Get ready for the AusAlert emergency warning test

Get ready for the AusAlert emergency warning test Mon 27 Jul 2026 at 5:09am Countdown to AusAlert test Monday 27 July 2026 at 2PM AEST Millions of Australian smartphones — including yours — will sound off today in the first test of the nation's new emergency warning system. Australia is about to get its first taste of a new nationwide emergency warning system, where millions of devices across the country are expected to notify users simultaneously later today. AusAlert is the federal government's new national warning system, and despite concerns at a state and territory level, it is set to launch in October. But first, the system needs to be tested across Australia. What time is the AusAlert being sent? The AusAlert test notification is expected to sound off around the country at the same time, regardless of time zones. - If you live in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland or the Australian Capital Territory, you can expect to receive the alert at 2pm AEST. - If you live in South Australia or the Northern Territory, that is 1:30pm ACST. - And if you live in Western Australia, expect to be notified at 12pm AWST. Who will receive the AusAlert test? The test alert will be sent to all mobile devices in Australia. This includes most phones, and some smart watches and tablets. You might not receive a test alert if your device is older, incompatible with the new system, or has not been updated. If you do not have a mobile signal or there is something wrong with the mobile tower closest to you, that might also mean you are not able to receive the test alert. What will the AusAlert test look and sound like? If you have a compatible device, you can expect the test to look something like this. CRITICAL AUSALERT TEST MESSAGE — AUSALERT This is TEST of AusAlert, Australia's new emergency warning system. NO ACTION IS REQUIRED. In an actual emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe. Visit the AusAlert website for more information. This message is authorised by the Australian Government. If you have an older phone or an alternative operating system, your test alert may come with the heading "Presidential Alert" or "Extreme Threat Alert". During the test, devices will vibrate and play a siren-like warning sound for about 10 seconds. You can tap the play button below to hear what the siren will sound like. Loading...What if I don't want to receive the AusAlert test? Concerns have been raised about the risk the system will pose to people with "safe phones" in family and domestic violence situations. The test alert will be sent out at a "critical alert" level, meaning you can still receive the test even if your phone is set to silent or 'do not disturb'. If you are concerned about receiving the AusAlert test notification, the official instructions are: - One hour before the test: turn off your mobile device or put it in aeroplane mode. - During and after the test: keep your device off or in aeroplane mode for 24 hours. Part of the test is figuring out how the system performs across different devices, so the AusAlert team has warned to expect devices to "behave differently" during the national test. That means you may get the alert at a different time to someone else, and some people might not get it at all. How does AusAlert work? AusAlert utilises cell-broadcast technology to communicate. This means AusAlerts are not SMS (text messages), so notifications can still be sent and received when mobile networks are busy or down. Devices also do not need an active SIM card to be alerted. AusAlerts are only sent to devices in specific areas — even as precisely as within 160 metres of an emergency. Everyone in the area is sent the alert at the same time. So if you are not in the affected area, you will not receive an alert. If you enter the emergency area while the alert is active, you will receive the message. Why does Australia have a new alert system? AusAlert was created in response to the 2020 Royal Commission into National Natural Disaster Arrangements. According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the royal commission found that emergency warning systems, including mobile-based alerts, are critical. AusAlert will eventually replace the existing SMS-based alert system, which is called Emergency Alert. Where the two systems currently differ most is that Emergency Alert can deliver messages to landlines, which is critical to those in remote areas. In future, an AusAlert notification could be sent for natural disasters like bushfires, floods and cyclones, biosecurity outbreaks, and health emergencies including pandemics. Public safety and security threats, including acts of terrorism, could also warrant an AusAlert message. Why are some states concerned? State representatives have voiced significant concerns about what federal Emergency Management Minister Kristy McBain has called the "superior" system. Questions have been raised over device compatibility, hidden phones and language barriers, as there are plans to only send messages in English. Western Australia and Queensland officials, in particular, raised concerns around whether the system would be able to contact landlines, similar to Emergency Alert. Ms McBain said the government was looking at AusAlert's landline compatibility, but confirmed phones connected to satellite technology instead of cell towers would not receive the alert. Ms McBain also confirmed states and territories will still be able to run their own warnings once the AusAlert system launches. Despite AusAlert notifications only being sent in English, Ms McBain said the siren could "move across language barriers". "People know when they hear a siren that there is an emergency happening," she said. Similar alert systems are already used globally Emergency alert systems are already being used in other parts of the world. In the United States, Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) have been in place since 2012. That system is often used to alert people to weather warnings and natural disasters … The National Weather Service has issued a TSUNAMI WARNING. A series of powerful waves and strong currents may impact coasts near you. You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now. Keep away from the coast until local officials say it is safe to return. … as well as active shootings, missing children or unfolding manhunts. WANTED: Ahmad Khan Rahami, 28-yr-old male. See media for pic. Call 9-1-1 if seen. In Japan, their alert system has been used to warn of earthquakes or ballistic missiles. Earthquake Early Warning: Strong shaking is expected soon. Stay calm and seek shelter nearby. (Japan Meteorological Agency) 緊急地震速報 富山湾で地震発生。強い揺れに備えて下さい（気象庁） And in the United Kingdom, the alert system was launched last year. So far, it has mostly been used to issue weather warnings, but can communicate local incidents. Severe Alert Issued by Plymouth City Council. The WWII bomb found in Keyham will be transport today 23 February 2024 at 2pm to Torpoint Ferry slipway via Saltash Road […] You are asked to leave and stay away from the cordoned area for this time period. Alert systems are also being used in other countries such as France, Canada and New Zealand. Getting the system right will be key to Australians trusting the new alert system. Past disasters have shown that people can get 'emergency fatigue' or become less responsive if they have been issued too many warnings or alerts that do not end up having a local impact. An even greater risk for distrust is if alerts are incorrect. In 2018, a false missile alert was issued to hundreds of thousands of Hawaiian residents, warning of an imminent missile attack. "BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL." Credits - Reporting: Brianna Morris-Grant and Jessica Riga - Design: Teresa Tan - Development: Ashley Kyd - Photography: ABC Midwest and Wheatbelt: Eliza Bidstrup, Reuters: Tracey Nearmy, ABC News: Harriet Tatham and Hugh Sando Mon 27 Jul 2026 at 5:09am - Share options - Copy link - X (formerly Twitter)