Australia to conduct first nationwide AusAlert test with loud siren on phones
On Monday 27 July at 2pm AEST, nearly every mobile phone in Australia will sound an emergency siren as part of the first national test of the new AusAlert warning system, which cannot be silenced.
What is AusAlert?
AusAlert is Australia’s new national warning system designed to send emergency messages to mobile devices during local and widespread disasters. It replaces the current SMS-based system, which the National Emergency Management Agency (Nema) says has suffered from network congestion and message delays.
The system will launch nationally in October, but the first nationwide test takes place on Monday.
What happens during the test?
At 2pm AEST (Australian Eastern Standard Time), most phones, smartwatches and tablets will receive a siren sound lasting about 10 seconds and a pop-up notification. The alert cannot be muted – it will sound even if the device is on silent or “do not disturb” mode. Nema’s interim coordinator general Pat Hetherington said it would be “loud enough to get people’s attention” but quieter than a fire alarm.
Which devices receive the alert?
The alert will go to iPhone 11 and newer running iOS 26.4 or later, Apple Watch SE2, SE3, Series 6 and newer running watchOS 26.4 or later, and Android devices running Android 12 or later. Nema estimates about 80% of iPhones and 16 million Android devices will ring. Older phones may not receive the alert.
The only way to avoid the alert is to turn off the device or switch to airplane mode.
What should people do?
No action is required – the pop-up will clearly state “TEST MESSAGE” and “NO ACTION IS REQUIRED”. However, Nema encourages Australians to provide feedback through a survey to help evaluate the test.
Concerns about ‘safe phones’
Domestic and family violence advocates have raised concerns that the test could expose hidden phones used by victims. Nema advises switching off such devices or enabling airplane mode for a 24-hour period. For others who wish to avoid the alert, turning off the phone an hour before and after the test is recommended.
Why is the test needed?
AusAlert stems from a recommendation of the royal commission into the 2019-20 Black Summer bushfires, which highlighted that many people did not receive emergency SMS alerts due to network failures. The new system allows both nationwide and geofenced alerts for floods, cyclones, earthquakes, terrorism, biosecurity and public health incidents.
Federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain called AusAlert a “far superior” system that will reach more people in a more timely manner. State-level systems will remain in use as additional tools.
