In this article, I will share with you the facts about how to use the emergency SOS setting on your iPhone. Most people nowadays take great care of their phones and use them frequently. If a phone is stolen, lost or broken, one may not be able to get along well without the phone on the go and will feel upset about it. Setting up and using the Emergency SOS iPhone feature is simple, but you will find it difficult to operate in a sudden emergency. Here we provide you with specific steps on how to set up and deploy your Emergency SOS function on your iPhone at first.
What is an Emergency SOS on iPhone?
Emergency SOS is a feature on iPhones that allows you to quickly call for help if you find yourself in a dangerous situation. It’s a great way to stay safe when you’re out and about, but it’s not something you should rely on as your only line of defense. This amazing feature allows you to quickly call the police if you’re in danger. It’s also a good way to alert your friends and family if you’re in trouble but are physically unable to call them.
When you’re in an emergency, like an accident or medical emergency, touching the side button and holding it down for a few seconds will automatically call 911 or the local emergency number if you’re outside of the United States.
If your iPhone is locked, Emergency SOS will also send a message to your emergency contacts with your current location so they can get in touch with first responders if necessary. You can also use this feature as a panic button in case someone is trying to attack or assault you without being noticed by others around you. This feature is finally available for all “iPhone X” users around the world.
Setting up Emergency SOS on your iPhone is pretty straightforward.
The Emergency SOS setting on your iPhone is an important feature that many people aren’t aware of. It allows you to call emergency services without having to unlock your iPhone and without having to press any buttons. Here is how you can set up Emergency SOS on your iPhone.
- First, go to Settings > Emergency SOS. This will prompt you to set up an emergency message that will be sent to your emergency contacts when you press the power button five times in rapid succession. If you’re in a situation where you need help, this message can be a lifesaver.
- After tapping “Create Your Safety Net” and entering your name, phone number, and email address, tap “Next.” You’ll be prompted to choose whether or not you want a password on your safety net account. If you don’t want a password, just tap “Turn Off,” otherwise tap “Turn On,” and enter a passcode (make sure it’s something no one else would know).
- After setting up your safety net account, you can customize it by choosing which contacts are notified when you send an SOS notification.
How does Emergency SOS Work On iPhone?
Here’s how it works. If you ever need help, press the power button five times in a row. Your screen will flash white, and then you’ll see a message saying “Emergency SOS.” Press the home button, and then go to Settings > Emergency SOS. You can choose whether or not to have a countdown before calling 911 and whether or not you want to turn on “Auto Call.” Choose which contacts should be called in an emergency. Once you’ve set these options up, just press the lock button five times in a row again and follow the instructions on the screen.
Emergency SOS Call emergency services on iPhone X.
When you’re in an emergency, you may need to call the police. Here’s how to set up your iPhone so that it will automatically dial the emergency services if you hold down the lock button and the side button at the same time.
- Go to Settings on your iPhone.
- Tap Emergency SOS and then scroll down to Emergency SOS trigger (or tap Emergency SOS).
- Choose either Medical ID or Custom SOS message. If you choose Custom SOS message, enter a message in the field below it (don’t forget to add your name).
- Tap Done when you’re finished! You’ll see a confirmation prompt telling you that your custom message has been saved.
How to set up Emergency SOS on iPhone 7
- Open the Settings app from your Home screen.
- Tap Emergency SOS, then tap the Send SOS button to turn it on.
- The Emergency SOS screen will appear, showing your emergency contacts and your current location. To add more contacts or change this information, tap Edit in the upper right corner of the screen, then tap Add Emergency Contact or Edit Emergency Info on the next screen that appears.
- After setting up your emergency contacts and location info, tap Done at the top right of the screen to save changes and return to your Home screen.
How to set up Emergency SOS on iPhone 8
Setting up Emergency SOS on your iPhone 8 plus is quick and easy.
- First, swipe down from the top of the screen until you see the Control Center. In this menu, tap on the Emergency SOS icon and then drag it to the left.
- Next, tap on “Cancel” to confirm that you want to cancel the call and go back to your home screen.
- You can also configure your iPhone 8 plus so that it automatically calls emergency services in case of an emergency by following these steps: Go to Settings -> General -> Emergency SOS -> Auto Call (on/off).
iPhone Emergency SOS Contacts Alert
When you utilize Emergency SOS via one of the methods described above and your call to the emergency services is completed, your iPhone can send a text message with your location to your emergency contacts.
This works even if your iPhone’s location services are turned off because they will be momentarily enabled. Your contacts will be notified if your location changes.
How to add Emergency contacts
To add contacts from your emergency contacts list:
- Open the Settings.
- Tap Emergency SOS > Emergency SOS & Medical ID > Emergency SOS Settings > Contact Names & Numbers.
- Tap the contact you want to add, then tap Done.
How to remove Emergency contacts
To remove contacts from your emergency contacts list:
- Open the Settings.
- Tap Emergency SOS > Emergency SOS & Medical ID > Emergency SOS Settings > Contact Names & Numbers.
- Tap the contact you want to remove, then tap Done.
Turn off Auto Emergency Call
To turn off the Auto Emergency Call setting on your iPhone, follow the steps below:
- Open the Settings app.
- Select Emergency SOS from the list of options.
- Tap the Auto Call slider to turn it off (the slider will appear red).
End a call
You have the option to cancel the timer if you start it by mistake. Release the side and volume buttons on an iPhone 8 or newer. Push the Stop button on an iPhone 7 or before, then touch Stop Calling. You can end a call to emergency services if you make a mistake. Touch the red terminate call sign to stop the call, then confirm your decision.
Disabling SOS Feature
Perhaps, you’ve never needed to make an unexpected SOS call, but if you do, there’s an ultimately very useful option built into the iPhone that allows you to quickly and easily contact the emergency services.
The issue is that several individuals have made SOS calls mistakenly, ending in the police appearing unexpectedly in certain situations.
It’s a little difficult to unintentionally initiate on the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus, but it’s still possible. Keep holding down the side button and any volume button unless a slider displays, at which moment you can drag the slider or simply keep pressing.
The Emergency SOS option can’t be turned off completely, which is understandable given that it’s a life-saving tool, but the great news is that you can lessen the chance to be activated accidentally. Here’s how to do it.
If you merely press down the side button and a volume key on Apple’s latest handsets, you may deactivate the capability that allows the phone to automatically call the emergency services.
- To disable the SOS function, go to the Settings app,
- Touch the Emergency SOS,
- Turn off the Auto-call toggle option.
So now, If you press the side button for a while and a volume button at the same time, the iPhone SOS Setting option will appear as normal, but you’ll have to swipe it to make the call — keep holding the buttons will not work.
There is no setting to modify on the iPhone 7 or earlier, as you must swipe the slider by default.
Some Limitations of Emergency SOS
It’s a great tool to have in an emergency, but it does have some limitations.
- First, make sure that your device is charged before using this feature. If your phone is low on power, you may not be able to use Emergency SOS at all.
- Second, if you’re using a locked device—meaning you’ve entered your passcode and haven’t unlocked the screen in more than an hour—you won’t be able to use this feature because iPhones will not recognize your fingerprint after such a long time. Additionally, if you’ve recently rebooted your iPhone or switched off the Find My iPhone feature (which helps locate lost devices), those things will also prevent Emergency SOS from working properly.
- Finally, if someone is trying to force their way into your phone or otherwise hold it against your will while it’s locked, they’ll be able to disable this function by pressing down on the Home button until they see an Emergency SOS window pop up on the screen. So, if you think someone might try this with your phone while it’s in their possession (say at work or school), we recommend turning off this function before.