Emergency alerts on your phone in Europe (EU cell broadcast)

How these alerts work

Under EU rules, member states send public warnings to mobile phones in an affected area using cell broadcast or similar location-based technology. The message reaches every compatible phone connected to nearby masts, not just people registered in an app or database, and it works even when networks are congested because it does not rely on the ordinary data or SMS channel.

Each country runs its own national system under a local name, so the exact name and sound of the alert varies as you travel, but the underlying approach is the same across the EU.

Check your phone is set up to receive them

Most modern phones enable these alerts by default, but it is worth checking after a factory reset, a new SIM or a change of country.

• On most Android phones: Settings → Safety & emergency → Wireless emergency alerts.
• On iPhone: Settings → Notifications → Government Alerts, near the bottom of the screen.
• Keep severe alerts switched on even if you mute test or amber-style alerts.
• The alert works with any local SIM and does not need mobile data or an app.

What to do when an alert arrives

Read the message fully before acting: it usually names the hazard, the affected area and a specific instruction, such as to stay indoors, avoid a route or move away from a coastline. Follow that instruction rather than assuming it is a general warning, and share it with people nearby who may not have a phone or may not speak the local language.