Luckily, Google does allow you to turn off AMBER alerts and other wireless emergency alerts. While it’s not advised, as AMBER alerts are pretty important, it is possible. Google will allow you to turn off each type of alert too. As local and state governments can send out emergency alerts for weather and other things. So you can turn off AMBER alerts without losing the weather extreme alerts. Today, we’ll show you how you can turn off AMBER alerts on your Android smartphone.
What is an AMBER Alert?
An AMBER alert (which stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response), is typically used when children go missing. It was created in 1996, when Amber Hagerman was kidnapped in Arlington, Texas. Most localities will not issue an AMBER alert right away. It usually won’t be issued for at least 24 hours. Since the alert does get sent to every cell phone in the area. Typically an AMBER alert will only give you the important information, like what is shown below: That includes the area, the time and the car of the suspect. Sometimes the license plate is shown in the AMBER alert, but that information is not always known. Typically, after an AMBER alert is issued, the child is found within a few hours. So it is very useful and does its job quite well.
How to turn off AMBER alerts on your Android phone
While the method to turn off AMBER alerts will differ by phone, the steps are usually basically the same. The method below is valid for the Google Pixel running on Android 12.
Head to Settings.Scroll down to Notifications and tap on that.Now, scroll down to the bottom and choose Wireless emergency alerts.On this next screen, you’ll see all of the different emergency alerts that you can turn on and off. AMBER Alerts will be the third option.Now, tap on the toggle next to AMBER Alerts to turn it off.And that’s it. Now AMBER alerts won’t go off on your phone.
This can also be done for other emergency alerts on your phone. Like extreme threats, severe threats, public safety messages, state and local tests and you can see the emergency alert history here. Google will also provide an option to get the alerts in Spanish at the very bottom of the screen, which is rather neat.
