FAQ

OneClock is an analog timepiece with science-backed sounds that gently lift you out of sleep in a peaceful, more natural way.

Here is a great summary of some of the current research findings around sleep, as well as some helpful tips for improving your sleep hygiene.

Throughout our design process we reassessed every component of the clock. Ultimately, we decided to remove the alarm hand and create an intuitive way to separate the alarm and time functions while using the same hands for both. Simply press and hold the Waking Knob (front of clock) for one second and the hands will move into the alarm mode and display the alarm time, which you can then adjust. After setting the alarm time, the hands will revert back to the time after five seconds of no activity.

We left out the snooze. Research shows that snoozing is bad for you, because it repeatedly triggers your fight or flight response, and prolongs an already stressful moment. Learn more about why snoozers are losers.

OneClock operates silently as we want your bedroom as quiet as possible. The only mechanical sounds you'll hear from OneClock are when you are actively setting the time, the alarm, or adjusting the volume.

OneClock is designed to keep your room as dark as possible, so you can sleep as soundly as possible. Clocks with a light that makes them readable at all times have been shown to disrupt sleep. To see the time in a dark room, tap the top of your OneClock just behind 12:00 to turn on the night light. The light is activated by an accelerometer (not just by touch), so you need to tap it quickly to create the needed vibration to trigger the light. It will slowly fade out automatically after five seconds.

OneClock uses 12-hour timekeeping, so there is no am or pm indicator. So, if you want to wake up at 7am, you’ll just need to set your alarm anytime after 7pm.

No, we’re trying to keep things simple. OneClock has one alarm.

We designed OneClock from the ground up to be unlike any other clock. Our enclosure is precision machined from renewable aluminum and has a durable powder coat finish. Our front and rear panels are made from FSC-Certified wood. The face uses low-glare, scratch resistant glass. It’s designed and built to look good and work for generations.

OneClock plugs into the wall via a supple six foot cloth covered USB-C cable and a UL-Listed USB two-prong adaptor. We eliminated the need to replace (and dispose of) batteries and the worry around those batteries dying at an inopportune time.

OneClock has an internal backup system that will preserve your time and alarm settings for up to two weeks in the event of a power outage. When the power comes back on, your clock will revert to your previous time and alarm settings. Please note, our backup system only preserves time and settings. It is not an internal battery that runs the clock. So, as long as there is no power supplied to your OneClock, it will not operate.

No. In fact, we want you to keep your phone and all those addictive apps as far as possible from your bedroom. We also omitted the USB port for charging your phone so you can focus on making your bedroom a tech-free sleep sanctuary.

We (and a bunch of scientists) believe that the best way to get a good night's sleep is to get the technology out of your bedroom. And while those same scientists still can't say for certain that WiFi and Bluetooth are bad for you, we believe that if you're going to truly make your bedroom a sanctuary dedicated only to resting, sleeping, and loving, you don't need that other tech stuff anyway.

Everyone is different and there is no way for us to know. We based the maximum volume of our waking sounds to match the maximum volume of an iPhone, which we measured at ~80 dB. However, iPhone sounds are hard, and OneClock sounds are soft, which makes a difference in their perceived intensity. Ultimately the best way to find out is to test drive a OneClock in your home with our 30-day return program.

There is no subscription needed. However, OneClock owners can choose to purchase and install new waking music releases as they become available in our Music Store.

We don’t, but the MoMA Design Store can ship OneClock to most countries.

We don’t believe that OneClock should be purchased impulsively based on a marginal price drop or artificial urgency. It should be purchased because the buyer believes in its lasting value as a daily life-improving experience. That said, we do offer discounts on purchases of two or more clocks, and we'll occasionally do sales a few times a year for super important holidays. Like Groundhog Day.

See our setup page for a full demonstration of how OneClock operates.

Our sonic strategist compiled and analyzed the current science around sleeping, waking, and how our brains and bodies respond to sound. Based on that science, we created a set of guidelines that we share with various musicians that they use to create exclusive waking music for OneClock. Furthermore, the music made for OneClock can only be heard through a OneClock, and is not available on any third-party music streaming or download services.

All OneClocks come pre-installed with seven original songs by Jon Natchez. Each day, your clock will choose one of these seven songs at random, and gradually fade the song in until it reaches your desired volume, where it will play for approximately 10 minutes.

Our sonic strategist compiled and analyzed the current science around sleeping, waking, and how our brains and bodies respond to sound. Based on that science, we created a set of guidelines that we share with various musicians that they use to create exclusive waking music for OneClock. Furthermore, the music made for OneClock can only be heard through a OneClock, and is not available on any third-party music streaming or download services.

All OneClocks come pre-installed with seven original songs by Jon Natchez. Each day, your clock will choose one of these seven songs at random, and gradually fade the song in until it reaches your desired volume, where it will play for approximately 10 minutes.

In an effort to streamline the process for OneClock owners to change the music on their clocks, we’ve had to put the AI functionality that remixes music on hold. Rest assured, all new music will continue to adhere to sonic science best practices, but will forgo remixing and instead, will play for approximately 10 minutes before ending.

No. This is an intentional part of the design intended to prevent alarm fatigue. Additionally, OneClock owners can discover new waking music releases as they become available in our Music Store

No. However, OneClock owners can purchase and install new waking music releases as they become available in our Music Store. Only music from the OneClock Music Store can be installed, and only seven songs (by the same artist) can be installed at any one time.

If you turn the Wake Knob all the way to the left and hold it in a few seconds until you hear a voice prompt, that means you’re in Music Mode, where you can listen to all of the songs on your clock in succession.

If your alarm is not working as it should, it's likely that your clock needs a music update. This is a simple process that can be done at home with a few basic tools. Click here for detailed instructions on how to perform the update.

If the same issues persist after the update, please visit Warranty & Returns.

Unplug the clock, and remove the AC adapter from the USB-C cable. Flip it over and reseat it so it’s snug. Test your outlet with another device to make sure there’s power. Plug the clock back in so it restarts. If that doesn’t work, test the AC adaptor by plugging the USB-C cable directly into a laptop or other device that can supply power. If there's still no power, please visit Warranty & Returns.

That high pitched noise is not coming from your clock, but from a faulty USB-C adapter. This can be easily replaced by any adapter that can supply at least 10W of power and is UL-Listed for safety. If your clock is still under our 1 year warranty, send us an email with a description of the issue, your proof of purchase, and your shipping address.