How to use the online alarm clock
Getting ready early for the evening BBC News bulletin means setting the alarm for 11:42 pm before settling down or becoming absorbed in something else. That leaves enough breathing room before 12:00 am to arrange a drink, check the television is ready and avoid watching the clock while waiting for the programme.
Because the BBC News reminder may sit behind whatever else is open, the browser must still be allowed to run and play sound at 11:42 pm. A background page can be slowed or muted by browser settings, so checking the volume and keeping this page active enough to run reduces surprises. If the page is closed or the computer or phone goes to sleep, the BBC News alarm may never sound, leaving the programme to begin without a prompt.
Watching a late-evening bulletin can easily push bedtime beyond midnight, especially when discussion continues after the main headlines. A practical approach is to prepare for sleep before 11:42 pm: finish routine tasks, dim nearby lights and decide whether to watch only the scheduled bulletin. When it ends, fewer unfinished jobs remain between the television being switched off and bed, preserving more of the night for sleep.
Common questions
Will it still be right when the clocks change?
Yes. It reads your device's local clock, so the move between GMT and BST at the end of March and October is picked up automatically, as long as the computer's date, time and time zone are set correctly.
Can I use this on a phone?
It works in a mobile browser, but phones lock the screen and suspend background tabs far more readily than a laptop does, which can stop the alarm sounding. For anything important, a desktop or a plugged-in laptop is the steadier option.
Does the alarm still work if I close the tab?
No. Everything runs inside this page, so closing the tab — or quitting the browser altogether — ends the countdown there and then. Leaving it open in the background is all it asks, and switching to another tab makes no difference.
What happens if my laptop goes to sleep before 11:42 pm?
The tab sleeps along with it and the alarm will not sound on time, if at all. If you are relying on it, change the power settings so the machine stays awake, or keep a phone alarm running as well.
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