Your phone just made a siren noise: what the alert was and what to do now

Print this checklist Prints the checklist without the menus.

Do this now

1. Stop what you're doing and read the alert. Then follow its instructions (GOV.UK).
2. Driving or riding? Don't read it. Stop somewhere safe and legal first (GOV.UK).
3. Check it's real on GOV.UK's current alerts page. Use the phone number or GOV.UK link in the alert for more.
4. Tell people near you who may not have a compatible phone, such as older relatives with basic phones.
5. Ignore any message asking for details. The service never sends emails and never asks for personal details (GOV.UK).
6. Keep a radio on if the alert says to tune in, in case phones or the internet go down.

Was it a real Emergency Alert?

A genuine UK Emergency Alert:

• arrives as a full-screen message headed "Emergency alert" on a compatible phone or tablet;
• may make a loud siren-like sound, even on silent, vibrate and read itself aloud, for about 10 seconds (GOV.UK);
• comes only from the emergency services and government bodies that deal with emergencies;
• is sent to every compatible phone in range of the masts near the danger, based on where you are now, not where you live;
• needs no sign-up, no app and no phone number; GOV.UK says no data about you, your phone or location is collected.

In Wales, alerts may also come in Welsh (GOV.UK).

Every kind of alert sent so far

From GOV.UK's past alerts list, read 2 November 2026 (most recent first):

GOV.UK's current alerts page showed no current alerts when we checked.

If it said something else

It may not have been an Emergency Alert at all:

• A flood warning by call, text or email. In England, the Environment Agency's free flood warning service sends these to people who sign up (Floodline 0345 988 1188). Scotland uses SEPA's Floodline and Wales uses Natural Resources Wales (GOV.UK). These are not Emergency Alerts, but they are real and worth acting on.
• A test. National tests say on screen that they are only a test. GOV.UK says you don't need to do anything.
• A scam. Any text, email, call or website asking you to click a link, log in, pay, or "register for alerts" is not from the service. There's nothing to register for.

What an alert means for you

An alert tells you there's a danger to life nearby and what to do about it. It might say to stay indoors, to leave an area, or to keep away from somewhere. Follow the alert itself: it's written for that emergency. Our other guides cover what each kind of emergency usually means:

• Storm or wind warning: stay indoors, away from windows. See extreme weather checklists.
• Flooding: move to higher ground, take your grab bag. See flood ready.
• Radiation or a nuclear site: go in, stay in, tune in. See living near a nuclear site.
• An attack warning: this has never been sent in the UK. See nuclear attack warning: what to do.

GOV.UK says alerts don't replace other warnings: listen to local radio and TV as well. Keep a battery or wind-up radio in case phones fail. See our wind-up radio guide.

Which phones get alerts

From GOV.UK:

Android phones may give reminders about the same alert; you can turn reminders off in "emergency alerts" settings.

Deaf, hard of hearing, blind or partially sighted? GOV.UK says audio and vibration signals will let you know about an alert, if accessibility notifications are on.

Turning alerts off (and why most people shouldn't)

GOV.UK says alerts contain life-saving information and should be kept switched on. If you need to opt out:

• iPhone: Settings → Notifications → scroll to the bottom → turn off "Severe alerts" and "Extreme alerts".
• Android: search settings for "emergency alerts" → turn off severe and extreme alerts.
• Other phones: look under settings for "emergency alerts" and turn off severe, extreme and test alerts. Names vary by maker.

If you have a hidden phone because of domestic abuse, GOV.UK says it may be right to turn alerts off, because an alert can sound even on silent. If you're in danger, call 999.

Printable: when the siren sounds

• Stay calm: the sound stops by itself after about 10 seconds
• Driving? Pull over safely and legally before reading
• Read the whole message
• Do what it says
• Check it on GOV.UK current alerts, or use the link or number in it
• Tell people with you who may not have a phone that gets alerts
• Check on neighbours if it's safe
• Turn on a radio for updates
• Ignore anything asking for details, logins or payment

Get ready before one arrives

• Phone software up to date (GOV.UK)
• Tell children and older relatives what the sound is
• Battery or wind-up radio, and a charged power bank
• Signed up for flood warnings if you're at risk
• Household plan says who checks on anyone without a compatible phone

What we couldn't check

• GOV.UK doesn't say how alerts behave with Do Not Disturb, Focus or Bedtime modes. It says only that the sound can play "even if" your phone is "on silent". Behaviour may vary by phone.
• GOV.UK doesn't say how often alerts will be used, or list every kind of emergency they could cover beyond its examples.
• The past alerts page shows no "last updated" date. We list what it showed on 2 November 2026.

Related guides

• UK Emergency Alerts: a calm guide
• Staying in touch when networks fail
• Wind-up radios: what to look for before you buy
• Check your flood risk, and the other risks where you live
• Talking to children about emergencies, calmly

Free tools

• Make a household emergency plan (free)
• Storm tracker

We're an independent UK site, not the government. We check guides against official sources and link to them. In an emergency call 999.

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