Apple launches watchOS 11.4 with the sound option for alarms in Silent Mode
Today, Apple released the watchOS 11.4 update with a fix for Apple Watch alarms that can now finally play sound even in Silent Mode, like during sleep.
You can install an over-the-air watchOS 11.4 update by navigating to General > Software Update in the Settings app on your Apple Watch or the companion Watch app on your iPhone. Connect the device to a charge to install the update. The watchOS 11.4 release notes are pretty short as there aren’t many changes.
As mentioned earlier, one notable tweak is a much-needed option to allow your Sleep Wake Up alarm to break through Silent Mode. That’s how alarms have always worked on the iPhone, iPad and Mac, but not on the Apple Watch.
On watchOS 11.3 and earlier, you could set an alarm with sound, but the watch would only tap you on the wrist while you were asleep. I get it; haptics help you avoid waking your partner. But I overslept many times because of this design decision, so I’m glad Apple has made these alarms better in watchOS 11.4.
watchOS 11.4: How to play Apple Watch alarms with sound in Silent Mode
Open the Sleep app on your Apple Watch, go to the Sounds & Haptics section and find the “Break Through Silent Mode” toggle there. You can also open the Alarm app and select any active alarm to toggle this switch. It does precisely what the name says; turning it on ensures the alarm sound will play in Silent Mode. “Sound and haptics will play if you wear Apple Watch to bed,” reads the feature’s description.
Conversely, turning the setting off will ensure you only feel haptics on your wrist in Silent Mode, like before. The toggle is available separately for each alarm.
watchOS 11.4 also brings support for Matter-compatible robot vacuum cleaners in the built-in Home app, letting you use these things in your scenes and automations or ask Siri to clean the room. There’s also a fix for an issue where face selection may become unresponsive when switching watch faces.
Source link: https://www.idownloadblog.com/2025/04/01/watchos-11-4-update-launches-apple-watch-alarms-silent-mode/
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