Skip to main content

    Emergency SOS Setup

    Press a button — phone calls 911 and texts family your location.

    Why this matters

    If you fall, faint, or are in a scary situation, you may not have time to unlock your phone, find the dialer, and type 911. SOS does it with one button press.

    iPhone — Emergency SOS

    Already on by default — but let's set it up properly.

    1. Settings → Emergency SOS.
    2. Turn ON "Call with Hold and Release" — press and hold side button + either volume button → countdown starts → release to call 911.
    3. Turn ON "Call with 5 Presses" — pressing the side button 5 times in a row also calls 911. Easier with one hand.
    4. Turn ON "Call Quietly" only if you might need to call without anyone hearing.
    5. Tap "Set up Emergency Contacts in Health" — this opens Medical ID. Add 2-3 contacts. They get a text with your location AFTER you call 911.

    Crash detection (iPhone 14 and newer):

    Settings → Emergency SOS → "Call After Severe Crash" — auto-dials 911 if the phone detects a car accident.

    Apple Watch — fall detection:

    If you have an Apple Watch — Watch app on iPhone → My Watch → Emergency SOS → "Fall Detection" → "Always On". The watch detects a hard fall and calls 911 if you don't move for 1 minute.

    Test it (just once, carefully)

    Don't accidentally call 911. Instead — practice the button presses without going through the countdown. On iPhone, you'll see a countdown circle — let go of the buttons before it ends. That confirms you know how to trigger it.

    For caregivers

    If you help an aging parent — set this up for them, then practice it together. Have them try the button press while you watch. Add yourself AND a sibling as emergency contacts (don't put all eggs in one basket).

    Emergency SOS Setup — Phone Calls 911 With One Hand | TekSure