Apple Adds 'Test Alerts' Toggle to iPhone Just in Case You Really Want to Receive Test Emergency Alerts

Apple has added a new "Test Alerts" toggle to the Settings app in iOS 15.6 and the third beta of iOS 16. The toggle is visible only on iPhones connected to a U.S. carrier and allows users to enable test emergency alerts from the U.S. government.

iPhone 13 Test Alerts Feature
Turning on "Test Alerts" enables test emergency alerts to be received on both the iPhone and Apple Watch. The toggle is located in the Settings app under Notifications → Government Alerts and is turned off by default. Apple says the government is responsible for the content and the frequency of the test alerts.

It was already possible to enable test alerts on previous versions of iOS by installing a special profile from Apple or dialing a code in the Phone app. The toggle simply provides users with an easier way to opt in to receive test alerts.

Apple has updated support documents for the iPhone and Apple Watch with more details.

(Test Alerts graphic based on screenshot shared by via @MikeBeas)

Related Forums: iOS 15, iOS 16

Popular Stories

sonny iphone 16 pro colors

All Four iPhone 16 Pro Colors Revealed in New Image

Friday August 16, 2024 4:14 am PDT by
Leaker Sonny Dickson is back today with a new dummy unit image showing all four iPhone 16 Pro color variants, including the rose gold or "bronze" unit that replaces Blue Titanium in the existing iPhone 15 Pro models. The iPhone 16 Pro models are expected to come in black, white or silver, gray or "Natural Titanium," and a rose or rose gold color replacing Blue Titanium, according to Apple...
iPhone 16 Pro Right Side Feature

The iPhone 16 is Getting a New Button: Here's What It Can Do

Tuesday August 13, 2024 4:01 pm PDT by
Multiple rumors have suggested that the iPhone 16 models are going to have an all-new button that's designed to make it easier to capture photos when the devices are held in landscape mode. Apple calls the button the Capture Button internally, and it is going to be one of the most advanced buttons that's been introduced to date with support for multiple gestures and the ability to respond to ...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

iPhone 16 Launch Is Just One Month Out – Here's Everything We Know

Saturday August 10, 2024 5:00 am PDT by
Apple typically releases its new iPhone series in the fall, and a possible September 10 announcement date has been floated this year, which means we are just one month away from the launch of the iPhone 16. Like the iPhone 15 series, this year's lineup is expected to stick with four models – iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max – although there are plenty of design...
iPhone 16 Pro Sizes Feature

When Is the iPhone 16 Coming Out?

Wednesday August 14, 2024 6:20 am PDT by
Apple's iPhone 16 series is expected to debut in September 2024. This release follows Apple's trend of introducing new iPhone models annually in the fall. While the exact date has yet to be officially confirmed, the day of Tuesday, September 10 has been rumored as a possible announcement date, and September has traditionally been the month when Apple unveils its latest smartphone innovations. ...
maxresdefault

Apple Aiming to Launch Tabletop Robotic Home Device as Soon as 2026 With Pricing Around $1,000

Wednesday August 14, 2024 11:30 am PDT by
Apple is moving forward with its project to develop a tabletop robotic device, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. The device would feature a large iPad-like display mounted on a "thin robotic arm" that would allow the display to tilt and up and down and rotate a full 360º, and it would serve as a "smart home command center," a...
M4 Mac mini Silver Ortho Cooler

These New Macs Are Coming in 2024

Thursday August 15, 2024 4:34 pm PDT by
It's almost September, but Apple still has multiple new product launches planned for 2024. New iPhone 16 models and Apple Watches are coming in September, and we're also going to get at least three Mac updates with M4 chips this year, according to rumors. Here's what's on the horizon. MacBook Pro Apple plans to refresh both the 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro models, adding M4 chips. The ...
T Mobile Generic Feature Pink 1

United States Fines T-Mobile $60 Million for Failing to Prevent Unauthorized Access to Sensitive Customer Data

Thursday August 15, 2024 1:32 pm PDT by
T-Mobile was fined $60 million by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) for negligence surrounding data breaches, reports Reuters. CFIUS penalized T-Mobile for failing to prevent or disclose unauthorized access to sensitive customer data. When T-Mobile merged with Sprint, it signed a national security agreement with CFIUS, which is what led to the fine earlier this year....

Top Rated Comments

TinyMito Avatar
27 months ago
Canada needs these toggles… BECAUSE Canada kept on misusing these Emergency alerts!!!

Amber alert in the middle of the night, 500kms away from my city + no description of the child or kidnapper… what do they expect us to do? Get out in PJ and drive, 500kms around to find the child?

[SPOILER="banana"]w..........t.......f......... Canada service…[/SPOILER]

Overslept. Lost my Job. Apply for IE. Here goes your Money.
Score: 15 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ChromeAce Avatar
27 months ago
If you live in Hawaii, you can also opt to receive Fake Incoming Nuclear Missile alerts.
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
ILoveCalvinCool Avatar
27 months ago
Is there anyone who chooses to leave Amber Alerts on if they know about this setting?
Score: 14 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Randel.D Avatar
27 months ago
The title of this article lol ?
Score: 10 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Arnold Ziffel Avatar
27 months ago
I don’t need the government pinging me.

We used to have Spectrum TV, and they would interrupt shows for Amber Alerts for incidents that happened hundreds of miles away. No point in that other than to ramp up the fear. All reality is local.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)
BootsWalking Avatar
27 months ago
I want government alerts enabled in case of nuclear apocalypse - that way I can at least know to call friends and family to say goodbye. And also so I know when a baby has been abducted 200 miles away.
Score: 7 Votes (Like | Disagree)