To turn off emergency alerts on your phone, the steps vary depending on whether you use an Android or an iPhone:
On Android Devices
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap Notifications (or Sounds & vibration on some models).
- Tap Advanced or More settings if available.
- Select Wireless Emergency Alerts or search for "emergency alerts" in the Settings search bar.
- Toggle off Allow alerts to disable all emergency alerts, or toggle off specific types such as AMBER Alerts, Extreme Threats, Severe Threats, Public Safety Messages, or Test Alerts if you prefer to disable only some categories.
Note: The exact menu names and paths may vary slightly depending on your phone manufacturer and Android version (e.g., Samsung, Pixel, Xiaomi)
On iPhone
- Open Settings.
- Tap Notifications.
- Scroll down to the bottom to the Government Alerts section.
- Toggle off the types of alerts you want to disable (e.g., AMBER Alerts, Emergency Alerts, Severe Alerts).
Presidential or National Alerts cannot be turned off on iPhones or most Android devices as mandated by law in the US
Additional Notes
- Emergency alerts override Do Not Disturb and silent modes but will not come through if the phone is powered off
- Disabling alerts may reduce your awareness of critical safety information.
- Some countries or carriers may not allow disabling certain emergency alerts
These steps provide control over which emergency alerts you receive while respecting legal restrictions on some national alerts
