AusAlert is for everyone in Australia. It sends information about local and national disasters, including what is happening now or what might happen soon.
During a disaster, you may receive an alert if you have a compatible mobile phone, tablet or smartwatch.

AusAlert is run by the Australian Government and is safe and secure.
Only authorised emergency services organisations and the Australian Government can send AusAlerts.

AusAlert:

• will never ask for your personal or financial details
• does not know or store your personal information
• does not know or store your phone number
• does not track your location
• does not require you to sign up or download an app.

If you receive anything that seems suspicious, you can report it to ScamWatch

State and territory emergency services can use AusAlert to send fast, clear messages to the public about local and regional emergencies.
The Australian Government can use AusAlert to send messages to the public about national emergencies.

AusAlert uses cell-broadcast technology through active 4G and 5G mobile networks. Only people within the area affected by the emergency will receive a message.

Emergency Alerts appear on your device's home screen. You have to acknowledge them before you can use your device’s other features. They appear as a notification and may include telephone numbers or website links to further information. A loud, siren-like sound and vibration will accompany the message to raise awareness of the hazard or threat.

An AusAlert message will show the alert level:

Critical Alert
This is the highest level of warning. You may be in danger.

Priority Alert
There is a high level of threat. Watch and act.

Learn about the alert types

Depending on the emergency, the message may also include:

• the type of emergency (for example, bushfire or flood)
• where it is
• how serious it is
• the actions you need to take
• where more information can be found
• the name of the organisation that sent the message.

AusAlert tests

Before AusAlert is ready to use in October 2026, the system needs to be tested.

If you receive an AusAlert test alert as part of community testing or the national test, you don’t need to do anything.

After 1 October 2026

When AusAlert is launched, all alerts will be about an actual emergency.

If you receive a real AusAlert:

• read the message when it’s safe to do so
• tell others, including family and people nearby
• follow the instructions in the message.

Continue to check local TV, radio, emergency apps and websites for updates about the emergency.

You might not receive an AusAlert if:

• your mobile device is turned off
• your mobile device is in flight mode
• your mobile device is not compatible with AusAlert
• there’s no mobile signal because a nearby tower is damaged or under repair.

If none of the above is true and you still can’t receive alerts please Contact Us

To make sure you're AusAlert ready, always install the latest software updates on your device when asked. Be sure to restart your device after updating.

To do this go to: Settings > Software update > Download and install.

If there are no new updates available, please restart your phone.

Also check out our page How to Update your Samsung Galaxy Phone or Tablet for more information.

AusAlerts are supported on Galaxy smartphones released from 2020 onwards. On older Galaxy devices, these alerts may appear under different names, such as Presidential Alerts or Extreme Alerts. A working SIM card is not required to receive AusAlerts.

They are expected to work on:

• Android devices running Android 12 or later (released from 2020 onwards).
• The device needs to be on 4G or 5G to receive the alert.

How do I check if my device can receive an AusAlert?

1. Open the Settings app
2. Select Safety and Emergency
3. Locate Wireless Emergency Alerts

If this setting is available on your Galaxy device you should receive AusAlert notifications.

*We recommend updating your software to the latest OS Version.
To update your software open the Settings app > Software update > Download and install

Turning off Critical Alerts

You can’t stop your device from receiving Critical Alerts.

The only way to not receive Critical Alerts is to turn your device off or put it in aeroplane mode during the emergency. We don't recommend this, as AusAlerts contain important information and should be turned on to help keep you safe.

Turning off Priority Alerts

We recommend you keep alerts turned on for your safety.

Some people may need to turn off alerts. If receiving a Priority Alert might disrupt you or cause you or a family member to feel unsafe, you can choose to opt out.

Note: If you turn off Priority Alerts on one device, you can still receive alerts on another device. Make sure you action this across all chosen devices.

AusAlerts will be sent across all networks.

No personal information (such as telephone number, identity, or location) is used in the sending of any AusAlerts.