How to set up emergency contacts and Medical ID on your iPhone
iPhone offers built-in tools, including a Medical ID and emergency contact list, that can prove critical in a crisis. Users are advised to configure and periodically review these settings in advance.
Apple has included a suite of emergency features on iPhone since 2014, and configuring them ahead of time can make a real difference during a crisis, since there's no time to set them up once an emergency happens. Medical professionals are already trained to look for this information on a phone, which can even serve as a substitute for carrying medical details in a wallet, since people tend to keep their phone with them at all times.
Medical ID
A Medical ID can be created or edited in the Health app, under the profile picture and Medical ID section. Users can enter details such as age, current medications, allergies, and health conditions, along with optional information like height, weight, and blood type. It's recommended to enable both visibility on the locked screen and sharing during an emergency call, so first responders can access the information exactly when it's needed.
Emergency Contacts
The same section allows adding emergency contacts along with their relationship to the user. Adding multiple contacts is advisable in case one person can't be reached. These contacts are available both to anyone who finds the phone and to the people automatically notified with the user's location when Emergency SOS is triggered.
Emergency SOS and other features
Emergency SOS is typically activated by holding the side button and a volume button longer than needed to power off the phone, triggering a loud countdown before a call to 911 goes through. Users can also enable a quick-press shortcut using the side button five times, as well as a quiet mode that skips the warning sound. A separate option can place a call automatically after a severe crash if the user is unable to do so.
Other useful tools include Emergency Bypass, which lets designated contacts break through silent or Focus modes, the option to text 911 in some parts of the US, and, on iPhone 14 and newer, the ability to send emergency messages or make calls via satellite when no cellular service is available.
