You can disable Amber Alerts in your Android phone's settings, though the exact steps depend on which version of Android you have
Amber Alerts are emergency notifications sent by law enforcement when a child is believed to be in immediate danger. Your phone receives them through the wireless emergency alert system, the same channel that delivers severe weather warnings and presidential alerts. Unlike those other alerts, Amber Alerts can be turned off without disabling all emergency notifications.
The setting lives in your phone's emergency alert preferences, not in your main notification settings. Where you find it varies slightly between Android versions and phone manufacturers, but the process takes less than a minute once you know where to look.
Key Takeaways
- Amber Alerts arrive through the emergency alert system, separate from regular notifications, so turning them off requires accessing emergency alert settings rather than app notifications.
- On most Android phones, you access this through Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Emergency alerts or Wireless emergency alerts.
- Samsung phones use a different path: Settings > Notifications > Emergency alerts.
- Disabling Amber Alerts does not turn off severe weather warnings or other emergency broadcasts — only child abduction alerts.
- If you cannot find the setting, your phone manufacturer may not allow disabling Amber Alerts, which is the case on some budget and older Android devices.
Finding emergency alerts on Android 10 and newer
Open Settings and tap Apps & notifications. Scroll down and tap Advanced, then look for Emergency alerts or Wireless emergency alerts — the exact name varies by manufacturer. Tap that option.
Inside, you will see toggles for different alert types. Amber Alerts will be listed separately from Severe weather and Public safety messages. Turn off the toggle next to Amber Alerts. The other alert types remain on unless you disable them too.
If you do not see an Advanced section, try tapping Notifications directly from the Apps & notifications menu. Some manufacturers put emergency alerts there instead.
Samsung phones running Android 9 or later
Samsung uses its own path for this setting. Open Settings and tap Notifications. Scroll down to Emergency alerts and tap it. You will see toggles for Amber Alerts, Severe weather, and Public safety messages. Turn off Amber Alerts.
If you have an older Samsung phone, the setting may be under Settings > Apps > Messages > Notifications instead, though this is less common. The Notifications path works on most Samsung devices from the past five years.
Google Pixel phones
On Pixel phones, go to Settings > Apps & notifications > Advanced > Emergency alerts. Toggle off Amber Alerts. This is the standard Android path, and Pixel phones follow it consistently across versions.
Pixel phones also let you control each alert type independently, so you can disable Amber Alerts while keeping weather warnings and public safety messages turned on.
What happens after you disable Amber Alerts
Once disabled, your phone will no longer receive Amber Alert notifications. You will still receive severe weather warnings, public safety messages, and presidential alerts — those are controlled by separate toggles in the same menu.
Disabling Amber Alerts does not affect your phone's ability to receive regular text messages, calls, or app notifications. It only silences one specific type of emergency broadcast. If you change your mind later, you can turn Amber Alerts back on by following the same steps and toggling the setting back on.
If you cannot find the emergency alerts setting
Some Android phones, particularly budget models and older devices, do not allow users to disable Amber Alerts. This is a manufacturer choice, not a limitation of Android itself. If you have searched Settings thoroughly and cannot find an emergency alerts menu, your phone likely does not offer this option.
In that case, you can silence individual alerts as they arrive by pressing the volume down button or dismissing the notification, but you cannot prevent them from coming through entirely. You can also contact your phone manufacturer's support to ask whether they plan to add this setting in a future update.
Why Amber Alerts cannot be disabled on some phones
The Federal Communications Commission requires that certain emergency alerts — including Amber Alerts — be sent to all phones on a network. Some manufacturers interpret this to mean users should not be able to turn them off, even though the FCC's actual rules allow for user control over Amber Alerts specifically.
If your phone does not offer the setting and you want it, contacting your phone manufacturer's support with a request sometimes prompts manufacturers to reconsider their approach. Enough user feedback can lead to changes in future software updates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will disabling Amber Alerts stop me from getting weather warnings?
No. Severe weather alerts and Amber Alerts are controlled by separate toggles in the same menu. You can turn off Amber Alerts while keeping weather warnings on, or vice versa.
Can I disable Amber Alerts for just certain hours?
The emergency alert system does not offer scheduling options. You can only turn Amber Alerts fully on or off. If you want to silence them during sleep hours, you would need to disable them entirely and re-enable them during the day.
What if I disabled Amber Alerts by accident and want them back?
Follow the same steps you used to turn them off, and toggle the Amber Alerts setting back on. Your phone will resume receiving them immediately without needing a restart.
Do I need to restart my phone after disabling Amber Alerts?
No. The change takes effect immediately. You do not need to restart your phone or close any apps.
Can I disable Amber Alerts on my work phone if it is managed by my employer?
If your employer uses mobile device management software, they may have locked down emergency alert settings. Try following the steps above, but if the toggles are grayed out or missing, your IT department controls those settings and you would need to contact them to make changes.