What happens when you use Emergency SOS on an iPhone?
Your iPhone calls emergency services. You start it by pressing and holding the side button and either volume button until the countdown ends, or, if you've turned it on, by pressing the side button five times quickly. After the call ends, the iPhone texts your emergency contacts with your current location unless you cancel, and keeps sending them location updates for a period of time. It needs cellular service or, on supported models, a satellite connection.
What happens, step by step
01You trigger it
Press and hold the side button and a volume button until the sliders appear and the Emergency SOS countdown ends, then release. With Call with 5 Presses turned on in Settings > Emergency SOS, rapidly pressing the side button five times starts the countdown too. In India the button pattern is different; Apple's page lists it.
02A countdown gives you a chance to stop
By default the iPhone plays a warning sound and counts down before calling. That's your window to cancel if you pressed the buttons by accident, for example with your phone in a tight running belt.
03Your iPhone calls emergency services
It calls the local emergency number, such as 911 in the U.S. In some countries and regions, emergency providers can access your location during the call. If you've turned on Share During Emergency Call in your Medical ID, it can be shared with emergency services too, where available.
04Your emergency contacts get a message
When the call ends, your iPhone sends your emergency contacts a text with your current location, if available, unless you cancel. For a period of time afterward, they receive updates when your location changes. Contacts come from your Medical ID in the Health app, so set them up before you need them.
05If you called by mistake, stay on the line
Apple advises that if an emergency call connects and you don't need help, you shouldn't hang up. Wait for a responder, then explain it was an accident.
Related questions
Does Emergency SOS work with no cell signal?
If your carrier's network is down, the iPhone tries other available networks. On supported models, you may be able to contact emergency services via satellite, which isn't available everywhere. With no network and no satellite access, the call can't go through.
How do I add or change my emergency contacts?
Open the Health app, go to the Summary tab, tap your profile picture, then Medical ID, and tap Edit. Scroll to emergency contacts, add the people who should get the SOS text, and choose their relationship to you. Apple's Emergency SOS settings also link to this screen. Check each number is current, since an old number means the location text goes nowhere.
How is Emergency SOS different from a safety app's SOS?
Emergency SOS calls emergency services. A safety app's SOS usually notifies people you've chosen. Holler's SOS notifies your Guardians with your location by email and push; it does not call 911. Many people set up both, and our guide to phone safety features for runners and hikers compares them.
Can I text 911 instead of calling?
Apple lets you text emergency services from Messages in places that support it. In the U.S., text-to-911 is only available in some areas, and a voice call is always preferred when you can make one. Read more in can you text 911.
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Sources, checked September 2026: Apple Support: Use SOS to contact emergency services on your iPhone, Apple Support: Set up your Medical ID in the Health app on your iPhone.
More safety answers, or see the safety guides.