My clock app accessed the media files on my iPhone. This is the second time this has occurred and I’m wondering if anyone has an idea of why? I have only ever selected the alarm tones that came with the iPhone. I can’t seem to figure out why it would need to access my media files.. Is this in anyone else’s privacy report?
[Edited by Moderator]
iPhone 16 Pro Max, iOS 18
The Clock app on an iPhone normally doesn’t need access to your Media & Apple Music library. The only reason it might request that permission is if you’re setting a song from Apple Music as an alarm sound.
If you tap on Pick a song while setting an alarm, the app will ask for access to your music library so you can choose one. Once granted, that permission stays until you revoke it.
You can check and remove this access:
It won’t affect using the default alarm tones, only prevents you from choosing songs as alarms.
The Clock app on an iPhone normally doesn’t need access to your Media & Apple Music library. The only reason it might request that permission is if you’re setting a song from Apple Music as an alarm sound.
If you tap on Pick a song while setting an alarm, the app will ask for access to your music library so you can choose one. Once granted, that permission stays until you revoke it.
You can check and remove this access:
It won’t affect using the default alarm tones, only prevents you from choosing songs as alarms.
I tested it myself, but in vain.
I picked a song for my alarm in the Clock and tried to play it. It did play the song at the stipulated time, but the clock did not show up under Settings → Privacy & Security → Media & Apple Music.
Now, the only thing that I can think of is that your device probably has an MDM profile.
The Clock app checks Media and Apple Music when you change your alarm sound so that sounds you’ve added (if any) are available in the picklist. Possibly for other reasons too, but that’s definitely one use case.
One bit of your phone’s OS is accessing another bit of your phone’s OS. That’s literally all that’s happening. Nothing is leaving the phone.
Nevertheless any stock app can access any part of the iphone by design, there is no need for concern.
A third party app can be controlled, but Apple apps cannot and the data is going nowhere. This has been debated ad nauseam before.
UseJeanette wrote:
Were you able to figure this out? I’m having the same issue, among several. I don’t have any MDM profiles. Please let me know if you have any answer. Thank you
It is not an issue, nor a security breach, nor anything you can change.
all Apple apps have access to all other iphone data by default and by design.
There is no need for concern.
That’s why I’m so confused … I never chose a song to play for an alarm.. I have 0 songs on my device… which is why I’m so concerned. I also checked my settings as you suggested and alarm is not even an option …
[Edited by Moderator]
Carking2013 wrote:
That’s why I’m so confused … I never chose a song to play for an alarm.. I have 0 songs on my device… which is why I’m so concerned. I also checked my settings as you suggested and alarm is not even an option …
https://discussions.apple.com/content/attachment/2b58f71d-a227-41e2-883b-a8afa9a0767b
[Edited by Moderator]
Nevertheless, the OPTION to use a song as an alarm is still there.
Were you able to figure this out? I’m having the same issue, among several. I don’t have any MDM profiles. Please let me know if you have any answer. Thank you
Thank you, Eases my mind. I did have an ex install “spy/tracker app it’s been removed, but I still get a little worried .
No I never figured it out … kinda gave up along with several other weird issues I’ve been having. I have begun to tell myself that if someone is that bored to spy on me, let them lol.
Why is clock accessing my media files
