alarmkit

AlarmKit is a specialized iOS development skill that enables developers to implement native alarm and countdown timer functionality for iOS 26+ and iPadOS 26+ applications. It provides direct access to Apple's system-level alarm UI that appears on the Lock Screen, Dynamic Island, and Apple Watch, offering the same prominent, Focus-overriding experience users expect from the built-in Clock app. Unlike standard notifications, AlarmKit alarms automatically override Do Not Disturb and Silent mode, ensuring critical alerts reach users.

This skill covers the complete AlarmKit framework workflow, from authorization and scheduling to state management and Live Activity integration. Developers can create both time-based alarms that fire at specific clock times (with optional weekly recurrence) and duration-based countdown timers. The framework uses a declarative configuration approach through AlarmAttributes and AlarmPresentation, allowing developers to define alert, countdown, and paused states without building custom widget views. Every alarm automatically creates a system-managed Live Activity with templated UI that follows Apple's design guidelines.

The skill is designed for iOS developers building applications that require reliable, prominent time-based alerts such as alarm clock apps, meditation timers, cooking assistants, workout interval timers, medication reminders, or any scenario where users need guaranteed notification delivery with system-level UI integration. It includes comprehensive guidance on authorization handling, scheduling patterns, state observation, snooze/stop button configuration, and common pitfalls to avoid when working with Apple's alarm infrastructure.