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 smartphones, smartwatches 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 is just a test. But in an actual disaster, an AusAlert will tell you the type of emergency, where it’s located, how serious it is and what to do. It will also tell you the name of the emergency organisation that has sent the AusAlert and 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. Your device might not be compatible or maybe it wasn’t connected to a mobile tower at the time of the test.
What to do if you don’t want to receive the AusAlert national test
AusAlerts contain important information and should be turned on to help keep you safe. 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’ for the duration of the test.
If receiving an AusAlert test message will disrupt you or cause you or a family member 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.
