How Android earthquake alerts work (and how to enable them)
The next time you get an alert on your Android phone, it might just be life-saving information. Google expanded its earthquake alert system last fall; this week, Samsung introduced its own version that might be even better. Here’s how these critical alerts work and how you can turn them on.
Android earthquake alerts are available in all 50 US states and six US territories, including American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and Minor Outlying Islands.
Also: 7 essential tech prep steps to take before weather emergencies strike
How Android’s earthquake alerts work
Since 2020, Google has made earthquake alerts available in California, Oregon, and Washington thanks to a partnership with the United States Geological Survey (USGS), California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES), and the USGS’ ShakeAlert system. Those alerts relied on traditional seismometers to detect earthquakes.
Google’s newer, more widespread alerts rely on the built-in accelerometers present in many Android phones to bring life-saving information to people in areas without ShakeAlert. The Android Earthquake Alerts System analyzes crowdsourced data to detect weak or light shaking. If an earthquake of 4.5 or greater is detected, Google sends one of two alerts.
If an earthquake happens, your phone will blare a specific tone and tell you how strong and far away the earthquake is. A “Be Aware” warning alongside a message that says “Expect light shaking” means light to moderate shaking is potentially on the way. A “Take Action” warning that tells you to immediately seek shelter, drop, cover, and hold means moderate to extreme shaking is possible. Both alerts offer an estimate of how far away the epicenter of the earthquake is.
When the shaking is over, Google says, you can tap for tips on what to do next.
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If you’d like to opt out of earthquake alerts, you can stop your phone from contributing to earthquake detection by turning off your phone’s Google Location Accuracy. You can also turn off earthquake alerts by going to Safety & emergency, then tapping Location, and then Advanced and Earthquake alerts.
Android’s earthquake alerts may only provide a few seconds of warning, but those can be critical in an emergency.
Samsung rolls out better earthquake alerts of its own
Despite the fact that its devices run on Android, in June of 2025, Samsung introduced its own version of earthquake alerts. Samsung hasn’t offered an explanation of how its alerts work (ZDNET has reached out for an answer), but it’s safe to assume it’s similar to Google’s.
One important factor makes Samsung’s option better, though. You can change the alert threshold all the way down to a 1.0 quake, which would usually be imperceptible, and you can set different thresholds for day and night. Google’s is limited to alerts on quakes that are 4.5 or bigger.
Samsung’s alerts are expected to become available with the One UI 8 update.
How to enable Android earthquake alerts
Earthquake alerts on your Android may be turned on by default, but to check (and turn them on if they’re not), head to your phone’s settings menu and find Safety & emergency. Tap Earthquake Alerts and you’ll see a toggle (and a demo button, so you’ll know what to expect).
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Both Android and Samsung notifications should alert you to an earthquake before you actually feel it, giving you a few valuable seconds to seek shelter. Even if you don’t live in an earthquake-prone area, it’s a useful feature to have.
