Update your phones: Kuwait issues alert

KUWAIT CITY: Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior, represented by the General Directorate of Civil Defense, said that activating the national emergency alert service on iPhone devices requires updating to the latest version of the iOS 26.4 operating system.

This came in remarks by Head of Alarm Systems Department at the General Directorate of Civil Defense, Lieutenant Colonel Yousef Al-Otaibi, during a media briefing on the ongoing developments in light of Iran’s retaliation on the country.

Al-Otaibi pointed out that the update is the primary step to ensure activation of the system and the automatic, immediate receipt of alerts, noting that the first live test of the national emergency alert system was launched on Thursday on all mobile devices.

He added that the test included Android and Huawei devices in addition to iPhones, with alerts successfully delivered to several phones as part of the Ministry of Interior’s efforts to enhance the early warning system.

Al-Otaibi recommended users follow the steps to ensure notifications are received by accessing settings, selecting notifications, and scrolling down to (KWT Alert), where three options appear, allowing users to control activation or deactivation of alerts as desired.

He noted that the first option, “National Warning Alerts,” is automatically enabled upon updating and does not provide an option to disable it, ensuring that warning alerts reach all users during high-risk emergencies, thus reinforcing public safety.

He added that the current trial phase aims to ensure full readiness of the telecommunications infrastructure through repeated testing, technical development, and verification of the system’s efficiency ahead of its official launch.