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iOS 27 Adds Independent Volume Controls for Ringtones, Alarms and System Sounds

The developer beta shows category sliders that let users keep alarms loud yet silence ringtones.

Overview

  • Apple unveiled iOS 27 at WWDC26 and has published a developer beta that includes the new independent volume controls.
  • Settings > Sounds & Haptics now shows separate sections and sliders for Ringtone, Alarms and Timers, and Alerts and System Sounds.
  • Each category includes a Match Ringtone Volume toggle that, when turned off, unlocks its own slider so the ringtone volume no longer forces other sounds to match.
  • Apple says Wake-Up alarms and alarms that already have their own volume controls are not affected, and iOS 27 does not add individual per-alarm volume sliders.
  • The change fixes a long-standing iPhone annoyance by letting users lower notification sounds without muting alarms, brings iPhone controls closer to Android’s multi-slider approach, and will appear on iPadOS 27 with a public beta expected next month.