Set Up Emergency Contacts on your iPhone before trouble strikes. A few minutes now can provide valuable protection.
Your trusted contacts can receive emergency alerts quickly. They may also receive your changing location. Medical ID keeps essential information ready during emergencies.
Set Up Emergency Contacts on iPhone Using Health
Most iPhone users already have the Health app. It does more than track fitness and health information. The app also manages your Medical ID settings. Your Medical ID can display important information during emergencies.
It can also show your chosen emergency contacts. This makes Medical ID especially useful during unexpected situations. Emergency responders can access available information without unlocking.
Your trusted contacts can also become quickly reachable. Therefore, setting everything up beforehand makes practical sense.
Add Emergency Contacts Through The Health App
Before adding contacts, create your Medical ID. This step provides additional emergency information for responders. You can then add trusted people easily.
Follow these steps to set up emergency contacts on iPhone:
- Open the Health app on your iPhone.
- Tap your profile picture in the corner.
- Select Medical ID from your profile.
- Find Emergency Contacts inside your Medical ID.
- Tap Add beside Emergency Contacts.
- Choose Add Emergency Contact from the options.
- Select someone from your saved contacts.
- Use search when your contact list is large.
- Select the person’s relationship with you.
- Add another contact when necessary.
- Tap Done after completing your selections.
You can add multiple trusted emergency contacts. Choose people who can respond quickly when contacted.
Family members are usually suitable for this purpose. Close friends can also provide reliable emergency support.
Add Emergency Contacts Through The Phone App
The Health app is not your only option. You can also add contacts directly through the phone. This method works well when viewing someone already.
Open the Phone app to begin this process. Select Contacts or Recents from below. Choose the person you want to add there. For Recents, tap the information button beside them.
Then select Add to Emergency Contacts from there. Some contacts have multiple phone numbers saved. Choose the number you want for emergencies. Select the relationship connected with that person.
Your Medical ID will open inside Health. Review the information before saving your changes. Finally, tap Done to finish everything.
Remove An Emergency Contact Easily
Your emergency contacts can change over time. Someone’s number might change or become unsuitable. Thankfully, removing contacts takes only several steps.
Open Health, then tap your profile picture. Select Medical ID, followed by Edit. Find the Emergency Contacts section inside the Medical ID. Tap the red minus beside the selected contact. Confirm removal by tapping Delete afterward.
Always review your emergency contacts periodically. Outdated contacts can cause problems during emergencies. Keep important phone numbers updated whenever necessary.
Make Important Contacts Bypass Do Not Disturb
Emergency calls should ideally reach you immediately. iPhone provides Emergency Bypass for selected contacts. This setting can bypass certain notification restrictions.
Open the Phone or Contacts app first. Find the person you want to prioritize. Tap Edit, then choose Ringtone afterward. Turn on the Emergency Bypass option there.
Calls from that contact can bypass Do Not Disturb. This can become extremely useful during emergencies.
Use Emergency SOS And Alert Your Contacts
Emergency SOS provides another important safety feature. It helps you contact emergency services quickly. It can also notify your trusted emergency contacts.
Open Settings, then select Emergency SOS. You will find several emergency calling options there. These options control how emergency calls start.
Use Call With Hold And Release
This option starts Emergency SOS using button presses. Press and hold the side button first. Also hold either volume button simultaneously. Emergency SOS sliders will appear on your screen.
Continue holding both buttons during the countdown. Your iPhone then calls emergency services automatically. A warning sound normally plays before calling. The countdown gives you time to cancel.
This method can help during stressful emergencies. Learning these controls beforehand makes them easier.
Use Call With Five Presses
The iPhone also offers another emergency calling method. This method requires five quick side-button presses. Quickly press the side button five times. Your iPhone starts the emergency countdown afterward.
You can enable this feature inside Emergency SOS. Open Settings, then choose Emergency SOS. Turn on Call with 5 Presses there.
This method can prove useful during emergencies. It avoids holding multiple buttons together simultaneously.
Emergency Contacts Can Receive Automatic Alerts
Emergency SOS can notify your selected emergency contacts. Your iPhone sends them information after emergencies. This usually happens after an emergency call ends.
