Australian Capital Territory (ACT)
2:00 pm (AEST – UTC+10:00)
AusAlert will be ready to use in October 2026, but before it launches, the system needs to be tested across Australia.
About the test
On Monday 27 July 2026, a test alert will be sent to all mobile devices in Australia.
This includes most phones, and some smart watches and tablets.
Time of national test
The test alert will be sent at the same time on Monday 27 July.
New South Wales (NSW)
2:00 pm (AEST – UTC+10:00)
Queensland (Qld)
2:00 pm (AEST – UTC+10:00)
Tasmania (Tas)
2:00 pm (AEST – UTC+10:00)
Victoria (Vic)
2:00 pm (AEST – UTC+10:00)
Northern Territory (NT)
1:30 pm (ACST – UTC+9:30)
South Australia (SA, incl. Broken Hill)
1:30 pm (ACST – UTC+9:30)
Western Australia (WA)
12:00 pm (AWST – UTC+8:00)
What to expect
At the time of the test, a single Critical AusAlert test will be sent to every mobile device in Australia. Everyone with a compatible phone or other device in Australia can expect to receive the alert.
Devices will vibrate and play a siren-like warning sound for about 10 seconds.
An AusAlert message will appear on device screens. It will clearly say it is a test.
Exactly how it appears will depend on your device type and operating system.
It will look something like this:
The alert will sound like this:
Alert sound
0.00
0.00
What to do if you receive a test alert
You don’t need to do anything.
It's just a test.
But in an actual disaster, an AusAlert will likely tell you:
the type of emergency
where it’s located
how serious it is
what to do
the name of the emergency organisation that has sent the AusAlert
where to find more information about the emergency.
What to do if you don’t receive a test alert
You don't need to do anything.
It's just a test.
There are many reasons why you might not receive a test alert:
Your device might be older or not support AusAlert, meaning it's not compatible.
Your device might not be updated to a software version that allows emergency alerts to be received.
Your device might not have mobile signal at the time of the test.
The mobile tower closest to you might not be working due to maintenance or outage, or it might not have any power.
Your device might be switched off, in aeroplane mode or not connected to any mobile tower at the time of the test.
This is all OK.
Finding out how devices behave is one of the reasons why we're testing the AusAlert system before it launches.
If you want to provide feedback on the national test, contact us.
To make sure you're AusAlert ready, always update the latest software version on your device when asked. Be sure to restart your device after updating.
What to do if you receive a test alert but someone nearby doesn't
You don't need to do anything.
It's just a test.
We expect devices to behave differently during the national test.
You may get the alert at the exact test time, while someone you know receives it later or not at all.
There are many reasons why you might receive the national test differently to someone nearby.
Your device might be:
with a different mobile service provider
connected to a different mobile tower
running a different software version
older or one that doesn't support AusAlert, meaning it's not compatible.
This is all OK.
It doesn't mean the test has failed or there has been a technical issue.
We're testing to confirm the AusAlert system is working as intended and understand how it performs across different devices, networks and locations.
If you'd like to provide feedback on the national test, contact us.
To make sure you're AusAlert ready, always update the latest software version on your device when asked. Be sure to restart your device after updating.
What to do if you don’t want to receive the AusAlert national test
AusAlerts contain important information and are used to keep you safe and informed during disasters. As the AusAlert national test is a Critical Alert, you can’t turn it off via your device settings.
The only way to not receive a Critical Alert is to turn your mobile device off or switch it to ‘aeroplane mode’.
If receiving an AusAlert test message will disrupt you or cause you or someone you know to feel unsafe, turn off your mobile devices or switch them to aeroplane mode before the scheduled test time in your location and leave them off for at least one hour.
