Use Emergency SOS on your iPhone

When you make a call with SOS, your iPhone automatically calls the local emergency number. In some countries and regions, you might need to choose the service that you need. For example, in China mainland you can choose police, fire, or ambulance. 

You can also add emergency contacts. After an emergency call ends, your iPhone alerts your emergency contacts with a text message, unless you choose to cancel. Your iPhone sends them your current location, and, for a period of time after you enter SOS mode, it sends updates to your emergency contacts when your location changes. 

Here's how to make the call on iPhone 8 or later: 

1. Press and hold the side button and one of the Volume buttons until the Emergency SOS slider appears. 
2. Drag the Emergency SOS slider to call emergency services. If you continue to hold down the side button and Volume button, instead of dragging the slider, a countdown begins and an alert sounds. If you hold down the buttons until the countdown ends, your iPhone automatically calls emergency services.

Here's how to make the call on iPhone 7 or earlier: 

1. Rapidly press the side (or top) button five times. The Emergency SOS slider will appear. (In India, you only need to press the button three times, then your iPhone automatically calls emergency services.) 
2. Drag the Emergency SOS slider to call emergency services.

After the call ends, your iPhone sends your Emergency contacts a text message with your current location, unless you choose to cancel. If Location Services is off, it will temporarily turn on. If your location changes, your contacts will get an update, and you'll get a notification about 10 minutes later.

If you use the Emergency SOS shortcut, you need to enter your passcode to re-enable Touch ID, even if you don't complete a call to emergency services. 

 

When your location is being shared, you'll get a reminder to stop every 4 hours for 24 hours. To stop the updates, tap the status bar and select "Stop Sharing Emergency Location." 

If you start the countdown by accident, you can cancel. On iPhone 8 or later, release the side button and Volume button. On iPhone 7 or earlier, press the Stop button, then tap Stop Calling. 

If you accidentally call emergency services, you can end the call. Tap , then confirm that you want to stop calling.

 

You can add emergency contacts from the Health app on your iPhone:

1. Open the Health app and tap the Medical ID tab. 
2. Tap Edit, then scroll to Emergency Contacts.
3. Tap  to add an emergency contact.
4. Tap a contact, then add their relationship. 
5. Tap Done to save your changes. 

Here's how to remove emergency contacts: 

1. Open the Health app and tap the Medical ID tab. 
2. Tap Edit, then scroll to Emergency Contacts. 
3. Tap  next to a contact, then tap Delete.
4. Tap Done to save your changes. 

You can't set emergency services as an SOS contact. 

When Auto Call is on and you try to make an emergency call, your iPhone begins a countdown and sounds an alert. After the countdown ends, your iPhone automatically calls emergency services.

Here's how to change the setting: 

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Emergency SOS. 
3. Turn Auto Call on or off. 

If you turn off this setting, you can still use the Emergency SOS slider to make a call.

On iPhone 8 or later, you can choose to call by pressing the side button five times. Here's how to change the setting:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Tap Emergency SOS. 
3. Turn Call with Side Button on or off. Pressing and holding the side button along with the Volume button will continue to work when this is on. 

• Use Emergency SOS on your Apple Watch.
• Set up your Medical ID.