A bold shift in iOS 26.1 changes how alarms and timers are dismissed, and it’s turning heads. Rather than a traditional Stop button, alarms now use a “Slide to stop” gesture. If you’d rather keep the old button, there’s a straightforward way to revert it.
Apple updated the Lock Screen alarm and timer UI with iOS 26, enlarging the Stop and Snooze controls to make tapping easier. That change, however, led to more than a few accidental dismissals, as users found themselves swiping or sliding by mistake.
The fix is simple: iOS 26.1 reintroduces the familiar stop action, but in a way that still respects the new slider design. The system now relies on a left-to-right slider gesture to dismiss alarms and timers, which requires a touch with clear intent.
If you miss the old button, you can opt back in with a single toggle. Go to Settings → Accessibility → Touch, and enable the new option labeled “Prefer Single-Touch Actions.” Enabling this setting disables the slider for alarms and timers and restores the single-tap Stop button.
This option is part of a broader set of customization choices introduced in iOS 26.1, giving users more control over how their iPhone behaves across features. If you’re curious about other tweaks, you’ll find several additional customization options in iOS 26.1.
What’s your take on the slider for alarms and timers in iOS 26.1? Do you prefer the new gesture, or will you keep the Stop button? Share your thoughts in the comments.
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