You can disable Amber Alerts on most phones through Settings, though the exact steps depend on whether you use iPhone or Android
Amber Alerts are emergency notifications sent to phones in a specific area when a child is reported missing under circumstances suggesting danger. They arrive as loud interruptions with a distinctive sound, even if your phone is on silent. If you find these alerts disruptive or want to stop receiving them, you can turn them off — though most people keep them on because the alerts genuinely help locate missing children quickly.
The process takes less than a minute and lives in your phone's Settings app, not in a separate Amber Alert program. Once you disable them, you will stop receiving these notifications entirely in your region.
Key Takeaways
- On iPhone, open Settings, tap Notifications, scroll to Government Alerts, and toggle off Amber Alerts while leaving Emergency Alerts on.
- On Android, the steps vary by manufacturer, but generally live in Settings under Notifications or Apps, and the toggle is often called "Amber Alerts" or "Child Abduction Emergency".
- Disabling Amber Alerts does not affect Emergency Alerts (tornado warnings, flash floods, active threats), which remain on by law.
- You can re-enable Amber Alerts at any time by returning to the same Settings menu and toggling the option back on.
How to disable Amber Alerts on iPhone
On iPhone, Amber Alerts live under a section called Government Alerts. Open the Settings app on your home screen, then tap Notifications. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the Notifications menu — you will see a section labeled Government Alerts with three toggles: Emergency Alerts, Extreme Threats, and Amber Alerts.
Tap the toggle next to Amber Alerts to turn it off. The toggle will turn gray, meaning the setting is now disabled. You can leave Emergency Alerts and Extreme Threats on — these cover tornadoes, flash floods, and active threats in your area, and they cannot be disabled by law. Only Amber Alerts can be turned off.
Once you close Settings, the change takes effect immediately. You will no longer receive Amber Alert notifications on that phone.
How to disable Amber Alerts on Android
Android phones vary more widely depending on the manufacturer — Samsung, Google Pixel, OnePlus, and others handle this slightly differently. The most common path is to open Settings, then look for Notifications or Apps. Some phones call the section Advanced or More.
Once you find Notifications, look for an option called Emergency Alerts, Wireless Emergency Alerts, or Alert Settings. Tap into that section. You should see toggles for different alert types, including one labeled Amber Alerts or Child Abduction Emergency. Tap the toggle to turn it off.
If you cannot find this setting in Notifications, try opening Settings and searching for "amber" using your phone's search function — most Android phones have a search bar at the top of Settings. This will take you directly to the right menu. Once you find the toggle and turn it off, close Settings and the change is active.
What happens when you disable Amber Alerts
When Amber Alerts are off, you will not receive any notifications when a child abduction is reported in your area. The alert system will continue to send these notifications to other phones around you, but yours will remain silent.
Disabling Amber Alerts does not affect other emergency notifications. You will still receive alerts for tornadoes, flash floods, extreme weather, active shooter situations, and other public safety threats. Those alerts are required by law and cannot be turned off on most phones.
If you change your mind later, you can re-enable Amber Alerts by going back to the same Settings menu and toggling the option back on. The process is identical to turning it off.
Why Amber Alerts are so loud and disruptive
Amber Alerts use a special alert tone and override your phone's silent mode because they are designed to reach as many people as possible in a short window of time. When a child is reported missing under dangerous circumstances, the first few hours are critical. The loud, unavoidable notification is intentional — it ensures people notice the alert even if they are not looking at their phone.
This is why Amber Alerts feel more aggressive than regular notifications. They are not meant to be polite or easy to ignore. If you find them genuinely disruptive — for example, if you work nights and sleep during the day — disabling them is a reasonable choice. Just know that you are opting out of information that could help locate a missing child in your region.
Amber Alerts on smartwatches and other devices
If you wear a smartwatch paired to your phone, Amber Alerts may also appear there. On Apple Watch, the alerts follow your iPhone settings — if you disable Amber Alerts on your iPhone, your watch will stop receiving them too. On Android Wear watches, the behavior depends on your specific watch model, but most follow the phone's settings.
If you are receiving Amber Alerts on a smartwatch but want to stop, the easiest solution is usually to disable them on your phone itself, which will stop them across all paired devices. Check your watch's settings app if alerts continue after you have disabled them on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling Amber Alerts affect other emergency notifications?
No. Emergency Alerts for severe weather, active threats, and other public safety emergencies will continue to come through. Only Amber Alerts will be disabled. The other alert types are required by law and cannot be turned off on most phones.
Can I disable Amber Alerts for just one hour or one day?
Most phones do not have a built-in timer for this. You would need to manually turn the alerts back on after your chosen time. Some third-party apps claim to schedule alert settings, but they are unreliable. The simplest approach is to toggle Amber Alerts off when you need quiet time and back on when you are ready.
What if I disabled Amber Alerts and now want them back?
Go back to the same Settings menu where you turned them off. On iPhone, that is Settings > Notifications > Government Alerts > Amber Alerts. On Android, it is Settings > Notifications > Emergency Alerts (or similar). Toggle the option back on, and you will start receiving Amber Alerts again immediately.
Do Amber Alerts work differently in different states?
The alert system itself works the same way nationwide, but the criteria for issuing an Amber Alert vary slightly by state. Some states have stricter rules about what qualifies as an abduction. Regardless of your state, the on-and-off toggle in your phone's settings controls whether you receive them.
Why does my phone keep getting Amber Alerts even though I thought I disabled them?
Make sure you toggled off the right option. On iPhone, confirm you are in Settings > Notifications > Government Alerts and that the Amber Alerts toggle is gray (off). On Android, check that you found the correct Emergency Alerts menu — some phones have multiple alert settings in different places. If you are still receiving alerts, restart your phone and check the setting again.