How to Activate Emergency SOS on Android and iPhone
Well, none of us like to be stuck in a dangerous and emergency situation, right? But life has its ups and downs, and it’s best to be prepared for the unexpected. The good news is that the smartphone we carry every day has a hidden but incredibly vital feature that can act as a real lifesaver in critical situations: the Emergency SOS feature.
It doesn’t take more than two minutes to activate, but it can save your life or the lives of your loved ones in moments when every second counts. This feature is a built-in safety tool that allows you to quickly and easily call emergency services and let your trusted contacts know that you need help. This tutorial on how to activate Emergency SOS (Call and Message) on Android and iPhone is here to show you exactly what this feature is and how you can activate it on your phone.
And why should you activate it today?
The SOS feature on most smartphones starts a series of predefined tasks with a simple gesture (usually pressing the power button several times in a row). These are the main functions:
- Call emergency: The first and most important thing it does is automatically call the local emergency number. This call is usually made without you having to unlock the phone, and even if your SIM card is out of charge or your operator’s antenna is broken, the phone will try to connect the call through other networks.
- Notify emergency contacts: At the same time or immediately after making an emergency call, the phone sends a prepared text message to your friends or family members who you have selected as emergency contacts. This message tells them that you are in a dangerous situation.
- Send location (Location Sharing): The most important part of this message is a link to your exact location on a map (usually Google Maps). On many phones, this feature doesn’t just stop at a message; the device tracks your location for a set period of time (say, 24 hours) and sends your new location to your emergency contacts every few minutes (say, every 15 or 30 minutes).
- Send more information: Some brands go a step further. For example, Samsung phones can add a 5-second audio clip of ambient sound and photos from the front and rear cameras to the emergency message to give your contacts a better understanding of the situation. Google Pixel phones can even record up to 45 minutes of emergency video and automatically share it with your contacts.
Today, the SOS feature has evolved from a simple call button to an intelligent safety ecosystem. It no longer just waits for your command. New Apple and Google phones have advanced sensors that can automatically detect events like a serious car accident or a fall from a height. If you don’t react after such an incident, your phone will automatically activate SOS mode and call for help. This means that your phone has transformed from a communication tool into a personal protector that can try to save your life even when you can’t do anything yourself.
Two important things you should do before activating the SOS feature
Before we get to the SOS activation tutorial for different brands, there are two very important preparation steps that will multiply the impact of this feature. You do these things once and for all and can give key information to rescuers in critical moments.
Adding Emergency Contacts
These are the people who will be the first to know when you activate SOS. So it’s important to choose the right people. Try to choose people who:
- Are trustworthy and responsible.
- Are usually available and respond quickly to messages and calls.
- Can keep their cool and handle critical situations.
You can choose one or more (usually up to 4) family members or close friends. The process for adding them varies slightly from brand to brand, as we’ll explain in more detail in the next sections, but it’s usually done through your phone’s safety settings or health app.
Adding Medical ID
Almost all smartphones today have a feature called “Medical ID.” This is like a digital emergency card that stores your vital medical information. Information such as: - Blood type
- Allergies (especially to medications)
- Specific illnesses (such as diabetes, asthma, heart disease)
- Medications you take
The most important feature is that rescuers can access this information through the emergency contact screen without even unlocking the phone. Imagine you have lost consciousness in an accident; this information can help the medical team provide you with the best and fastest treatment and avoid prescribing and giving you medications that are dangerous for you. Be sure to take this section seriously.
How to activate SOS on Android and iPhone phones
Now that you are familiar with the general situation, it is time to get started and activate this feature on your phone. Here we have brought you a step-by-step guide for the most popular brands. The world of phones is very colorful and this SOS feature is also a little different in each brand. This table will help you quickly get an overview of SOS features across different brands and what to expect from your phone.
Feature iPhone (Apple) Samsung (Samsung) Xiaomi (Xiaomi) Google Pixel (Google Pixel)
Main Path (Main Path) Settings > Emergency SOS Settings > Safety and emergency Settings > Passwords & security or Safety & emergency Settings > Safety & emergency
Activation Method (Trigger) Press or hold the buttons 5 times 3 or 4 times Press the button 5 times Press the button 5 times Press the button 5 times
Send Photo/Audio No Yes, 5-second photo and audio No Video recording up to 45 minutes
Unique Features Satellite communication, accident and fall detection 24-hour location tracking, automatic contact with the contact Simplicity and focus on sending location messages Personal safety app, safety check, accident detection
Settings in the app (Setup in App) Health Settings Settings Personal Safety
iPhone (iOS): Apple’s stylish and smart security
You know Apple, everything is in order and the SOS feature is the same. The user experience is pretty much the same on all iPhones, and it’s easy to figure out. This coordination between hardware, software, and core apps (like Health) has allowed Apple to create a very robust and well-coordinated security system.
