How to Set Up Emergency Info and Emergency SOS on Your Android Phone
Your Android phone can hold emergency information, like your allergies, medicines and who to call, that first responders can see even when the phone is locked. It can also call for help and alert your family with a few quick presses of a button. Here is how to set both up.
Android phones are made by many companies, so menus differ. Below are the steps for Google Pixel and similar phones, then for Samsung Galaxy phones, based on each company’s help pages as of October 2026. Google says Emergency SOS needs Android 12 or later.
On a Google Pixel or Similar Phone
Add Your Medical Information and Emergency Contacts
- Open the Safety app. (Google notes it is only on some phones.)
- Tap Your info, then Medical information. Add details such as blood type, allergies and medications.
- Go back and tap Emergency contacts, then Add contact, and choose a family member or friend.
- Under Your info, tap Emergency info access and choose Show when locked, so responders can see it without unlocking the phone.
Set Up Emergency SOS
- Open Settings, tap Safety & emergency, then Emergency SOS, then Start setup.
- Confirm your local emergency number (911 in the US).
- Choose which contacts should get your information and location.
- Allow location access “While using the app.”
- Decide whether to turn on video recording. This is optional.
- Choose how SOS starts: either touch and hold a button, or start automatically after a countdown. With the countdown, you can turn on an alarm sound.
- Tap Done.
To use it, press the power button five or more times quickly. Then touch and hold the red circle for three seconds, or let the countdown finish. Google notes that Emergency SOS does not work in airplane mode or when Battery Saver is on.
Other Helpful Features on Pixel-Style Phones
- Emergency sharing: In the Safety app, you can share your live location with your emergency contacts. Google says sharing ends on its own after 24 hours.
- Video recording: If you turned it on, the phone can record up to 45 minutes of video during an SOS. Google says shared links to those videos expire after seven days.
- A lock screen message: You can add a short line of text to your lock screen, such as “If found, call my daughter” with a phone number. Go to Settings, then Display, Lock screen and Add text on lock screen.
Take a moment to look at your lock screen after setup, so you know what someone else would see in an emergency. Only add details you are comfortable with a stranger reading.
On a Samsung Galaxy Phone
Add Your Medical Information and Emergency Contacts
- Open Settings and tap Safety and emergency.
- Tap Medical info, fill in your details and tap Save.
- Go back, tap Emergency contacts, then Add emergency contact.
Set Up Emergency SOS
- In Settings, tap Safety and emergency, then Emergency SOS.
- Turn it on. Help is started by pressing the Side button five times.
- Choose the countdown length and whether a warning sound plays.
- Check that the emergency number is right for where you live.
- Turn on Send SOS to emergency contacts and add the people you want alerted.
Show Your Info on the Lock Screen
Samsung’s steps for this are a little different. In Settings, tap Safety and emergency, then Emergency sharing, tap Start emergency sharing, and turn on Show on Lock screen. If you do not see these exact words, use the search bar at the top of Settings and type “emergency.”
Samsung says that after an SOS call, the phone can send your location, a photo and a voice recording to your contacts, with location updates for a time afterward. An active SIM card is needed to send these alerts. Samsung also notes that menus can vary by carrier, model and software version.
Good Habits
- Tell your emergency contacts that you added them, so a message from your phone does not surprise them.
- Review your medical information whenever your medicines or doctors change.
- Avoid testing Emergency SOS in a way that places a real call to 911.
- Keep your phone charged when you go out alone, such as on a walk.
More on Seniors Tips
- How to Make Your Android Phone Easier to See and Hear
- How to Set Up Medical ID and Emergency SOS on Your iPhone
- How to Turn On Live Captions on Your iPhone or Android Phone
