Deleting CRITICAL Imminent Threat Alert

Solved! Thank you for the suggestion about sliding it left! That worked. I had tried that before but from my locked screen which didn't get rid of it. Pulled down the notifications from the home screen and I was able to clear it. Yeah! Thank you everyone!

For anyone who keeps getting the alert back on the notification screen. I had a similar issue, in NYC there was a flash flood alert. I believe it was 7/18/26. Usually after I fully charge my iPhone I like to shut it off and restart it. Every time I restarted my phone that flash flood would come back on my notification screen. I cleared it swiping left, I even went as far as to disable those alerts entirely and yet it would still come back to my notification screen, I wouldn’t get a sound alert, it would just be as an old alert as if I never read it. So I tried finding online and couldn’t find it here so I used google Gemini to help and it did. Basically if you have similar issue where it kept coming back on the notification screen after clearing it and restarting the iPhone. Gemini suggested to change your “region” to English UK. Here’s some info from Gemini that I had summarize it

“They log them inside a highly secure system database file called bulletins.db.

A notification loop happens when you clear an alert, but a software glitch prevents the database from saving that action. Because the system still sees the notification data written on your storage disk, it assumes the alert is unread and actively forces it back onto your screen every single time the device reboots.”

steps according to Gemini,

Use this method when an official government alert, critical message, or system warning is permanently stuck on your iPhone boot cycle.

• Step 1: Open your Settings app and navigate to Privacy & Security > Critical Messages. Turn this switch completely OFF.
• Step 2: Go back to Settings, tap Notifications, and scroll to the absolute bottom. Turn OFF the toggles for Emergency Alerts and Public Safety Alerts. [1, 2]
• Step 3: Go to Settings > General > Language & Region. Tap Add Language, select English (UK) (or any other language), and set it as your Primary Language. [1]
• Step 4: Force-restart your iPhone by quickly pressing Volume Up, quickly pressing Volume Down, and then holding the Side Power Button until the Apple logo appears. [1, 2]
• Step 5: Once the phone boots up in the new language, check your notification screen to confirm the alert is gone.
• Step 6: Go back to Language & Region and switch your primary language back to English (US).
• Step 7: Re-enable your Critical Messages and Government Alerts settings so you can safely receive future real-time emergencies.

I hope this helps anyone who had a similar issue like me

Where did you see this?

If it was while browsing the internet, then it is just an ad to scare you into subscribing to some service or downloading some software that you do not need. Navigating off of the page will remove the ad. A screenshot may be helpful to visualize what you are seeing.

I’m embarrassed to admit this but when I finally got through to a live person in the phone at Verizon, she showed me that none of the complicated things I had tried were needed. I just had not figured out how to access the Notifications screen in the right way. First I had to open my lock screen so I was looking at my default unlocked screen, THEN swipe down from the upper left corner (it took several tries to get it right and not every finger got it to work), and then the notifications screen came into view. At that point just got rid of the expired alert message by swiping left. Possibly those other steps were already needed but it only takes 15 seconds to do this so if you’re having the same problem I would try this first.

Swipe left to remove it temporarily. It will keep coming back....even if you restart your iPhone.....until the NWS system removes the alert. That might take a few days.

The typical way to delete a notification, including critical weather alerts, is to swipe left. If the critical weather alert repeatedly reappears, it’s a cellular service provider issue. Emergency alerts are not typical notifications. When authorized by a government official, they are sent over cellular networks. Your cellular service provider would need to reset your service. Try swiping first, but if it constantly reappears, contact your provider.

This is Most likely a scam pop-up what ever it says is not real and whatever you do DONT click on it you can block these pop-ups by going to your Safari settings

Block pop-up ads and windows in Safari - Apple Support

some people view random internet popup windows as system warnings if this is the case for you

then you can disable those scam popups by reading

Block pop-up ads and windows in Safari - Apple Support

No. I had the same thing today and it's a flood warning alert. My text is normal. There was no button to dismiss or clear it. I followed the advice of another poster to swipe left and that finally got rid of it.

I'm guessing you have increased the text size on your phone or are using zoom to make the text larger and the text is now so large that the entire message doesn't fit on the screen, meaning you can't reach the button to dismiss it.

Force restart your phone.

press and release volume up, then volume down, then press and hold the side button until you see the apple logo.

scilipoj wrote:

Got it. I was able to move it around and when I shifted it left i got a box that said 'clear'. That got rid of it.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

The alerts do not come from Apple. The alert is not a Notification like you’re familiar with on your iPhone. The alerts are authorized by government agencies/officials, but sent over cellular networks. Please contact your cellular service provider and request they reset your alert service.

kim807-I was trying it from my Lock Screen several times but that didn't work. Make sure you are NOT on your locked home screen when sweeping left. Open your phone and pull down from the top to find that persistent notification and from there, swipe left. I hope this helps...