Create Alarms with AlarmKit Xcode 26
- lioneldude
- Jun 21
- 2 min read
🔔 Exploring AlarmKit: Scheduling Alarms in iOS with Xcode 26
Apple introduced AlarmKit at WWDC25 as part of iOS 26, providing a powerful new way to schedule alarms and timers directly in your app. Unlike local notifications, AlarmKit offers deeper system integration — even supporting Live Activities and Dynamic Island.
In this post, I’ll walk through a basic example of using AlarmKit to schedule a countdown timer in a SwiftUI app, along with a Live Activity to track its progress.
🧱 Prerequisites
To follow along, you’ll need:
Xcode 26 Beta
A device or simulator running iOS 26 or iPad 26
App properly configured with:
A valid bundle identifier
An App Group (if using SwiftData or shared storage with widgets)
Note: AlarmKit is currently in beta and APIs are subject to change.
Visit my GitHub for the AlarmKit Demo at https://github.com/lioneldude83/AlarmKitDemo
Some of the code was adapted from Apple's Sample App "Scheduling an alarm with AlarmKit" to present a user interface in the main app that displays the countdown timer. Additionally, the progress ring updates when the user pauses or resumes the timer.
AlarmKit is in its initial stages, yet it presents thrilling opportunities for apps that rely on timers, such as productivity tools, reminders, and habit trackers.
Whether you're developing a fitness app, a meditation timer, or a smart home controller, AlarmKit provides a native and dependable method for managing alarms with complete system integration.
Keep an eye out for future updates as Apple enhances the API, and don't hesitate to check out the sample project linked above!
Also download MyChronoPro, a stopwatch app with a beautifully crafted analog face on the App Store at https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mychronopro/id6746975883
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