The system was launched in 2023 as a way to warn the public if there is danger to life nearby

08:54, 27 Jun 2025Updated 08:59, 27 Jun 2025

A message will appear alongside a loud alarm on millions of mobile phones across the UK
A message will appear alongside a loud alarm on millions of mobile phones across the UK (Image: PA)

Million of people across the UK will hear their phones making a loud siren-like noise for ten seconds. This is part of a drill to prepare the UK for potential danger.

The system was launched in 2023 as a way to warn the public if there is danger to life nearby, and has so far been used four times. Previous alerts were sent to mobiles phone in January, with the message stating: “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK Government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.

“In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information.”

The announcement about this year’s test alert comes as the government issued a warning about the UK needing to “actively prepare” for the possibility of the country coming under “direct threat”, as reported by The Metro. There is no date confirmed for the alert.

The expected siren comes after heightened tensions across the Middle East, with travel warnings issued and fears of a wider conflict igniting. The government website says there are a number of reasons you may get an alert, these include severe flooding, fires and extreme weather.

Emergency alerts will only be sent by the emergency services and government departments, agencies and public bodies that deal with emergencies. When you receive an alert your device may make a loud siren-like sound, even if it’s set on silent or vibrate.

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An alert will include a phone number or a link to the GOV.UK website for more information. You’ll get alerts based on your current location – not where you live or work.

You do not need to turn on location services to receive alerts. When you get an alert, the government advises you should stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions in the alert.

If you do not have a compatible device, you’ll still be informed about an emergency. The emergency services have other ways to warn you when there is a threat to life.

However, emergency alerts will not replace local news, radio, television or social media.

Emergency alerts work on:

  • iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later
  • Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later

You will not receive alerts if your device is:

  • turned off
  • connected to a 2G or 3G network
  • wifi only
  • not compatible

You may not receive alerts if your device is:

  • in airplane mode

On Apple devices, you can go to settings, notifications, then scroll down to the bottom where it says extreme and severe alerts. Tap the toggle to either turn them on or off.

On Android, go to settings, search ’emergency alerts’, then turn off alerts for extreme and severe threats. After this year’s alert, the system will be tested once every two years.

The exact date will be announced in the future. Mobile emergency alert systems are already being used in other countries.

This includes the US, Japan and Australia who all have their own versions. As of June 2022, all EU member states are required to implement a mobile alerting system under the European Electronic Communications Code (EECC).

The Cabinet Office previously said the alerts system will “transform the UK’s warning and informing capability”, meaning urgent messages can be quickly sent to almost 90% of mobile phones in any defined area. Officials said it is easy to opt out of by adjusting “emergency alerts” in your phone’s settings.

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You can also turn the phone off to ensure the alert doesn’t go off.