,” the same way a radio does. Apparently iPhones have a _theoretical_ capability in that their chip that handles wireless communications is objectively capable of processing FM signal, but that function has never been implemented and in any case you’d then need a tuner feeding into the processor and an aerial feeding into the tuner, and those were never in the iPhone. iPod Nanos after a certain generation did have an FM tuner but it only worked if wired headphones were plugged in since _those_ would be the aerial. Source: [Is there an FM Receiver in an iPhone? - Apple Community](https://discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-11931) As mentioned, “radio stations” on an iPhone are really apps that stream the station(s) programming over cellular data or WiFi. As I read the page linked in the OP, I am under the impression the experience does not truly emulate a radio clock, where the sound of the live programming IS the “alarm”, but rather it’s an automation that launches your radio app when you hit snooze. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/4 "2023-01-01T22:20:30Z")
The Android phones I’ve had have the ability to pick up FM radio directly, so long as they have wired headphones plugged in (the headphone wire acts as an antenna, as it does on most portable FM radios). Apple’s insistence on not using normal headphone jacks might be what prevents this on an iPhone. To the OP, maybe the radio station’s app will have this functionality? Turning on at a specific time would be a very simple feature for them to put into an app. ---
**Author:** ![drewbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drewbert/32/15890_2.png) [@drewbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewbert)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2023, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/5 "2023-01-01T22:38:57Z")
There is also an option to launch an app when the alarm goes off - but yeah it appears the option to play a radio station through the Music app is not there. Maybe it only appears if you’re an Apple Music subscriber? (And then it might only play Apple’s stations…) Googling, I see an app called “bedr” that appears to do what you want. I haven’t tried it, can’t vouch for it. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/6 "2023-01-02T01:14:45Z")
Some individual radio stations for have their own apps, but many don’t. You can access local radio either through the native Apple Music app or through an app that covers groups of stations. And, clearly, this is through data streaming, not FM airwaves. Public radio station live feeds can be accessed through the NPR app or through the Apple Music app. But when I go to use the Shortcuts function, I don’t get the option to start the NPR app or any individual radio station apps. The native Apple Music app is there, but it doesn’t present the option to play local radio, which _is_ there when you just use the Apple Music app ordinarily. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/7 "2023-01-02T01:41:29Z")
I don’t have the answer-- not an iPhone person, but…hmmm…sounds like you may need an ordinary, old-fashioned clock radio. Dang. I know. I’m answering a question you didn’t ask. Sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/8 "2023-01-02T01:48:22Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > sounds like you may need an ordinary, old-fashioned clock radio. I have one. FM reception is for crap around here. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/9 "2023-01-02T02:15:45Z")
I think iOS and the shortcuts app has changed slightly since the guide linked to was written. The steps to get to step 6 are shorter. In step 6, when I touch on the very faint blue “Music” text between Play and the \> in a circle icon I get a list for Music with: - Listen Now, - Browse, - Radio, - Library. as options. It took me a couple of tries to realise this was the flow. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/10 "2023-01-02T02:19:06Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > When I touch on the very faint blue “Music” text between Play and the \> in a circle icon I get a list for Music with: > > - Listen Now, > - Browse, > - Radio, > - Library. Well, I’m getting my Music library only, not those other options. So I have to choose from - Playlists - Artists - Albums - Songs - Genres - Compilations - Composers - Downloaded ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/11 "2023-01-02T02:26:04Z")
Hmm, which version of iOS? If you can’t get it anywhere else you could probably create a single entry playlist. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/12 "2023-01-02T02:28:39Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > Hmm, which version of iOS? 16.1.2 ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/13 "2023-01-02T02:29:56Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > If you can’t get it anywhere else you could probably create a single entry playlist. The radio function in the Music app doesn’t appear to let me add local stations to a playlist. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 2:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/14 "2023-01-02T02:37:20Z")
Most odd. Same version of iOS here. I go straight from the When Alarm pane to the Actions pane which includes Play Music as a suggestion, that take me to the pane with Play Music \> ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/15 "2023-01-02T02:42:51Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > I go straight from the When Alarm pane to the Actions pane which includes Play Music as a suggestion, that take me to the pane with > Play Music \> Hmm … Do you subscribe to Apple Music? I don’t. I wonder whether that might make a difference. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/16 "2023-01-02T02:49:34Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Do you subscribe to Apple Music? I don’t. I wonder whether that might make a difference. I was wondering the same thing. I do subscribe. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2023, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/17 "2023-01-02T04:32:53Z")
OK, I can get an arbitrary streaming URL to play. Just select the Open URLs action and paste the streaming URL for your favourite streaming station. Make sure the Ask Before Running switch is off, and it should work fine. I didn’t find it hard to find the URL needed for local stations. I just used the ACC codec link, and it started to play instantly. Given this sidesteps the presence of stations visible to the Music app, it is arguably a more useful answer. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2023, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-can-t-i-set-my-iphone-like-a-radio-alarm-clock/977480/18 "2023-02-01T17:39:27Z")
So I was finally able to create an automated shortcut to play a radio station. HOWEVER, their notion of what “automated” is is strange. So, I set for it to automatically happen at 6:30 a.m. I also turn **off** the settings “Ask Before running” and “Notify When Run.” Still, what happens is that 6:30 I get a notification, and the radio doesn’t actually turn on until I click on the notification. What the heck! How is that automated?