Stay Safe with Your iPhone’s Built-in Emergency Features

Having a medical emergency or being involved in a car accident can be a life-altering experience. Apple has designed several essential features within iOS to ensure that you receive the necessary help in such situations. In this article, we will delve into the six critical features you must enable on your iPhone to stay safe and ensure that you receive the right assistance when it matters most.

Adjust Your Medical ID Settings

Your Medical ID is a vital feature that stores critical medical information, such as allergies, medications, and health conditions. This information can be accessed by first responders even if you’re unable to communicate. To update your Medical ID, follow these steps:

1. Open the Health app and tap your profile picture.
2. Navigate to Medical ID and enter any relevant health information, including your blood type and any detailed notes.
3. Toggle on Show When Locked to allow responders to access your Medical ID from your iPhone passcode screen via Emergency > Medical ID.
4. Enable Share During Emergency Call to share your Medical ID if you call or text emergency services.

Remember to add at least one emergency contact to your Medical ID. Click Edit > Add Emergency Contact and select from your existing Contacts list. You can also enable Emergency Bypass on for specific contacts, allowing them to receive alerts even when your device is on silent.

Emergency SOS and Crash Detection

Emergency SOS is a long-standing feature that allows you to quickly call or text emergency services. To initiate an emergency call, go to Settings > Emergency SOS and switch the toggle next to Call with Hold and Release and/or Call with 5 Button Presses. You can also use Emergency SOS via satellite if you’re out of service, ensuring that you stay connected even when there’s no cellular or Wi-Fi connection.

Crash Detection is an iPhone and Apple Watch feature that can call emergency services and alert your emergency contacts if your vehicle has been in a severe crash. To turn on Crash Detection, go to Settings > Emergency SOS. This feature is on by default, but you can turn it off if you prefer.

Make Sure Your Emergency Alerts Are Active

Government alerts, such as public safety, emergency, and AMBER alerts, are enabled by default on your iPhone. However, it’s essential to ensure that your emergency alerts are active under Settings > Notifications (scroll all the way to the bottom). Click into the Enhance Safety Alerts menu for additional settings for earthquake and imminent threat alerts.

Toggle Emergency Bypass On

Emergency Bypass allows sounds and vibrations to break through even when your device is on silent. To enable this feature, go to the individual contact card and tap Edit > Ringtone/Text Tone. Toggle Emergency Bypass on for the contact you want to receive alerts from.

Enable Location Sharing for Emergency Calls & SOS

Location sharing for Emergency Calls & SOS is a critical feature that ensures that first responders can locate you quickly. To enable this feature, go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services. Make sure that Location Sharing is enabled for Emergency Calls & SOS.

Review and Update Your Emergency Features

It’s essential to review and update your emergency features regularly to ensure that you’re prepared for any situation. Take the time to adjust your Medical ID settings, enable Emergency SOS and Crash Detection, and make sure your emergency alerts are active. By following these steps, you can stay safe and ensure that you receive the necessary help when it matters most.