iPhone (iOS) · Privacy & Security
Set Up Emergency SOS on iPhone
Emergency SOS lets you quickly call for help by pressing the side button rapidly or holding it with a volume button, automatically alerting emergency services and, if configured, notifying your chosen emergency contacts with your location.
How to open Emergency SOS
- Open Settings → Emergency SOS.
- Choose whether 'Call with Side Button' requires the countdown or an immediate press.
- Open the Health app and set up Medical ID, then choose to show it on the Lock Screen.
- Add trusted people as Emergency Contacts so they're notified automatically after an Emergency SOS call.
What you should know
- Pressing and holding the side button and a volume button together starts a countdown before calling emergency services.
- Rapidly pressing the side button five times can also trigger Emergency SOS, depending on your region and settings.
- Emergency Contacts you've designated are automatically notified with your current location once a call to emergency services ends.
- Medical ID information, if set up, can be shared with emergency responders directly from the Lock Screen during a call.
Emergency SOS calls emergency services directly and cannot be tested casually — practicing the gesture in a genuine emergency-services region can trigger a real call, so review Apple's guidance carefully before trying it.
Why it matters
Emergency SOS can be a genuinely life-saving feature in situations where dialing normally isn't practical, like during an accident, an assault, or a medical emergency where speed and simplicity matter most. Because it automatically shares your location with both emergency services and your designated Emergency Contacts, it closes a real gap that exists when someone can't verbally explain where they are. Setting up Medical ID alongside it means first responders can see critical health information immediately, even if the device is locked and you're unable to communicate.
Best practices
- Set up Medical ID with accurate allergies, medications, and conditions, since responders can view it from the Lock Screen without unlocking the device.
- Add at least one or two trusted Emergency Contacts so they're automatically notified with your location if you ever trigger a real Emergency SOS call.
- Know your region's exact trigger gesture (hold side + volume, or rapid side-button presses) in advance rather than discovering it during an actual emergency.
- Review the countdown and haptic/sound settings so you understand what an accidental trigger feels like and how to cancel it quickly.
Common problems and fixes
- Emergency SOS triggers accidentally while the phone is in a pocket or bag
- Cancel the countdown immediately by tapping 'Stop' or sliding to cancel if a call hasn't connected yet, and consider using a case that better protects the side button from accidental presses.
- Emergency Contacts weren't notified after a real Emergency SOS call
- Confirm Emergency Contacts are correctly added in the Health app's Medical ID and that Location Services is enabled, since both are required for the automatic notification to send.
- Medical ID information doesn't appear on the Lock Screen during an emergency
- Open the Health app → Medical ID → Edit and confirm 'Show When Locked' is turned on, since Medical ID is hidden from the Lock Screen by default until enabled.
- Unsure which gesture triggers Emergency SOS on a specific iPhone model or region
- Check Settings → Emergency SOS, which displays the exact trigger method (hold side + volume button, or rapid presses) configured for your device and region.
Tips and tricks
- Set up Medical ID even if you're generally healthy, since basic details like your emergency contacts and blood type can still matter in an unrelated accident.
- Review Settings → Emergency SOS after getting a new iPhone or moving to a new country, since the exact trigger gesture can differ by region.
Frequently asked questions
Does Emergency SOS work without a cellular plan?
In most regions, calls to emergency services are allowed even without an active cellular plan or SIM card, though satellite-based Emergency SOS features have their own separate device and coverage requirements.
Will my location automatically be sent to my emergency contacts?
Yes, once an Emergency SOS call to emergency services ends, iOS can automatically text your designated Emergency Contacts with your current location and updates for a period afterward.
Can emergency responders see my medical conditions if my phone is locked?
Yes, if Medical ID is set up with 'Show When Locked' enabled, responders can view it directly from the Lock Screen's emergency access without needing your passcode.
Related settings
- Location ServicesLocation Services is the master switch and per-app control center for GPS-based location sharing on iPhone, letting you decide exactly which apps can see your precise or general location, and when.
- Find MyFind My helps you locate a lost or stolen iPhone on a map, remotely play a sound, mark it as lost, or erase it, and it can also share your location with family members or locate AirTags and other Apple accessories.
- Face ID & PasscodeFace ID (or Touch ID) and Passcode settings control how you unlock your iPhone, authorize purchases, and protect sensitive data with biometric or code-based security.
More Privacy & Security guides for iPhone (iOS)
- Privacy & PermissionsThe Privacy & Security hub lets you review and control exactly which apps can access your Camera, Microphone, Location Services, Contacts, Photos, and more.
- App Tracking TransparencyApp Tracking Transparency requires apps to ask permission before tracking activity across other companies' apps and websites for advertising or data-sharing purposes.
- Safety CheckSafety Check lets users see and instantly stop sharing location, passwords, and app access with specific people, useful in situations like leaving a relationship where trust has broken down.
- Content & Privacy RestrictionsContent & Privacy Restrictions, part of Screen Time, lets a parent or guardian block specific apps, websites, content ratings, and purchase types, and lock down further changes to privacy settings.
- Sensitive Content WarningSensitive Content Warning automatically detects and blurs nudity in photos and videos received in Messages, AirDrop, contact posters, and FaceTime messages before they're shown, on-device and without Apple seeing the content.
- App Privacy ReportApp Privacy Report shows a detailed log of how frequently each app has used permissions like location, camera, and microphone over the past seven days, plus which domains it has contacted.