Getting your iPhone emergency features setup properly takes about ten minutes and could matter enormously if something goes wrong. Apple has built a surprisingly comprehensive emergency toolkit into iOS, but several parts of it require you to go in and configure things yourself, before a crisis, not during one.
Start With Medical ID and Emergency Contacts
The Medical ID, found inside the Health app, is where first responders look first if you’re unconscious or unable to talk. Open the app, tap your profile picture, and go to Medical ID. Add your blood type, any medications you’re on, allergies, and any health conditions that a paramedic would want to know about. Then toggle on Show When Locked. That single setting means a responder can pull up your information from the passcode screen without needing to get into your phone, via Emergency > Medical ID.
While you’re there, enable Share During Emergency Call too, which automatically shares your Medical ID if you call or text emergency services.
Once that’s done, add at least one emergency contact. Go to Edit > Add Emergency Contact and pull from your existing contacts list. You can log the relationship (spouse, parent, manager, daycare) and your contacts will be visible to first responders alongside your Medical ID. They’ll also receive automatic messages if Crash Detection or Emergency SOS is triggered.
Emergency contacts in your Medical ID get Emergency Bypass enabled by default, which means calls and texts from them will break through even when your phone is on silent or in a Focus mode. You can extend that same treatment to anyone else by opening their contact card, tapping Edit > Ringtone or Text Tone, and toggling Emergency Bypass on.
Emergency SOS and the Satellite Option That Many People Miss
Emergency SOS itself doesn’t need switching on, but it’s worth visiting Settings > Emergency SOS to adjust how it activates. You can set it to trigger by holding and releasing the side button, or by pressing it five times rapidly. Either works; choose whichever you’re less likely to hit by accident in your pocket. You can also call emergency services from the passcode screen and text them directly through Messages.
The part of the iPhone emergency features setup that gets overlooked most is the satellite option. Emergency SOS via satellite kicks in when there’s no mobile or wi-fi signal, connecting you to the nearest first responders regardless of where you are. If a call won’t go through, tap Emergency Text via Satellite > Report Emergency and follow the prompts. Your device sends your location, remaining battery level, and Medical ID to responders automatically.
A couple of things to know about satellite. First, device compatibility: MacRumors reports the feature is available on iPhone 14 and newer and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. Second, you need to be outdoors with a clear view of the sky and horizon to get a connection, according to Apple Support, so don’t expect it to work from inside a building or under heavy tree cover.
As for where it works: Emergency SOS via satellite is currently available in Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and the US, according to Apple Support. Roadside assistance via satellite is available specifically in the US, UK, and Australia. For the time being, the feature is free, though that could change.
Before you rely on any of it, check that location sharing is active: Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services, and make sure Emergency Calls & SOS is on.
Crash Detection and Government Alerts
Crash Detection is on by default and works across iPhone and Apple Watch. If your vehicle is in a severe collision or rollover, your device sounds an alarm and shows a prompt. If you don’t respond within ten seconds, a 30-second countdown begins before an automatic call to emergency services is placed. Your location goes to your emergency contacts at the same time. You can disable it under Settings > Emergency SOS if you want, but there’s rarely a good reason to.
Finally, check your government alerts. Public safety, emergency, and AMBER alerts are active by default, but it’s worth confirming yours are on under Settings > Notifications, scrolling to the bottom. The Enhance Safety Alerts menu has additional settings for earthquake and imminent threat notifications that may include floods and other natural disasters. Worth a look, costs nothing to check.
