To turn off AMBER Alerts on iPhone, open Settings > Notifications, scroll to Government Alerts, and switch off AMBER Alerts. That is also how to disable AMBER Alerts on iPhone in iOS 26. The switch may be missing if your carrier, country, region, or SIM setup does not support user control.

Quick Answer: How to Turn Off AMBER Alerts on iPhone

Open Settings > Notifications and scroll to the bottom of the screen. Under Government Alerts, turn off AMBER Alerts. This disables that alert category where Apple and local policy allow it. Emergency Alerts, Public Safety Alerts, Test Alerts, and Enhanced Safety Alerts use separate controls.

1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
2. Tap Notifications.
3. Scroll to the bottom.
4. Find Government Alerts.
5. Turn off AMBER Alerts.

Check the label before tapping. AMBER Alerts and Emergency Alerts are separate categories. Turning off one does not turn off the others.

Quick Takeaways for iPhone Government Alerts

• AMBER Alerts: turn off this switch to stop abducted-child alerts where user control is available.
• Other alert types: Emergency, Public Safety, Test, and Enhanced Safety Alerts have separate controls.
• Missing switch: carrier support, country or region, and an active supported SIM or eSIM affect which options appear.
• Sound control: Always Play Sound belongs to Emergency Alerts. Apple does not document it as an AMBER-only mute switch.
• Apple Watch: the paired watch follows the corresponding Government Alert setting on the iPhone.

Before we begin

Government Alerts are on by default. Some countries and regions do not let users turn off certain alerts. If iOS does not show a switch, a third-party app cannot add it or override local emergency-alert policy.

How to Turn Off AMBER Alerts on iPhone: What Changes

Disabling AMBER Alerts stops that category from appearing on the iPhone where the switch takes effect. It does not disable Emergency Alerts, Public Safety Alerts, or Apple's Enhanced Safety Alerts.

The tradeoff is direct: your iPhone will no longer show local abducted-child alerts through that category. You can return to the same menu and turn the switch back on at any time, provided the control remains available.

Apple says Government Alert availability depends on the country or region, carrier, and a supported SIM or eSIM. Apple also notes that some government alerts cannot be turned off. The controls on your phone may differ from screenshots taken in another country.

Why the AMBER Alerts Switch May Be Missing

Start with the carrier and active line. A missing Government Alerts section usually points to regional or carrier support, not a broken iPhone. Check the basics in this order before looking for a workaround.

1. Confirm cellular service. Government Alerts depend on supported carrier service.
2. Check the SIM or eSIM. Make sure the active line comes from a carrier that supports the alert type and its controls.
3. Confirm local availability. AMBER Alerts and Public Safety Alerts are not offered in every country or region.
4. Update iOS. Install the latest available iOS release, restart the iPhone, and check Settings > Notifications again.
5. Read official policy. Check your carrier or local government's support information if the switch remains missing.

Do not reset the iPhone to chase this menu. A factory reset cannot change a carrier restriction or a rule that makes an alert mandatory. Apple's Government and Enhanced Safety Alerts guide lists the current availability limits.

AMBER Alerts vs Emergency and Safety Alerts

Each alert category has a different job. The exact names and controls vary, but the table below shows the distinctions Apple documents.

Enhanced Safety Alerts are separate from carrier-delivered Government Alerts. In supported regions, iOS 26.2 or later may show Earthquake Alerts, Imminent Threat Alerts, and Improve Alert Delivery. You do not need those controls to turn off AMBER Alerts.

How to Turn Off Emergency Alerts on iPhone

Emergency Alerts use their own switch where iOS allows user control. Open the same Government Alerts section and turn off Emergency Alerts only if that is the category you want to stop.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Notifications.
3. Scroll to Government Alerts.
4. Turn off Emergency Alerts.

This does not change the AMBER Alerts switch. Review each category separately so you do not disable more alerts than intended.

Some alerts remain mandatory in certain countries or regions. If Emergency Alerts appears without an off switch, check Apple and carrier guidance rather than installing an alert-blocking app. Apps cannot control these system-level settings.

How to Change Emergency Alert Sound Behavior

Always Play Sound applies to Emergency Alerts. Apple does not describe it as a universal way to receive AMBER Alerts silently.

1. Open Settings > Notifications.
2. Scroll to Government Alerts.
3. Tap Emergency Alerts if that submenu appears.
4. Turn off Always Play Sound.

With Always Play Sound off, supported Emergency Alerts follow the iPhone's Silent mode setting. Controls vary by region and carrier. Apple's iPhone notification settings guide explains the current option.

If a loud alert arrives after this change, do not assume iOS ignored the setting. Another Government Alert category may still be on, or local policy may require sound for that alert.

What Happens to AMBER Alerts on Apple Watch?

A paired Apple Watch follows the corresponding Government Alert setting on the iPhone. Apple says that when a Government Alert is turned on for iPhone, it is also turned on for Apple Watch. Turning the iPhone setting off changes the paired-watch setting as well.

Carrier and regional limits still apply. A supported cellular Apple Watch may receive some alerts when the iPhone is not nearby. Apple's Apple Watch Government Alerts guide covers the paired-device behavior and regional limits.

Start with Settings > Notifications on the iPhone. You do not need a separate Apple Watch app to manage the corresponding switch.

How to Turn AMBER Alerts Back On

Return to Settings > Notifications, scroll to Government Alerts, and switch AMBER Alerts on. The change applies immediately where the category and control are supported.

If the switch disappeared, recheck the active SIM or eSIM, carrier support, country or region, and iOS version. A missing control does not prove that the iPhone stopped receiving mandatory alerts.

Manage Other iPhone Interruptions

Government Alerts sit outside normal app-notification controls. For ordinary calls, messages, or app access, use the matching iPhone setting instead.

• Stop repeat callers with the guide to block a number on iPhone.
• Filter unwanted senders with the guide to block text messages on iPhone.
• Restrict distracting software with the guide to block apps on iPhone.

Frequently Asked Questions About AMBER Alerts

Check the Setting You Changed

Open Settings > Notifications one more time and confirm that only the intended category changed. Keep Emergency Alerts or Public Safety Alerts on if you still want those notices. The separate switches make it possible to stop AMBER Alerts without clearing every government alert from the iPhone.