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Your phone alarms should work now, but you'll need some updates (Updated)
- The Google Clock app still isn’t triggering alarms as expected.
- It was updated on Wednesday and now defaults to system sounds if Spotify integration breaks.
- It seems like a full fix will have to wait.
Updated, September 10, 2021 (05:00 PM): After a problematic week with people missing alarms on their Android phones, it appears the problem is finally fixed. According to a post from a Google rep on Reddit (via Android Police), the issue won’t happen anymore if you update both the Google Clock app and Spotify. Since the weekend is coming up, this might be the perfect time to do some tests to see if you can once again depend on this app to deliver your alarms.
Original article, September 9, 2021 (04:23 PM ET): Google’s official Clock app for Android may still be failing to set off alarms as expected despite a Wednesday update, leaving it a risky choice for people who want to use it to wake up.
The update, 6.4.1, has improved the app in that it will generally default to a stock Android tone if Spotify integration fails, according to Play Store reviews caught by Android Police. Some users are still complaining about missed alarms, however. If they are using the 6.4.1 release, that suggests that Google hasn’t fully patched the issue.
Related: A definitive guide to the Google Play Store for beginners
The glitch seems to have begun with an earlier app update. This prompted a flurry of criticism, culminating in a Reddit post in which Google said it had identified the cause and was preparing a fix. In the interim, it suggested using system sounds for alarms.
A lot of people prefer waking up to their own music, of course, and Spotify hooks would normally make this convenient. Until Google finds a permanent solution, it’s probably safer to use a third-party app.