You can cancel the contact notification when necessary. Otherwise, your iPhone sends the alert automatically. Your current location may also be shared. Location sharing depends upon available location information.
Your contacts can receive location change updates. These updates continue for some time afterward. This helps trusted people understand your situation better.
Choose emergency contacts carefully before enabling these features. Their reliability matters during serious situations.
Access Emergency Contacts From A Locked iPhone
Emergency contacts can remain accessible from the lock screen. This feature can help during unexpected emergencies. It can also help people assisting someone else.
Press and hold the side and volume buttons. Emergency SOS sliders should appear on your screen. Swipe across Medical ID to open it. Your Medical ID information will then appear.
Find Emergency Contacts inside the displayed Medical ID. Tap any listed number to call that person. This provides quick access without unlocking the iPhone.
You can also make emergency service calls directly. Tap Emergency on the passcode screen. Enter your local emergency services number afterward. Then tap the call button to connect.
Emergency numbers differ between countries and regions. Britain, for example, commonly uses emergency number 999.
Other Emergency Features Available On iPhone
Emergency contacts are only one safety feature. iPhone provides several additional emergency communication options. Some features depend upon your iPhone model. Others depend upon your country and network.
Text Emergency Services When Supported
Some locations allow users to text emergency services. For example, some areas support texting 911. Other regions may use different emergency numbers.
Open Messages and enter your emergency number. Type your emergency details inside the message. Tap Send when your message is ready.
Unsupported locations may return bounce-back messages. This means your emergency text wasn’t delivered. Always know which emergency methods work locally.
After texting emergency services, emergency mode activates. On the iPhone, this mode lasts approximately thirty minutes. Restarting your iPhone exits emergency mode afterward.
Use Emergency SOS Through Satellite
Newer iPhones provide satellite emergency communication capabilities. These features help when cellular service disappears. They also work outside available Wi-Fi coverage.
iPhone 14 models support Emergency SOS via satellite. This requires iOS 16.1 or later. Availability depends upon supported regions and conditions.
Satellite communication can send emergency messages remotely. It can help when normal networks become unavailable. Find My also supports location sharing through satellite.
This provides another useful emergency communication method. However, satellite communication has certain limitations. Service availability depends upon your location and circumstances.
Share Emergency Video With Emergency Services
Emergency services may request live video sometimes. They may also request existing photos or videos. This can provide additional information during emergencies.
Tap Share when emergency services request video. Your iPhone begins streaming live video afterward. You can pause or restart the stream. Use the Camera button for those controls.
You can stop sharing whenever you want. Tap End Call to access stopping options. Then choose Stop Sharing Camera or End Call.
Live video isn’t saved directly on the iPhone. Emergency services can still retain shared copies. They may keep videos received during emergencies.
You can also share existing photos or videos. Tap Choose when emergency services request media. Select the photos or videos you want. Choose Not Now when you decline sharing.
Emergency SOS Live Video has specific limitations. It requires iPhone 14 or newer models. It may also remain unavailable in some situations.
Use Emergency Calling Through Apple Watch
Apple Watch can also contact emergency services. Press and hold the watch’s side button. Emergency options will then appear on-screen.
You can drag the Emergency Call toward the right. Your watch contacts emergency services in your region. Some regions require an additional keypad action.
Holding the side button starts another emergency process. The watch plays a warning sound first. A countdown then starts before calling services.
The warning sounds even when in silent mode. This matters when avoiding unwanted emergency noise. Use the Emergency Call slider without the countdown instead.
Automatic Dialling can also be disabled completely. Open Settings on your Apple Watch first. Tap SOS, then choose Hold Side Button. Turn off Hold Side Button afterward.
You can change this through your iPhone. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone. Tap My Watch, then Emergency SOS. Turn off Hold Side Button to Dial.
Emergency calling remains available through the slider. This gives you more control during sensitive emergencies.
As We Conclude
Set up Emergency Contacts on iPhone before emergencies. Choose trusted people who respond quickly when needed. Keep your Medical ID information accurate and updated.
Review Emergency SOS settings regularly for safety. Learning these features can save valuable emergency time.
