THERE is a hidden setting to silence your phone’s siren before the government tests its National Emergency Alert system at 3pm this Sunday.
While emergency alerts provide life-saving information, some people may benefit from turning them off.
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During the National Emergency Alert system test, phones will vibrate and emit a siren-like tone for up to 10 seconds.
A message will also appear on screens, clearly stating that it is only a drill.
Certain people – including victims of domestic abuse with hidden phones – may find it useful to turn off alerts, gov.uk notes.
Advice is given on how to remove the ping, depending on the device type.
To opt out of alerts:
iPhone
- Go to Settings
- Select ‘Notifications’
- Scroll to the bottom
- Turn off ‘Severe Alerts’ and ‘Extreme Alerts’
Android phones
- Go to Settings
- Search for ‘Emergency Alerts’
- Turn off ‘Severe Alerts’ and ‘Extreme Alerts’
Other mobile phones and tablets
On other devices, emergency alerts appear under names such as ‘Wireless Emergency Alerts’ or ‘Emergency Broadcasts’.
Gov.uk. suggests searching the following:
- ‘Message’, then ‘Message Settings, then ‘Wireless Emergency Alerts’, then ‘Alert’
- ‘Settings’, then ‘Sounds’, then ‘Advanced’, then ‘Emergency Broadcasts’
- ‘Settings’, then ‘General Settings’, then ‘Emergency Alerts’
Once these steps are complete, users should also turn off ‘Test Alerts’.
When is the Emergency Alert test?
The next National Emergency Alert system test will take place on Sunday, September 7, 2025 at 3pm.
The government will send a test alert to people across the UK to check the system and familiarise the public with emergency notifications.
Phones and tablets will emit a loud siren and vibrate for about 10 seconds, even if set to silent mode.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, Pat McFadden, said: “It will be one of the UK’s largest public safety exercises in history.
“It is a vital tool for keeping the nation safe when lives are on the line – and every minute matters.”
The system has been used to issue real warnings five times in the past.
In January 2025, during Storm Eowyn, alerts were sent to around 10,000 phones in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
In December 2024, 3.5 million people across Wales and south-west England received alerts during Storm Darragh.
In February 2024, a 500kg unexploded WWII bomb found in a Plymouth back garden triggered warnings to around 50,000 phones.
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