EMERGENCY ALERTS - HOW TO OPT OUT

The UK government is testing the Emergency Alerts system this Sunday (7th September) at 3pm - previously tested in April 2023.

In an emergency, your mobile phone or tablet will receive an alert with advice about how to stay safe. Your device will make a loud, siren-like sound, even if it’s on silent mode. The alert message will confirm this is a test and that you do not need to take any further action.

The government advice is that you do not opt out of these alerts, however, we understand that in some circumstances there are people who may keep a secret phone for their own safety. Should you need to opt out of the alerts to prevent the discovery of any secret phones then here is how to turn off the alerts:

iPhone

To opt out:

Android phones

To opt out:

Other mobile phones and tablets

Depending on the manufacturer and software version of your phone, emergency alerts settings may be called different names, such as ‘wireless emergency alerts’ or ‘emergency broadcasts’.

The settings can usually be found in one of the following ways. Go to:

Then turn off ‘severe alerts’, ‘extreme alerts’ and ‘test alerts’.

For more information: About Emergency Alerts - GOV.UK