On Monday, 27 July 2026, the Australian Government will conduct a nationwide test of the new AusAlert emergency warning system. During the test, most mobile phones, along with some tablets and smart watches, will receive a loud emergency alert at the same time. The alert will sound even if a device is on silent or "Do Not Disturb”.

Many people living with a controlling or abusive partner keep a hidden mobile phone as part of their safety plan. A concealed phone may be used to contact police, a lawyer, trusted family members, or domestic violence support services when it is safe to do so.

Because the AusAlert national test is a Critical Alert, compatible devices will vibrate, play a loud siren-like sound for around 10 seconds and display the alert message, even if the phone is set to silent. This could unintentionally reveal a hidden device to an abusive partner.

The Australian Government advises that the only way to avoid receiving the national test alert is to turn the device off or place it in aeroplane mode before the test begins, and leave it off for at least one hour after the scheduled test time in your location. If your circumstances make this difficult you may want to consider whether there is another safe place to store the device during the testing period.

The scheduled test times are:

• 2:00 pm AEST – NSW, Victoria, Queensland, ACT and Tasmania
• 1:30 pm ACST – South Australia, Northern Territory and Broken Hill
• 12:00 pm AWST – Western Australia