How to change your iPhone Emergency SOS settings

iphone emegency settings on two iphones get background

Your iPhone isn't just a phone, a camera, a calculator, an music player, a GPS device, and a casual gaming device, it's also something that, in an emergency situation, could help save your life. The iPhone has an SOS call functionality that will dial emergency services in your area and can also alert emergency contacts about your predicament and location.

It's important, then, to know how to use SOS calling, and how to keep your emergency contacts up to date. Here's our guide.

Apple iPhone Emergency SOS functionality

The iPhone's Emergency SOS functionality will call the local emergency number for wherever you are.

The power off button as well as the SOS button and Medical ID button on the iPhone home screen

Credit: Apple

So, for example, in the United States, your iPhone will dial 911. In the United Kingdom, it will call 999.

How to use iPhone Emergency SOS on on iPhone 7 or earlier

Rapidly press the side, or top, button five times. The Emergency SOS slider bar will appear on your iPhone screen. Simply drag the Emergency SOS slider to call emergency services.

How to use iPhone Emergency SOS on on iPhone 8 or later

If you have an iPhone 8 or later, you need to press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons until the Emergency SOS slider appears. Again, just drag the Emergency SOS slider to call emergency services.

If you're not in a position to drag the slider, if you continue to hold down the side button and volume button, a countdown will start.

Credit: Apple

If you hold down the buttons until the countdown has ended, your iPhone will automatically call emergency services.

iPhone Emergency SOS contacts alerts

After you use Emergency SOS via either of the methods above and your call to the emergency services has ended, your iPhone can send your emergency contacts a text message with your current location.

This still works even if your iPhone's location services are turned off, as they will temporarily be turned on. If your location changes, your contacts will get an update.

How to add and edit iPhone Emergency SOS contacts

Your Emergency SOS contacts are added and edited in the Health app. Open the app and tap on your profile icon, which you will see at the top right of your screen.

Credit: Apple

On the next page, tap on "Medical ID."

Arrow pointing to "Medical ID," through which you can edit settings

Credit: Apple

You now need to tap "Get Started" if you haven't entered any info yet, or "Edit" if you've already entered some.

Now, scroll down to the Emergency Contacts section. Tap the green plus icon to add an emergency contact.

Arrow pointing to green plus icon for adding emergency contacts

Credit: Apple

This opens your iPhone's Contacts. Tap the contact you want to add, and then you will be prompted to add what their relationship to you is from a long list.

Tap "Done" to save your changes.