At 15:00 BST on Sunday, 23 April, an emergency alarm will sound on most smartphones across the UK.
The message will be received on 4G and 5G mobile phones and will emphasise the alert is a ‘test’ of a new UK Government service used in emergencies.
It will appear alongside sound and vibration for up to 10 seconds even if devices are on silent.
But how can the alarm be turned off when it sounds through your phone?
Read on below for our step-by-step guide on how to switch off the alert.
Pictured: A step-by-step guide on how to turn off the alert on iPhone and Android devices
How do I turn the alarm off on my iPhone?
Any iPhone users wishing to switch off the alarm should navigate to the Settings menu and press Notifications.
Once selected, users should scroll down to the bottom of the page to view the Emergency Alerts Menu.
If their phone is running on iOS 14.5 or later, users can choose to turn off both Severe alerts and Emergency alerts.
How do I turn the alarm off on my Android device?
Android users search for ’emergency alerts’ in the Settings menu to turn off the alert.
Both Emergency and Severe alerts can be switched off here too, but the device must also be running on Android 11 or more recent software.
How do I turn off the alarm on my Huawei device?
Owners of Huawei devices running EMUI 11 software will be required to turn off ‘Extreme threats’, ‘Severe threats’ and ‘Show amber alerts’ in the Settings tab.
Labour has been campaigning for a warning system such as this for more than decade, with ministers having promised to introduce one since 2013.
Which other countries have a phone alert system?
Countries such as Japan and the Netherlands have already implemented similar alert systems to warn citizens of potential threats.
QuakeAlertUSA – an app that shakes when counting down to significant tremors – is also available to smartphone users in California.
The trial in the UK has led to concern for domestic abuse victims, with suggestions that a siren could allow abusers to find hidden phones.
West Midlands Victims’ Commissioner Nicky Brennan stated: ‘I know first hand of many victims of domestic abuse who have a concealed phone as a lifeline, allowing them to keep in touch with friends and family or to be used in an emergency.
‘While the emergency alert system is understandable, it is also vital we raise awareness that this can be switched off for those who need it.
‘I urge anybody who has a concealed phone for their own safety to switch off these alerts.’
Others have said that the sudden siren sound could cause crashes on the road if drivers are panicked by what they hear.
What will the message say?
According to the Government website, the message that will pop up on smartphones during the alert will read as follows: ‘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. This is a test. You do not need to take any action.’
What should you do when the alarm goes off?
The Government has advised people to continue using their phones as normal after dismissing the alert, emphasising that this it a test.
Their advice states: ‘For the test, the public does not need to take any action – the sound and vibration will stop automatically after ten seconds.
‘All people need to do is swipe away the message or click ‘OK’ on their phone’s home screen – just like for a ‘low battery’ warning or notification – and continue to use their phone as normal.’
Should I answer the phone whilst driving?
If you are driving when the alert sounds, you should focus on the road and what is around you, instead of switching off the alarm.
President of the AA, Edmund King, said the alarm going off would be a ‘threat of distraction’ to people on the roads.
According to The Sun, he said: ‘If they have the phone in the car and an odd sound goes off there could be some form of panic.
‘Even with a hands-free system, the odd sound could mean they reach for the phone.’
As a result, the Government advises that drivers should not read or respond to the alert while travelling in the car or on a motorcycle.
It said: ‘If you are driving, you should continue to drive and not respond to the noise or attempt to pick up the mobile phone and deal with the message.
‘Find somewhere safe and legal to stop before reading the message. If there is nowhere safe or legal to stop close by, and nobody else is in the vehicle to read the alert, tune into live radio and wait for bulletins until you can find somewhere safe and legal to stop.’
The alert will not sound on your phone if it is turned off or in airplane mode.
Additionally, if you are connected to 2G, 3G or WiFi-only, your phone alarm will not sound.
Vibration and audio alerts will be issued to those with hearing and vision impairments respectively.
