topic Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) in X Series

How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

ieubts — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 16:53:11 GMT

My X Compact is running stock Android 8.0. There is no setting to turn these alerts off in either mobile networks, messaging or emergency alerts app (at least that I can find).

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

pseudonym — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 20:28:59 GMT

See the screenshot below of the Emergency Alert app. The indicated settings (upper right corner menu) will give you options with regard to the various warnings and alerts.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

ieubts — Wed, 22 Aug 2018 15:11:36 GMT

Thats the 1st thing i looked for. There is no upper right menu for settings in the emergency alerts app on my version. No 3 dots. Nothing.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

pseudonym — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 00:39:01 GMT

I have v29.3.A.0.34 of the Emergency Alert app. Installed with Android Oreo, I assume. I also am using the standard "US Customized" firmware provided directly OTA from Sony. If you have anything different, that could be the reason.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

ieubts — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 16:09:47 GMT

Interesting. I have the same version of Emergency Alerts app. Also running Android 8.0. Just got an update to build 34.4.A.2.107 yesterday. Still no settings menu. My ROM is stock OTA from Sony. I don't see anything identifying it as "US Customized" though. I am in the US and purchased the phone new (still under warranty). Maybe I'll try a factory reset, as the phone is doing some other wierd things (display brightness bug, sounds are intermittent, etc). We'll see if the Xperia Companion backup/restore works. I'm not optimistic.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

pseudonym — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 16:48:55 GMT

Just to be sure: is your fingerprint sensor deactivated? I ask since you could have purchased a new X Compact in the US, but still with another region's firmware. And at least a dozen or so firmwares were updated in the past couple of days to ...107.

Otherwise, I don't know why you would have different software than I have.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

ieubts — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 17:27:36 GMT

Fingerprint sensor works fine. Can you tell me where to check for region identifyer?

For now... I was able to uninstall the Emergency Alerts app with ADB. I think the Amber alerts could be a great tool, but i got 3 middle-of-the-night warnings over the last week. I'm in no position to check licensing plates while in bed. Should be able to set some time parameters in the app..... but I know some would say that defeats the purpose. Oh well...

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

ieubts — Thu, 23 Aug 2018 20:15:54 GMT

Turns out I was shipped the Latin American region firmware version. Go figure.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

pseudonym — Fri, 24 Aug 2018 12:08:35 GMT

Besides the fingerprint sensor (and the Alert app function), the only other difference you might notice when using non-US firmware is a difference in the text message function with AT&T (possibly others): no true group messaging, and perhaps difficulties attaching images to texts.

If you wanted to switch to US firmware, you could use flashtool (I had to do this with my phone, also purchased within the US).

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

rw1255 — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 20:08:08 GMT

I have the same problem, and I found that the app can't be disabled.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

rw1255 — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 20:10:33 GMT

What is ADB? I tried using Easy Uninstaller, but it was unsuccessful.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

Strampke — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 22:51:00 GMT

With adb you can more or less uninstall system apps.

They won't be uninstalled but sort of disappear.

For howtos read xda developpers and search for adb.

However, if you don't feel safe with it then just don't use it.

As for WEA alert: I don't see any reason to uninstall or disable it.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

rw1255 — Sat, 22 Sep 2018 04:28:50 GMT

There's a great reason to disable or uninstall it: it goes off with a loud noise sometimes several times in a day. I don't want to hear it, especially in the middle of the night.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

rw1255 — Sat, 22 Sep 2018 04:45:15 GMT

I found the comment below in a thread about this problem in the Z3. I'll try it and see if I get any more of these. Tonight should be a good test. I've gotten four alerts today.

"I looked in the app permissions and the only one it has is SMS permissions. I'll try turning that off and seeing what happens. Thanks for that suggestion!

"*Edit*

"Taking away the app's SMS permission seems to have worked. Though I have a notification about it being disabled that I can't dismiss now. It's kind of annoying but not as much as getting those alerts about system tests when I'm trying to sleep."

/t5/Xperia-Z3/How-to-disable-emergency-alerts/td-p/1175120#gref

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

odfj85 — Sat, 15 Apr 2023 11:36:59 GMT

I support domestic violence victims in supported accommodation

Our UK government have provided info for domestic violence victims on how to disable these wireless emergency alerts on ios and android, because many dv victims are completely reliant on secret phones which abusers could be alerted to if they suddenly start making noise.

I have found that its not possible to find the wireless emergency alerts settings on one of my clients phones and we urgently need a solution!

the closest setting we can find in settings, is if we search for 'emergency'...

we are given the option of wireless emergency alerts

when we select wireless emergency alerts, we are faced with the messaging apps' advanced settings

our only options in there are 'group messaging, auto download MMS,auto download MMS when roaming, use simple characters, Get SMS delivery reports, Show iphone reactions as emoji, SIM card messages, Phone Number, Custom SMSC'

there are no other options and we cannot find the emergency broadcast/wireless emergency alerts settings anywhere else

The phone is a SONY xperia xz1 compact (G8841)- running android 9 build 47.2.A.11.228

The phone cannot be updated further.

Please don't just say the phone is too old, because it is unreasonable to expect a victim of domestic violence to be able to afford a new phone, and to keep updating their hardware.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

jumpsuit — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 13:52:17 GMT

Hi @odfj85 and welcome to the Community

The Government really haven't put enough thought into this for vulnerable people.

It also troubles me that you cannot use your phone again until you have acknowledged the alert.

My wife has Android 12 on her Xperia and to turn them off you go to:

Settings - Notifications - Emergency Alerts, then toggle Allow alerts to off.

However I do believe you could turn off alerts in Android 9 but I can't find anything about the new UK alert.

Have a look at This link about Android 9 (known as Pie) for instructions although it does say it depends what phone you have.

According to the UK news today you can turn your phone off to prevent the alert. What they haven't made clear though is if the alert will sound as soon as you turn your phone on again or not.

I fully sympathise with your concerns.

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

odfj85 — Sun, 23 Apr 2023 12:28:18 GMT

I've written to my MP about this, to encourage government liaison with tech companies when implementing solutions would can endanger lives,simply because not every phone (in this case) has the same option to disable these alerts

Since I started looking into this for my client, I've seen both android and ios phones lacking the option to disable these alerts, so that puts every single smart owner at risk if they have secret phones as their lifeline.

Shocking really. I'll get back to you when my mp responds

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

Piscie — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 12:11:46 GMT

Hey @odfj85, thanks for the heads up! Which Xperia model or Android version are you referring to?

Re: How to turn off Amber or Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA)

jumpsuit — Thu, 27 Apr 2023 12:15:50 GMT

@Piscie They stated it in their post 😉

"The phone is a SONY xperia xz1 compact (G8841)- running android 9 build 47.2.A.11.228

The phone cannot be updated further."