Alex Ruben
How To Turn Off Severe Threats Alerts on Android
Ever gotten those relentless notifications about severe weather or other urgent threats? Yeah, they’re useful during real emergencies, but sometimes they just become noise. Disabling them isn’t always obvious, especially since Android doesn’t have a dedicated switch for “Severe Threats” in a straightforward spot. Here’s a rundown of what’s worked on a few devices, possibly not perfect for every model but definitely worth trying.
Step 1: Access the Settings Menu
Start by swiping up on your home screen to get into the app drawer. Tap on Settings (the gear icon). That’s where all the magic happens. If you’re on a Samsung or Pixel, the path might look a bit different—sometimes they’ve moved stuff around in system updates, so it’s good to have patience.
Step 2: Find the Safety and Emergency Settings
Scroll down a bit until you see Safety & Emergency. On some devices, it might also show as just Emergency or something similar. Tap there. That’s the hotspot for notifications you want to tweak.
Step 3: Go to Wireless Emergency Alerts
Inside that menu, look for Wireless Emergency Alerts. This is where the carriers usually shove the weather, AMBER alerts, and other urgent stuff. No surprise, but it’s a bit buried sometimes, so you may need to hunt around.
Step 4: Manage Severe Threats notifications
Within Wireless Emergency Alerts, you’ll see a bunch of toggles for different alert types. Yeah, it’s cluttered. You want the one labeled Severe Threats. Toggle it off. That’s your cue to silence those high-alert notifications.
Now, here’s the weird part—on some setups, toggling might not immediately work, or you might need to do this from your carrier’s app or even via a hidden menu. Sometimes DRAMATIC notifications are coming from the carrier’s own app, not Android’s settings, so it’s worth exploring if you’re still getting alerts after turning these off.
Step 5: Make sure your changes stick & some quick tips
Once you turn off Severe Threats, exit the menu. No need to save; changes usually happen automatically. If alerts still sneak through, consider restarting your device or clearing app cache for your messaging app or the Alert system (if applicable). Because of course, Android has to make it harder than necessary, right?
If you want to go extra miles, check that your carrier’s emergency alert app (like Emergency Alerts by AT&T, Verizon, etc.) is also set accordingly. Sometimes, those apps have their own toggle switches, and fiddling there can be the trick to total silence.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Some things to keep in mind:
- Check for updates: System updates can tweak how notifications are handled, so ensure you’re on the latest version.
- Explore other alert types: If you want to customize more, look into managing other categories like Amber alerts or weather alerts in the same menu.
- If you still get notifications after toggling everything, try a quick Restart—sometimes Android just needs a refresh.
Conclusion
Disabling the Severe Threats alerts isn’t always straightforward, but poking around the Safety & Emergency menus, especially the Wireless Emergency Alerts section, usually gets you there. Just be aware some alerts might come from carrier-specific apps or settings, so don’t hesitate to dig a little deeper if needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off Severe Threats alerts stop all emergency notifications?
Not necessarily. Other alerts like Amber or weather warnings might still be active unless specifically disabled. You’ll want to check all toggle switches if you wanna silence everything.
How do I turn these alerts back on if I change my mind?
Same deal—go back into the Wireless Emergency Alerts menu, find the Severe Threats toggle, and flip it on. Easy enough, unless your phone’s firmware is weird.
Why do some alerts keep coming even after I turned them off?
This can happen if your carrier has its own alert system or if there’s a setting elsewhere (like in a dedicated app). On some setups, you’ll need to disable the alert via the carrier’s app or website.
Summary
- Access Settings
- Navigate to Safety & Emergency
- Find Wireless Emergency Alerts
- Toggle off Severe Threats
- Restart if needed, explore carrier options if alerts persist
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone. Android varies a lot, but poking around these settings usually does the trick. Fingers crossed this helps.