Did you know one of the best sleep features on iPhone is built into the Clock app and has been for years? If not, I don’t blame you. It’s a fairly hidden setting that you’d easily miss if you didn’t know it existed.
So what is this feature? Embedded into the iPhone’s Clock app is the ability to turn off media playback at a certain time, ideal for listening to music or watching a TV show before bed. My partner goes to sleep every night watching Gilmore Girls and this feature has proven to be a godsend, making sure I’m not woken up at 4 AM to switch off the cast of Stars Hollow.
If you’re someone who likes to fall asleep to sounds, this hidden iPhone feature could become one of the most used tricks on your smartphone, and here’s how to use it.
The iPhone’s built-in sleep timer
Sometimes you just can’t switch off your brain when a room is too silent but this built-in sleep timer found in the Clock app can help. Here’s how to set it up:
- Open Clock
- Select the Timers tab
- Tap When Timer Ends
- Scroll down to the very bottom and tap Stop Playing, then Set
- Now select a duration like you would a regular timer
- Tap Start
Your iPhone will now stop playing whatever media is on in the background once the timer ends, allowing you to fall asleep without the worry of endless interruptions. I’ve been using this feature for years but considering how hard it can be to find I’m not surprised to hear some of my colleagues have never heard of it.
Combine this with the sleep sounds available on iPhone and you’ve got yourself the perfect sleep timer without the need for a third-party app.
