Question 1

What is a calendar alarm app?

Accepted Answer

A calendar alarm app connects to your existing calendar and fires persistent, interruptive alarms before each event — not passive notifications that disappear on their own. Unlike standard calendar reminders from Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook Calendar, calendar alarm alerts stay on your screen until you actively dismiss them. OnTimer is a calendar alarm app for iPhone.

Question 2

How do I turn Google Calendar events into alarms on iPhone?

Accepted Answer

Google Calendar doesn't natively support alarms — it sends notifications that disappear automatically. OnTimer connects to Google Calendar and turns every event into a persistent alarm on iPhone. Download OnTimer, connect your Google account, and every calendar event gets an alarm automatically — no per-event setup required.

Question 3

How do I turn Outlook calendar events into alarms on iPhone?

Accepted Answer

Microsoft Outlook Calendar's built-in reminders are notifications, not alarms. OnTimer connects to Outlook Calendar and fires persistent alarms for every scheduled event — they don't disappear until you dismiss them. Multiple Outlook accounts are supported.

Question 4

What is the difference between a calendar notification and a calendar alarm?

Accepted Answer

A notification informs you — it appears briefly and disappears whether or not you act on it. An alarm interrupts you — it stays on screen and requires a response before it stops. Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and Outlook Calendar send notifications. OnTimer turns those calendar events into alarms.

Question 5

What is the Last 5 Minutes Problem?

Accepted Answer

The Last 5 Minutes Problem is the gap between knowing about a meeting and actually acting in time. You had the reminder set. You saw it. You planned to act in a moment. The notification disappeared, and the window closed before you did anything. Persistent alarms close this gap by staying on screen until you respond.

Question 6

What does 'persistent alarm' mean?

Accepted Answer

A persistent alarm stays on your screen and continues alerting until you actively dismiss or snooze it — unlike a standard notification, which disappears after a few seconds whether or not you acted. OnTimer fires persistent alarms for every calendar event, requiring explicit acknowledgment before they stop.

Question 7

Is OnTimer free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. OnTimer is free to download. Some advanced features, including Time To Leave alerts, are paid features.

Question 8

What does OnTimer do?

Accepted Answer

OnTimer connects to your calendar and creates loud, persistent alarms before meetings and events so they are harder to miss.

Question 9

How is OnTimer different from my calendar app's built-in reminders?

Accepted Answer

Most calendar apps send standard notifications. OnTimer is built to create a stronger, more persistent alert before it is time to join or leave.

Question 10

Does OnTimer work with Google Calendar?

Accepted Answer

Yes. OnTimer works with Google Calendar.

Question 11

Does OnTimer work with Microsoft Outlook Calendar?

Accepted Answer

Yes. OnTimer works with Microsoft Outlook Calendar.

Question 12

Does OnTimer support multiple calendars?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can use OnTimer with multiple calendars and accounts.

Question 13

Can OnTimer remind me when it is time to leave?

Accepted Answer

Yes. For events with a location, Time To Leave can alert you when it is time to leave based on travel time and traffic. Time To Leave is a paid feature.

Question 14

Who is OnTimer best for?

Accepted Answer

OnTimer is especially useful for busy professionals, people with back-to-back meetings, people who miss standard notifications, and people who struggle with time blindness or chronic lateness.

Question 15

Why do I still miss meetings even when I remember them?

Accepted Answer

Knowing about a meeting and leaving on time are two separate steps. The gap between a reminder and the moment you need to stop working and leave is where lateness happens. Calendar notifications inform you — they don't interrupt you. The fix is an alarm timed to when you need to leave, not when the meeting starts.

Question 16

Why don't calendar notifications work reliably?

Accepted Answer

Most calendar notifications are passive — they appear, you tap away, and they disappear. There's no persistence, no escalation, and no interruption of what you're focused on. Do Not Disturb, Focus modes, and notification volume settings can all silently block them on top of that.

Question 17

How is OnTimer different from setting alarms manually?

Accepted Answer

Manual alarms require you to remember to set them, update them when meetings change, and delete them when events get cancelled. OnTimer reads your calendar and creates, updates, and removes alarms automatically. When a meeting is rescheduled, your alarm moves too — with no action from you.

Question 18

Does OnTimer upload my calendar data anywhere?

Accepted Answer

No. OnTimer is completely on-device. It reads your calendar locally and never sends your data to any server. Your schedule stays private on your iPhone.

Question 19

Is there an Android version?

Accepted Answer

Not yet, but it is coming. Join the Android waitlist to be notified as soon as it is available.

Question 20

When should I leave for the airport?

Accepted Answer

It depends on your flight type, security setup, bags, and how you are getting there. Domestic flights typically require arriving 2 hours early; international flights 3 hours. Add your drive time and any parking buffer on top of that. You can estimate your exact departure time using the OnTimer Airport Time-to-Leave Calculator at ontimer.app/airport-time-to-leave-calculator.

OnTimer FAQ

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