Android's emergency alerts just got a major map upgrade - but change this setting first

3 hours ago 5
Android Wireless Emergency Alert settings paper   showing representation  upgrade.
Elyse Betters Picaro / ZDNET

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

  • Android Wireless Emergency Alerts present see a map.
  • The representation shows the affected country and your location.
  • Not each alerts override measurement settings unless you take to bash so.

Android users conscionable got a perchance life-saving update that makes their phone's Wireless Emergency Alerts importantly much useful.

If you've ever been jolted by a shrill alert astir a unsafe tempest oregon a missing child, you cognize what these alerts are. But you've astir apt had your stock of alerts astir a terrible tempest oregon tornado watch, lone to look extracurricular and spot bluish sky.

Also: How to acceptable up and and usage your phone's lifesaving exigency features

The caller update should marque it overmuch easier to spot if an alert affects you.

Google hasn't made an authoritative announcement, but a changelog for the caller March 2026 strategy update revealed that Wireless Emergency Alerts volition present see a representation view, truthful you tin spot what country the alert is for and your determination comparative to that area.

Instead of seeing if the informing for "your area" is your vicinity oregon the different broadside of the county, 30 miles away, you tin present spot however adjacent you are to the impacted area.

How to marque definite you get life-saving upwind alerts

By default, not each WEA notifications interrupt Do Not Disturb oregon different measurement settings. Google says that the "most captious alerts" may dependable astatine afloat volume, but it doesn't explicate what the astir captious alerts are oregon adjacent past which alerts whitethorn oregon whitethorn not sound.

If you ne'er usage DND mode and conscionable permission your telephone connected afloat measurement astatine night, this won't impact you. But if you quiescent your telephone portion you're sleeping oregon astatine different times, you should astir apt alteration this mounting -- particularly arsenic we caput into tempest play successful the US.

Also: Your champion Google upwind app alternatives (and what I urge instead)

To prioritize alerts, caput to Settings > Safety & exigency > Wireless exigency alerts. Scroll each the mode down until you spot "Always alert astatine afloat volume." You tin crook disconnected definite categories of alerts, similar AMBER alerts, if you'd alternatively not beryllium woken up successful the mediate of the nighttime by those.

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