Feature Request: Restore an Obvious Permanent Way to Set the Default Alarm Sound

[Scotophor]

If you go into the system Settings -> Sounds and vibration, you can set a default Ringtone, and a default Notification sound but there is no option to set a custom default Alarm sound. The phone seems to be hard-coded to use Homecoming as the default sound for new alarms, whether using Samsung's Clock app or the Google Clock app. 

An intensive search reveals several formerly-working methods to change the default Alarm sound, some of which involve using certain third-party apps such as Zedge or an old version of ES File Explorer. I tried the Zedge method and found that it can't access local files. So if you can't find the alarm sound you want in the app, you're out of luck. The ES File Explorer method seemed to be working at first, but a short time later, it wasn't - new alarms were once again being set to Homecoming. 

Also, other users reported that their workarounds failed after a system update or phone restart. Is it really so hard to make this audio feature work as easily and effectively as setting the default Ringtone and Notification sounds? Or do you just not care about making the user experience consistent, easy, pleasant and convenient?

[LongHiker]

IME once you create a new alarm with a certain sound, the next new ones are created using that sound as a default.

For instance, if I create a new alarm, the sound defaults to Sunrise. Not Homecoming that you mentioned.

I just created a new alarm and changed the sound from Sunrise to Jam Jam. Saved that one and created a second new alarm. The default sound on the 2nd new alarm is Jam Jam.

[Scotophor]

I've seen that happen too. But if I subsequently create an alarm with a different sound, then the next alarm I create uses that different sound. And the sound shown as "Default (Homecoming)" never changes. So apparently the phone system has a labeled Default alarm sound that can't be changed, and a second, "ghost" default that isn't ever visibly identified as such, but is set every time the user selects a different sound for an alarm. This is unnecessarily confusing. It's also not standard practice for a user interface default to behave this way. Selection of defaults should be explicit, and once set should remain until explicitly changed. For these reasons, I'm sure my phone's behavior is not what the system's designers intended.

[realaud]

Because alarms work differently from other notifications, they behave differently.  The sound you set for your first alarm is the default.  Any sound you set for subsequent alarms becomes the default until you change it. Some people like different sounds for different alarms, as they have alarms for different purposes.  It's not hard to change the sound when you set a new alarm.  You set the time, you set the frequency, you set the sound all in one session.  If you want the sound to be your default for all alarms, you only need to set the time and frequency and the last sound you chose is explicitly the default sound.  Nothing is easier than that.  I don't see how this is confusing for even the most non-technically inclined user.  You are picking a nit that does not need to be picked and, as far as I can tell, you are the only person who this bothers.

[Scotophor]

I guess we'll have to agree to disagree. It didn't always work this way. Calling something a "default" but not using it as such is nonsensical. Changing the true default without indicating what the new true default is, is also nonsensical. Clearly, at some point, code was changed, and the visual UI part of the alarm default code got separated from the part that sets which sound is used as the default. Also, code that allows the user to explicitly set the default was removed and not replaced.

Do some searching and you'll find that I'm not the only user to notice and mention these anomalies.

[realaud]

And some people like to complain for the sake of complaining. There is absolutely no difference than setting alarm sound and keeping the same sound for each alarm or changing your alarm the next time you want a different alarm.

And, actually, I have found that if you erase all your alarms, the first alarm you set with your "default" sound, will keep that sound as the default, even if you change the sound of individual subsequent alarms.  The issue only takes place if you set what you want as the default sound after you set the first alarm.  I have changed the alarm sound for individual alarms, and the next alarm I set defaulted to my primary sound.

[SamsungModerator1 · Accepted solution]

Hello Scotophor, 

Thank you for your interest in sharing your ideas with Samsung.  Welcome to the Samsung Community. We appreciate your feedback and will tag it on the forum so that it will appear with other feedback, ideas, and requests. This will allow your post to be more easily found in the event that Samsung product groups are seeking outside feedback/requests/ideas regarding our products.

[ButtaBean_420]

I am able to set whatever sounds I have in my phone for alarm sound even things downloaded from Zedge

[ButtaBean_420]

Also here is how to move from Zedge

[ButtaBean_420]

This is after moving to music in My Files to alarm in Samsung Clock