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General information — not a substitute for official instructions. In an emergency, call 112.

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Warning apps and Cell Broadcast

How public warnings reach you in Germany: Cell Broadcast, the NINA app, KATWARN, BIWAPP, warnung.bund.de, WarnWetter, sirens and radio — and what to switch on before a crisis.

When a flood, storm, chemical release or other danger is imminent, seconds matter. Germany warns through several channels at once — the BBK calls this the Warnmittelmix: Cell Broadcast to every compatible phone in the affected radio cells, warning apps, the web, sirens, radio and television. No single channel reaches everyone, so switch on more than one.

Cell Broadcast

Live in Germany since 23 February 2023 (the underlying EU standard is called EU-Alert). Warnings arrive as a loud alert on every compatible phone in the affected radio cells — no app, no registration, no data connection. Requirements: Android 11 or newer or iOS 16.1 or newer, current software, and a phone that is switched on (flight mode blocks reception).

Check the setting: on iOS under Settings › Notifications, at the very bottom; on Android under Safety & emergency › Wireless emergency alerts. The highest level (Notfallalarm) cannot be switched off; the other levels should stay on.

Warning apps: NINA, KATWARN, BIWAPP

NINA is the BBK’s official warning app. It delivers the warnings of the federal Modular Warning System (MoWaS), plus DWD weather warnings and flood information, for the places you subscribe to. KATWARN and BIWAPP are regional and municipal apps that relay the same official warnings and add notices from your district or town. Install only from the official app stores, allow notifications, and add your home and work locations. Without an app you can read current warnings at warnung.bund.de.

Weather: WarnWetter (DWD)

The WarnWetter app of the Deutscher Wetterdienst and its warning map show official warnings for storms, heavy rain, snow, black ice and heat down to municipality level. The same warnings also appear in NINA.

Sirens and radio

Sirens: one minute of a rising and falling tone means warning — go inside, close windows and doors, switch on the radio. One minute of a steady tone is the all-clear. Not every place still has sirens, so do not rely on them.

Radio is the fallback when mobile networks fail: a battery or crank radio (FM/DAB+) receives the public broadcasters, which carry official warnings.

Warntag and good habits

Every second Thursday in September the nationwide Warntag tests all channels at once — in 2026 on 10 September, around 11:00. Use it to check that your phone alerts and your apps notify. Keep a radio as backup. In any life-threatening emergency call 112 — free, without credit, over any available network. Note that without a SIM card no emergency call is possible in Germany.

Channel names and menu wording change with software updates. Prefer official sources (BBK, DWD); crisisplan is not affiliated with them.

Content last reviewed: September 4, 2026

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