Emergency Alert Stuck on iPhone 18 Pro? Here’s What Worked for Me

Recently we have been getting nonstop rain, thunderstorms, and thus we have received tornado warnings, and emergency weather alerts. During one of the storms, my iPhone 18 Pro received a “CRITICAL Imminent Threat Alert” notification. The weather ended hours later, but the warning message stayed stuck on my screen since then.

At first I thought it would disappear by itself, but it never did. I restarted my iPhone normally a few times and the alert was still there. There was no close button, no delete option, and honestly it was getting really annoying because it just stayed on the lock screen permanently.

In this article, I describe how to fix this issue.

1. Try Swiping the Alert First

This should work, but it did not work for me. You may still want to try it.

1. Unlock your iPhone.
2. Swipe down from the top left of the screen to open Notification Center.
3. Find the stuck emergency alert.
4. Swipe the alert to the left.
5. Tap Clear if you see it. To clear your notification history, tap the Close button, then tap Clear.

2. Force Restart Your iPhone

Doing so is how I was able to get rid of the emergency alert on my iPhone 18 Pro. Follow the steps below:

1. Press and quickly release the volume up button.
2. Press and quickly release the volume down button.
3. Press and hold the side button until you see the Apple logo (this might take longer than 10 seconds).

3. Turn Off Government Alerts

You may also consider this.

1. On your iPhone, open the Settings app, then tap Notifications.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the screen.
3. Under Government Alerts, turn the type of alert on or off.
4. You can always turn them back on later.

Apple notes that some government alerts can’t be turned off, and says to refer to your local government’s emergency alert policy to learn more. Apple also notes that Government Alerts are supported when using a SIM card or eSIM from a supported carrier; for more information, contact your carrier.

Enhanced Safety Alerts are available in the United States and Taiwan. Earthquake Alerts and Imminent Threat Alerts are turned on by default, and Improve Alert Delivery is turned off by default. To adjust any of these settings:

1. On your iPhone, open the Settings app, then tap Notifications.
2. Scroll to the bottom of the screen.
3. Under Enhanced Alerts, tap Enhanced Safety Alerts.
4. Tap Earthquake Alerts, Imminent Threat Alerts, or Improve Alert Delivery to turn it on or off.

4. Update iOS

Checking for updates is probably a good idea.

• Open Settings.
• Tap General.
• Select Software Update. And follow onscreen instructions.