What iOS 27’s New Volume Controls Do
iOS 27 volume controls are new iPhone volume settings that let you adjust ringtones, alarms, and alerts independently so you can keep calls and wake-ups loud while quieting notification noise. Until now, iPhone used a single Ringtone and Alerts slider, which meant muting one sound type muted them all. In iOS 27, that slider can expand into three separate controls: Ringtone, Alarms and Timers, and Alerts and System Sounds. This brings iPhone closer to Android-style separate alarm notification volume controls, a feature users have wanted for years. It solves everyday problems like silencing message pings during a meeting while still hearing an important phone call or morning alarm. The new options live in Settings, and they depend on disabling the Match Ringtone Volume toggles so each slider can be customized on its own.
Where to Find the Independent Ringtone and Alert Volume Sliders
To start using independent ringtone alert volume settings, open Settings and tap Sounds & Haptics. At the top of this page, you’ll see the familiar Ringtone and Alerts section, which now supports three sliders when expanded. According to PCMag, this replaces the single legacy slider with one each for Ringtone, Alarms and Timers, and Alerts and System Sounds. First, use the main Ringtone slider to choose how loud you want phone calls to be. This slider still controls the classic ringtone behavior and works separately from the physical volume buttons if you prefer. Below, you’ll see sections for Alarms and Timers and for Alerts and System Sounds, each with a Match Ringtone Volume toggle. Those toggles are the key to unlocking the new separate alarm notification volume controls.
How to Set Separate Volumes for Alarms and Notifications
To split your iOS 27 volume controls, start under Alarms and Timers in Sounds & Haptics. Turn off Match Ringtone Volume to unlink alarm sounds from your ringtone, then drag the slider to set how loud you want timers and standard alarms. Lifehacker notes that sliding all the way left reduces alarm volume a lot, but does not mute alarms entirely, so you still get a faint sound. Next, under Alerts and System Sounds, disable Match Ringtone Volume. This activates another slider that controls notification sounds, system chimes, and similar alerts. Set this low for quiet message pings while keeping ringtones and alarms louder. Together, these three sliders give you independent control over ringtone alert volume, alarms, and notifications without constantly toggling Silent mode or Do Not Disturb.
Handling Sleep, Wake Up, and When to Use the Feature
One limitation to keep in mind is how Sleep or Wake Up alarms behave. PCMag and Mashable both point out that the new Alarms and Timers slider does not control the Wake Up alarm tied to your Sleep Schedule. Instead, that alarm already has its own volume slider under Clock > Alarms > Change (under Sleep/Wake Up), then Sound & Haptics. Use that slider if you want a gentle wake-up while keeping everyday timers louder. These independent iPhone volume settings are ideal when you need silence without missing something important: mute alerts during a presentation, keep calls loud for emergencies, and keep your morning alarm reliable. Android users have had similar controls for years, and now iOS 27 finally catches up with a simple but meaningful quality-of-life improvement for every iPhone owner.
