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    7 min read 6 stepsMay 6, 2026Verified May 2026

    How to Set Up Emergency SOS on iPhone and Android

    Emergency SOS lets your phone call 911 and alert your contacts automatically. Learn how to set it up on iPhone and Android.

    At a Glance

    Category
    Safety & Privacy
    Difficulty
    Beginner
    Read Time
    7 min read
    Steps
    6
    Topics covered
    emergency sos
    medical id
    emergency contacts
    911
    iphone safety
    android safety
    seniors living alone

    In this guide (6 steps):

    1. 1.Set up Emergency SOS on iPhone
    2. 2.Set up Emergency SOS on Android
    3. 3.Fill out your Medical ID on iPhone
    4. 4.Fill out your Medical ID on Android
    5. 5.Add emergency contacts who will be notified automatically
    6. 6.Test that Emergency SOS is ready — without calling 911
    1

    Set up Emergency SOS on iPhone

    ~45s
    Open the Settings app (the gray gear icon on your home screen). Scroll down and tap "Emergency SOS." You will see two options worth turning on. First, "Call with Side Button" — when this is on, pressing the side button (the button on the right edge of your iPhone) five times quickly will start an emergency call countdown. Second, "Auto Call" — when this is on, the phone will automatically call 911 after the countdown without you having to press anything else. Turn both on. On iPhones with a Home button (older models), the method is to hold the Side button and either Volume button at the same time.

    Quick Tip

    Quick Tip: Practice finding the side button and volume buttons on your phone right now without pressing them quickly. You want to know where they are before you ever need them.

    2

    Set up Emergency SOS on Android

    ~41s
    The exact steps vary slightly by phone brand, but the most common method on Android 14 and later is this: Open Settings, then tap "Safety & Emergency" (on Samsung phones, this is under "Advanced Features" then "SOS messages"). Look for "Emergency SOS" and turn it on. Most Android phones let you trigger Emergency SOS by pressing the Power button five times quickly. Some phones let you hold the Power button and tap an on-screen "Emergency SOS" button. On Samsung Galaxy phones, go to SettingsAdvanced FeaturesSOS MessagesSend SOS Messages, then add your emergency contacts there.

    Quick Tip

    Quick Tip: On any Android phone, you can also reach emergency calling from the lock screen — tap "Emergency" at the bottom of the screen before entering your PIN.

    3

    Fill out your Medical ID on iPhone

    ~47s
    Open the Health app (the white app with a red heart — it comes pre-installed on all iPhones). Tap your profile picture or initials in the top right corner. Tap "Medical ID," then tap "Edit" in the top right. Fill in your name, date of birth, blood type (if you know it), any allergies to medications or materials (like latex), your current medications with dosages, and any medical conditions such as diabetes, heart conditions, or a pacemaker. Scroll to the bottom to add emergency contacts. Tap the red plus sign to add a contact from your phone. When done, tap "Done." Turn on "Show When Locked" so responders can see this information without knowing your PIN.

    Warning

    List medication allergies here, not just preferences. If penicillin, aspirin, or any drug causes you a serious reaction, include it — this information can prevent a dangerous treatment in an emergency.

    4

    Fill out your Medical ID on Android

    ~35s
    Open Settings and tap "Safety & Emergency." Tap "Medical information" or "Medical ID" (the exact label depends on your phone). Tap "Edit" or the pencil icon. Fill in your name, blood type, allergies, medications, and any medical notes. Tap the option to add emergency contacts. When finished, save your changes. Make sure the option "Show on lock screen" is turned on. On Samsung Galaxy phones, this feature is called "Medical information" and is found in SettingsSafety and Emergency.

    Quick Tip

    Quick Tip: Take a photo of your medication bottles and insurance card and store them in a secure folder on your phone as a backup reference.

    5

    Add emergency contacts who will be notified automatically

    ~41s
    On iPhone: In the Health app, open your Medical ID (from the steps above) and scroll to "Emergency Contacts." Tap the red plus sign. Choose a contact from your list — a family member, trusted friend, or neighbor. Assign a relationship label (Spouse, Daughter, Son, Friend). Add as many contacts as you like. On Android: In SettingsSafety & EmergencyEmergency contacts, tap "Add contact" and choose from your contact list. These are the people who will receive a text message with your location when you trigger Emergency SOS.

    Warning

    Tell your emergency contacts that you are adding them. Let them know they may receive an automated text with your location if you press Emergency SOS. This prevents panic if they receive an unexpected message.

    6

    Test that Emergency SOS is ready — without calling 911

    ~37s
    You do not need to actually place an emergency call to confirm the feature is active. On iPhone, go to SettingsEmergency SOS and confirm both "Call with Side Button" and "Auto Call" are switched on (green). On Android, go to SettingsSafety & Emergency and confirm Emergency SOS is toggled on. You can see your emergency contacts listed there as well. That confirms the feature is armed. Do not press the buttons rapidly as a test — that will dial 911.

    Quick Tip

    Quick Tip: Put a small sticky note on your phone case that says "SOS = press side button 5x fast" until triggering it becomes second nature.

    You Did It!

    You've finished reading: How to Set Up Emergency SOS on iPhone and Android

    How well did this guide stick with you?

    Need more help? Book a TekSure tech

    Emergency SOS is a built-in feature on both iPhone and Android phones. When you trigger it, your phone calls 911 (or the local emergency number if you are traveling), plays a loud alert countdown, and then sends your location to emergency contacts you have chosen in advance. You do not have to unlock the phone or find the phone app to do this.

    For seniors who live alone, travel, or have health conditions, setting this up is one of the most valuable things you can do with your phone. It takes about ten minutes and costs nothing.

    Why Emergency SOS matters

    Accidents happen when no one is nearby — a fall in the kitchen, chest pain in the middle of the night, a medical event while driving. Emergency SOS gives you a way to reach help even when you cannot dial a number or speak clearly. Your GPS location is sent automatically, so 911 dispatchers know where you are even if you cannot tell them.

    Medical ID — what it is and why you should fill it out

    Both iPhone and Android let you store a Medical ID on your phone. This is a screen that paramedics and emergency responders can read even when your phone is locked. It shows your name, blood type, allergies, current medications, and any medical conditions you want responders to know about. It also lists your emergency contacts.

    Filling out your Medical ID is completely separate from triggering Emergency SOS, but the two work together. Set up both.

    What happens when Emergency SOS is triggered

    After a short countdown (which gives you time to cancel if you pressed the buttons by accident), your phone calls 911. A recording tells the dispatcher that this is an emergency call from your device. Your GPS coordinates are sent. After the call ends, your chosen emergency contacts receive a text message with your location and a map link so they know what happened and where you are.

    If you have an Apple Watch, it can also detect hard falls and offer to call emergency services automatically — a feature called Fall Detection.

    Sources:

    Apple Support (support.apple.com), Google Support (support.google.com), AARP Tech Resources (aarp.org/technology).

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    Official Resources

    FTC Consumer ProtectionCISA — Cybersecurity TipsAARP Fraud Watch Network

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