Phones across the country are set to receive a new emergency alert from the government today but they can easily turn it off.
The new system, which will ring from every phone in the UK as a trial, will be set off at 3pm. It is a test run of giving the country warnings for 'life-threatening situations'. Systems like this are already in place in other countries such as the US, Canada and the Netherlands.
The trial of a system, which is designed to warn the public if there is a danger to life nearby, will go off at 3pm and will last for about 10 seconds.
The alert will be sent to every 4G and 5G device across the UK and will include a loud noise and vibrations.
There will also be a message, which will say: "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."
The alerts work on all 4G and 5G phones and you do not have to sign up or pay, they will happen automatically - however, there are ways to switch off the alerts.
People who do not wish to receive the alerts will be able to opt out in their device settings, but officials hope the life-saving potential of the messages means users will keep them on. Phones that are off or in airplane mode will not receive an alert.
How to turn off emergency alerts on an iPhone
iPhone users will need to go to their settings app and find the 'Notifications' section. Then you can scroll right down to the bottom of the menu that appears to find to buttons that are labelled 'Extreme Alerts' and 'Severe Alerts'.
Once these have been turned off, you will not receive any future alerts.
Open 'Settings'
Tap 'Notifications'
Scroll to the bottom
Toggle alerts options on or off
You can also use a shortcut to get to these options. If you type 'emergency alerts' into your search bar it should take you directly to the notifications menu.
How to turn off emergency alerts on an Android
The process on an Android phone is very similar. If you go into the settings app and then go into the 'Sounds and Vibration' section there should be an option for 'More Settings'. From there you can go to 'Wireless Emergency Alerts' and find the 'Allow Alerts' button that you can switch off.
Open the Settings app
Tap Sounds & vibration
Tap More settings
Tap Wireless Emergency Alerts
Toggle off ‘Allow alerts’
Androids also offer a shortcut version of this that can be utilised by going into the settings app and searching for emergency alerts in the search bar- however, the wording may depend on what type of Android phone you are using.
The test alert is set to go off on Sunday, April 23 at 3pm.
Read next:
- Confused Gogglebox fans forced to switch off TV in Channel 4 show 'black out'
- Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley shares inside secret as she transforms into Mandy Dingle
- Emmerdale Jamie Tate actor Alexander Lincoln opens up on his sexuality after accidentally coming out
- Real life of new ITV thriller Malpractice actress Niamh Algar - from childhood hero to co-star boyfriend
- Emmerdale's Charity Dingle's 'game plan' worked out by suspicious fans as she 'plays cat and mouse with Mack'
