Frequently asked questions
Direct answers about how ShabbatRise works.
What is ShabbatRise?
ShabbatRise is a free alarm clock app for Shabbat (Shabbos) and it is built around one idea: you set your alarms before Shabbat, and during Shabbat the phone does everything alone. The alarm rings at the exact time you chose and stops by itself, so you never need to touch the phone.
How can an alarm clock work on Shabbat without touching the phone?
Every alarm is armed before candle lighting, the same principle as a Shabbat timer for lights, and during Shabbat ShabbatRise rings and silences itself with no interaction from you. It turns itself off after a duration you chose in advance — 15 seconds to 2 minutes — with no taps, no swipes, no buttons.
Does the alarm really stop by itself?
ShabbatRise alarms stop by themselves: you choose 15 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute or 2 minutes in advance, and the ring ends on its own with no tap and no swipe. You can also set one automatic repeat a few minutes later in case you sleep through the first ring.
Does it work offline?
ShabbatRise works fully offline: candle-lighting and havdalah times are calculated on your phone, and the app makes no network connections, so airplane mode is fine. The calculation uses standard astronomical formulas.
How does it know my candle-lighting time?
You set your city once. The app computes sunset for your exact location and applies your community's offsets (18, 20, 30, or 40 minutes before sunset for candle lighting; 42, 50, or 72 minutes after sunset for havdalah).
Is it free? Are there ads?
ShabbatRise is completely free on iPhone and Android, with no ads, no in-app purchases and no subscription.
What data does ShabbatRise collect?
None. There are no accounts and no analytics, and the app makes no network connections. Your location is used only on your phone to compute Shabbat times.
What iPhone do I need?
ShabbatRise runs on iPhone with iOS 26 or later, because that version introduced Apple's alarm framework that lets a third-party alarm ring reliably. On older versions a Shabbat alarm could not be trusted, so we don't support them.
What is Bedside Mode?
On iPhone, Bedside Mode is the recommended way to use ShabbatRise on Shabbat: leave the app open on the charger, and it shows a dim clock while ringing your alarms with exact start and stop times. A system backup alarm also fires in case the app was closed — it rings loud but for longer, so Bedside Mode is the primary experience.
What Android version do I need?
On Android, ShabbatRise needs Android 10 or newer, and alarms ring and stop exactly on time even with the app closed and the screen locked.
Do alarms repeat every week?
Yes — an alarm stays active every Shabbat until you toggle it off. The Friday reminder shows you what's set before Shabbat begins.
Does it support Yom Tov?
ShabbatRise version 1 covers Shabbat only; Yom Tov and holiday support is planned for a later version.
Which halachic opinions does it follow?
ShabbatRise takes no halachic positions: the zmanim offsets are configurable, and you should consult your rabbi about using an alarm on Shabbat. Practices vary between communities.
Who makes ShabbatRise?
ShabbatRise is an independent app made with love for the Shabbat table. You can reach us at [email protected].