Emergency test alert: Alarm will sound on every UK phone in April 2023 - the exact message that will appear

Millions of people across the United Kingdom are days away from receiving the unprecedented first-ever  ‘armageddon’ emergency warning on their mobile phones from the government. The alert will include the sounding of a loud siren and a message.

The test will act as a way to trial the system that will be used in the future for real emergency situations such as severe weather conditions, floods and fires. It will affect every single device in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Once the alert has sounded, people will be left unable to use their phones without acknowledging the ‘armageddon’ message. This is to ensure they engage with the information contained within the message and take appropriate action in the event of a genuine emergency alert.

The first emergency alert test will take place up and down the country on Sunday, April 23, 2023. It is expected to sound at 3pm exactly.

But what message will the UK emergency alert display and how can you opt out? Here is everything you need to know.

Emergency Alert - The exact message that will appear on every UK mobile device

The full warning message will read: “This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby. In an actual emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action."

How to opt out of the armageddon emergency alert on IOS and Android devices

For IOS devices, you will be able to locate the Emergency Alerts through the Notifications section of settings.  You will find the Emergency Alerts options located at the bottom of the page, including extreme and severe alerts. If they are turned on, the toggle to the left should appear green. To turn them off, you simply tap the toggle, which should then go grey.

For those with Android devices, you can locate emergency alerts through the Apps & Notifications section in your settings. Emergency alerts should be listed at the bottom of the page. Once selected, it will take you to a new page which you can then toggle off extreme threats and severe threats as well as amber alerts.