Why some phones didn’t receive Friday’s emergency alert

The ‘severe’ alert was to warn of the high risk of wildlife, and triggered at the request of firefighters.

The Government sent the emergency alert on Friday evening, which began appearing on mobile devices from 7pm in “the most extensive use” of the UK’s mobile phone alert system.

While many said the loud alarm made them jump, others never received the alert at all.

Using official Government information, we’ve explained how the system works, why some phones did not receive the alert and whether the Government has access to your mobile number.

How emergency alerts work and who receives them

Emergency alerts are sent to compatible mobile phones and tablets during serious incidents where there is a risk to life.

When an alert is issued, mobile phone masts in the affected area broadcast a message to nearby devices.

Every compatible phone or tablet within range of the mast will receive the alert, regardless of whether it is connected to mobile data or Wi-Fi.

The system works across all UK 4G and 5G mobile networks and is free to use.

People do not need to sign up for alerts or download an app.

Why you might not receive an alert

Some devices will not receive alerts, including those that are:

Turned off

Connected to a 2G or 3G network

Wi-Fi-only devices

Not compatible with the emergency alert system

Devices placed in airplane mode may also fail to receive alerts.

Which devices are compatible?

Emergency alerts work on:

iPhones running iOS 14.5 or later

Android phones and tablets running Android 11 or later

Some devices running older versions of Android may also be able to receive alerts.

Users can check by searching their settings for “emergency alerts”.

Other mobile phones that do not use iOS or Android may also be compatible.

Can you view an alert again?

People who want to revisit an alert can check the government’s current and past emergency alerts pages or search for emergency alerts in their device settings.

Android users may receive more than one reminder about the same alert.

These reminders can be switched off in the device’s emergency alert settings.

What about privacy?

The emergency services and UK Government do not need a person’s phone number to send an alert.

No personal information is collected or shared through the system, and data about a user’s device or location is not stored.