You can disable Amber Alerts in Settings, but the process depends on your iOS version

Amber Alerts on iPhone are emergency notifications sent when a child is reported missing or abducted. They arrive as loud, full-screen interruptions with a distinctive sound. If you want to stop receiving them, you can turn them off in the Notifications settings, though the exact steps vary slightly between iOS versions. The alerts are separate from other emergency notifications like weather warnings and public safety alerts, so you can disable Amber Alerts without losing those other warnings.

The setting you need is called Government Alerts, and it lives at the bottom of your Notifications list in Settings. On newer iPhones, you can toggle Amber Alerts on and off individually. On older models, you may only be able to turn off all government alerts together, which means losing weather warnings and emergency broadcasts at the same time.

Key Takeaways

  • Amber Alerts can be disabled through Settings > Notifications > Government Alerts on most iPhone models running iOS 15 or later.
  • On iOS 16 and newer, you can turn off Amber Alerts separately without affecting severe weather warnings or public safety messages.
  • On iOS 15 and earlier, disabling Amber Alerts also disables all other government emergency notifications.
  • The setting applies to your entire iPhone and persists until you manually change it again.

How to disable Amber Alerts on iPhone running iOS 16 or later

On newer iPhones, Amber Alerts are grouped with other government emergency notifications but can be controlled separately. Open the Settings app and tap Notifications. Scroll all the way to the bottom of the list and look for Government Alerts. Tap it, then toggle off the switch next to Amber Alerts. The switch will turn from green to gray when disabled.

If you see a Government Alerts section but no Amber Alerts option within it, your carrier or region may not support the separate toggle. In that case, you can only disable all government alerts together, which will also turn off severe weather warnings and emergency broadcasts. Check whether your region offers granular control by looking for individual toggles under Government Alerts.

How to disable Amber Alerts on iPhone running iOS 15 or earlier

Older iOS versions do not separate Amber Alerts from other government emergency notifications. Go to Settings, then Notifications, then scroll down and tap Government Alerts. On these versions, you typically see a single toggle for all government emergency notifications rather than separate toggles for each type. Turning this off will disable Amber Alerts, but it will also disable severe weather alerts and emergency broadcasts.

If you have an iPhone running iOS 15 or earlier and want to receive weather warnings but not Amber Alerts, there is no built-in way to separate them. Your only option is to keep Government Alerts on and accept Amber Alerts as part of that setting. If this trade-off bothers you, updating to iOS 16 or later would give you finer control.

What happens when you disable Amber Alerts

Once you turn off Amber Alerts, your iPhone will no longer receive notifications when a child abduction is reported in your area. The alert will not appear on your lock screen, and you will not hear the emergency alert tone. This setting persists until you manually turn Amber Alerts back on.

Disabling Amber Alerts does not affect other notifications from apps, contacts, or services. Your text messages, calls, calendar reminders, and app notifications will continue to work normally. Only government emergency alerts are affected by this setting. Features like Emergency SOS and Medical ID remain unchanged.

Turning Amber Alerts back on

If you change your mind, you can re-enable Amber Alerts by following the same steps you used to disable them. Open Settings, go to Notifications, find Government Alerts, and toggle Amber Alerts back on. The switch will turn green again, and you will start receiving alerts immediately.

There is no delay or waiting period — as soon as you enable the setting, your iPhone is active in the Amber Alert system for your region. You can toggle this setting on and off as many times as you want without any restrictions or consequences.

Why you might not see a Government Alerts option

Some older iPhones or those running very old iOS versions do not have a dedicated Government Alerts section in Notifications settings. If you cannot find it after scrolling through the full Notifications list, your device may not support the feature at all. In that case, Amber Alerts cannot be disabled on that phone.

You can check your iOS version by opening Settings, tapping General, and selecting About. If your version is older than iOS 15, consider updating your iPhone if you want the option to control Amber Alerts. Devices running iOS 15 and newer will have the Government Alerts section, though the level of control varies by version.

Regional differences in Amber Alert availability

Amber Alerts are not available in every country or region. In the United States and Canada, they are standard on all compatible iPhones. In other countries, the Government Alerts section may not appear at all, or it may only include weather and public safety alerts without an Amber Alert option.

If you travel internationally, the alerts available on your iPhone may change based on your location and carrier. When you arrive in a new country, check your Government Alerts settings to see what emergency notifications are active in that region. Some countries have their own emergency alert systems that work differently from the U.S. system.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will disabling Amber Alerts affect my emergency SOS or medical ID?

No. Amber Alerts are separate from emergency features like SOS calling and medical ID information. Disabling Amber Alerts does not change how your iPhone handles emergencies involving you or your own contacts.

Can I disable Amber Alerts for only certain times of day?

No. The Amber Alert setting is binary — either on or off for your entire device. You cannot schedule them to turn off at night or during work hours. If you want to avoid alerts during sleep, you would need to manually disable them before bed and re-enable them in the morning.

Do Amber Alerts use cellular data or just the alert system?

Amber Alerts use the emergency alert system, not your regular cellular data or Wi-Fi connection. They are broadcast to all compatible phones in a region simultaneously, similar to how weather alerts work. You do not need an active data plan to receive them.

If I disable Amber Alerts, will other people know?

No. Disabling Amber Alerts is a personal device setting. There is no notification sent to anyone else, and no record is kept of which users have disabled them. It affects only your own iPhone.

Can I disable Amber Alerts on my child's iPhone?

Yes, if you have access to their device, you can disable Amber Alerts the same way you would on your own phone. If you use Screen Time or parental controls, you can also restrict changes to notification settings so your child cannot re-enable them without your permission.