Hand holding a smartphone at a table

How to Set Up Medical ID and Emergency SOS on Your iPhone

ByTom Becker

In an emergency, you may not be able to tell a paramedic about your allergies, medicines, or who to call. Your iPhone can do some of that for you.

Two built-in features help: Medical ID, which stores key health details, and Emergency SOS, which calls for help quickly. Both take only a few minutes to set up.

These steps are for iPhone with iOS 27, based on Apple’s iPhone User Guide as of October 2026. Apple’s iOS 27 update page lists iOS 27.0.1 as the latest update. If your iPhone runs an older version, some names may be slightly different.

What Is Medical ID?

Medical ID is a page in the Health app that holds information that could matter in an emergency, such as allergies, medical conditions, and emergency contacts.

According to Apple’s Medical ID guide, your iPhone and Apple Watch can share it with first responders in person, and automatically during an emergency call in the U.S. and Canada.

How to Set Up Medical ID

  1. Open the Health app.
  2. Tap your picture, then tap Medical ID.
  3. Tap Get Started (or Edit if you’ve started one before).
  4. Enter your information, such as allergies and medical conditions.
  5. Below Emergency Contacts, tap Add Emergency Contact and choose people from your contacts.
  6. Tap Done.

Quick tip: To see your Medical ID anytime, touch and hold the Health app icon on your Home Screen, then choose Medical ID.

Let First Responders See It

Medical ID only helps if responders can reach it. Two switches control this:

  1. In the Health app, tap your picture, then Medical ID.
  2. Tap Edit and scroll to the bottom.
  3. Turn on Show When Locked. This lets someone view your Medical ID without your passcode.
  4. Turn on Emergency Call. This lets your iPhone share your Medical ID during an emergency call (U.S. and Canada only).
  5. Tap Done.

How First Responders Find It

Apple explains that a responder wakes your locked iPhone, swipes up or presses the Home button (depending on the model), taps Emergency on the passcode screen, then taps Medical ID.

It can also help to tell family members that your Medical ID is set up, so they know to look for it.

What Your Emergency Contacts Will Get

After an emergency call ends, your iPhone sends your emergency contacts a text message, unless you choose to cancel. It includes your current location, if available.

For a period of time after you use SOS, your contacts also get updates when your location changes. It’s a good idea to let them know they’re on your list.

How Emergency SOS Works

Emergency SOS lets you call for help quickly, even if you can’t unlock your phone or dial. Here’s what Apple’s Emergency SOS guide says for the U.S.:

Press and Hold

  1. Press and hold the side button and either volume button at the same time.
  2. Keep holding until the sliders appear and the Emergency SOS countdown ends.
  3. Let go. Your iPhone calls emergency services.

Press the Side Button Five Times

You can also have your iPhone start Emergency SOS when you quickly press the side button five times. To turn this on, go to Settings > Emergency SOS and turn on Call with 5 Presses.

Choose Your SOS Settings

In Settings > Emergency SOS, you can turn these on or off:

  • Call with Hold and Release: hold and release the side and volume buttons to start the countdown.
  • Call with 5 Presses: press the side button five times quickly to start the countdown.

You can also manage your emergency contacts from here. It sends you to the Health app.

Other Ways to Reach Help

  • From the Lock Screen: tap Emergency on the passcode screen, dial 911, then tap the call button.
  • By text: in some areas, you can text 911 from the Messages app. Apple notes this isn’t available everywhere.

Test Carefully, and Never Call 911 Just to Test

It’s smart to check that everything is set up, but please don’t place a real emergency call to try it out. Instead:

  • Open your Medical ID in the Health app and read it over.
  • Check that Show When Locked and Emergency Call are both turned on.
  • Look at Settings > Emergency SOS to see which button options are on.
  • Keep your fingers off the side and volume buttons when you’re just checking settings.

If you call by mistake, don’t hang up. Apple advises waiting until a responder answers, then explaining that you don’t need help. You may also want to let your emergency contacts know, since they may get a text after the call.

A Few Final Tips

  • Update your Medical ID when your health details change.
  • Keep your emergency contacts current.
  • If someone helps you set this up, ask them to show you the button press too.

Sources

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