BRITS with older mobiles will miss the UK’s upcoming test of its Emergency Alert System.
The upcoming 2025 drill – which is meant to simulate a genuine emergency, like flooding or fires – will go out to millions of phones across the country.
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It follows a similar test that took place in 2023, where Android and iPhone devices across Britain issued a 10-second “sound and vibration”.
The UK Government tests the service to make sure it works properly even when there’s no actual emergency.
But according to official government guidance, some phones won’t be able to deliver the alert.
That means those Brits won’t just miss out on the drill – but will also miss out on genuine emergency alerts too.
This means your old mobile is more dangerous than newer models, as you won’t get the Government-issued alerts about “severe flooding, fires, and extreme weather”.
WHICH PHONES WON’T GET THE ALERTS?
For Apple customers, alerts come to any iPhone running iOS 14.5 or later.
The following devices are iOS 14.5 compatible, and will get the alert:
- iPhone 12
- iPhone 12 mini
- iPhone 12 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
Anything newer than the phones on that list will also be able to get the update.
That’s because they launched with iOS 15 or later.
That means these models will also get the alert:
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 mini
- iPhone 13
- iPhone 13 Pro Max
- iPhone SE (3rd generation)
- iPhone 14
- iPhone 14 Plus
- iPhone 14 Pro
- iPhone 14 Pro Max
- iPhone 15
- iPhone 15 Plus
- iPhone 15 Pro
- iPhone 15 Pro Max
- iPhone 16
- iPhone 16 Plus
- iPhone 16 Pro
- iPhone 16 Pro Max
- iPhone 16e
If you have an iPhone older than the devices on those lists above, you won’t get the alert, according to UK government guidance.
These models can’t get iOS 14.5 and will miss the alert:
- iPhone
- iPhone 3G
- iPhone 3GS
- iPhone 4
- iPhone 4S
- iPhone 5
- iPhone 5C
- iPhone 5S
- iPhone 5s
- iPhone 6
- iPhone 6 Plus
For Android, it’s more difficult to give a full list of supported phones.
That’s because so many different gadget makers produce Android phones.
You’ll need to make sure that your Android phone is running Android 11 or later.
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To do that, just go to Settings > About Phone > Android Version.
If it’s not running Android 11 or later, try updating it in Settings > System > Software Update.
And if you can’t get Android 11 or later then you may miss out on the emergency alerts.
If you have one of these cut-off phones, you should consider upgrading it immediately.
SECOND HIDDEN DANGER
Of course, that’s not the only reason these older mobiles are dangerous.
These handsets no longer receive active updates.
For iPhone, we’re now on iOS 18 and will get iOS 26 later this year – but millions of older mobiles can’t get either of those updates.
And it’s the same story for old Android phones too.
WARNING FOR DRIVERS
The UK Government issued the following warning for anyone driving during the drill…
“When you get an alert, stop what you’re doing and follow the instructions in the alert,” the Government advice reads.
“If you’re driving or riding when you get an alert, do not read or respond to an emergency alert while driving or riding.
“Find somewhere safe and legal to stop before reading the message.
“If there’s nowhere safe and legal to stop, and nobody else is in the vehicle to read the alert, you can listen to news on live radio to find out about the emergency.
“It’s illegal to use a hand-held device while driving or riding.”
Picture Credit: Unsplash
Tech giants use software updates to close dangerous security loopholes.
These loopholes can be used by hackers to break into your devices and accounts – so updating your phone is the easiest way to stay safe.
But if you can’t update your phone, then you can’t receive the latest security fixes – leaving you exposed to known loopholes that criminals can exploit.
So missing out on emergency alerts isn’t the only reason to upgrade your old (and sadly, dangerous) mobile.
WHY ELSE MIGHT YOU MISS THE ALERT?
Having a phone that is too old isn’t the only reason why you might miss out on the alert.
The UK Government says that you won’t get the alert if your phone is turned off, connected to a 2G or 3G network, or Wi-Fi only.
And you might also miss alerts if your phone is in airplane mode.
You can also turn alerts off, so you’ll want to check your settings to make sure that the feature is on.
On iPhone, go to Settings > Notifications > Emergency Alerts and make sure that the alert toggles are in the green “on” position.
And on Android phones, just search for Emergency Alerts in your phone’s search bar, and then toggle them on.
They should be on by default anyway.
WHAT WILL THE ALERT SOUND LIKE?
Sadly there’s no confirmed date for the 2025 alert test just yet.
But when it happens, the Government says: “Your mobile phone or tablet may make a loud siren-like sound, even if it’s set on silent”.
It may also vibrate and read out the alert.
“The sound and vibration will last for about 10 seconds,” government advice explains.
The alert will also include a phone number or link to the Government website for more info.
When the 2023 test alert was issued, it said: ”Severe Alert. This is a test of Emergency Alerts, a new UK government service that will warn you if there’s a life-threatening emergency nearby.
”In a real emergency, follow the instructions in the alert to keep yourself and others safe.
“Visit gov.uk/alerts for more information. This is a test. You do not need to take any action.”