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- Find Settings: Go to Settings and scroll down to Emergency SOS. This is your command center for all things emergency on your iPhone.
- Choose your activation method: On this screen, you have two main options for activating SOS, which you can turn on either or both of:
Call with 5 Button Presses: Pressing the side button (the lock button) 5 times in quick succession will start a countdown and place an emergency call. This method is great for quick and silent activation.
Call with Hold and Release: Holding down the side button and one of the volume buttons at the same time will bring up a slider and a countdown. If you hold the buttons until the end of the countdown, the call will be placed automatically. This “push” method reduces the chance of the alarm being activated. - Set up contacts and medical information (this step is very important): On the same Emergency SOS page, scroll down and tap Set up Emergency Contacts in Health. This will take you to the Health app.
- In the Health app, tap your profile picture in the top right and select Medical ID.
- Tap Edit. Here you can enter all your medical information (illnesses, allergies, blood type, etc.).
- A little further down, you will reach the Emergency Contacts section. Tap add emergency contact and add the people you want from your contact list.
Cool Features of Apple’s Ecosystem
- Emergency SOS via Satellite: This revolutionary feature is available on iPhones 14 and later. If you’re in a place like a mountain or desert with no cell phone or Wi-Fi, your iPhone can send an SMS to emergency services via satellite. To use it, just point the phone towards the sky according to the visual guide on the screen. There’s even a demo mode in the settings to practice it.
- Crash Detection & Fall Detection: Newer iPhones and Apple Watches can detect a serious car accident or bad fall with their advanced sensors. If you don’t respond to the on-screen alerts after the accident, the device will automatically call emergency services. This is a great example of how Apple’s “safety ecosystem” works.
Samsung (One UI): Personalization for peace of mind
Samsung has left the user’s hand open for customization, and its SOS feature is also very complete and flexible. Unlike the standard Apple experience, in the Android world, the directions and options may vary slightly depending on your phone model and OS version. If you can’t find the path we’re going to show you, just search for “SOS” in the Settings search bar.
- Find the settings: Go to Settings, then Safety and emergency. On some older models, this option may be under Advanced features.
- Enable and add contacts: Tap Send SOS messages and turn on the switch at the top of the screen. The first time you do, your phone will ask you to add at least one emergency contact to activate the feature.
- Customize the activation method: One of the cool things about Samsung is that it lets you choose between triple-pressing or quadrupling the side button to activate SOS. This way, you can strike a good balance between speed and avoiding annoying alerts.
- Data Power: Photo and Audio: On this page, you can enable the following options, which are a special advantage for Samsung phones:
- Attach pictures: If you enable this, when sending a message, a photo from the front camera and a photo from the rear camera will be taken and added to the message.
- Attach audio recording: This option records and sends a 5-second audio clip of the ambient sound so that your contacts have a better understanding of the situation.
- Other features:
- Auto call someone: You can set the phone to call one of your emergency contacts after sending a message.
- 24-hour tracking: After activation, your location will be shared for up to 24 hours and updated every 15 or 30 minutes.
- Guide to Buying the Best Xiaomi Handsfree (August 2025)
Xiaomi (MIUI and HyperOS): Fast and hassle-free access
Xiaomi usually simplifies things and looks for a quick and easy way. The SOS feature is also easy to set up on Xiaomi phones, although the path may vary slightly depending on the version of the user interface (MIUI or HyperOS).
- Find the settings: The main path on most Xiaomi phones is Settings > Passwords & security > Emergency SOS. On newer models with the HyperOS user interface, this option may be located under Settings > Safety & emergency. If you can’t find it, use the settings search.
- Activate and add contacts: Turn on the Emergency SOS switch. The system will ask you to accept the terms and then add at least one emergency contact.
- How it works: The standard activation method on Xiaomi phones is to quickly press the power button 5 times. After this, an SMS with a link to your location on Google Maps will be sent to your emergency contacts. This simplicity is the main strength of Xiaomi’s SOS.
Google Pixel: Artificial Intelligence at Your Service
Google has created a dedicated app for Pixel phones called Personal Safety, which is a sort of command center for all things security. This approach has created a deep and integrated experience.
- Command Center: The Personal Safety app: Almost all emergency settings are managed in this app. You may need to sign in with your Google account the first time you open it.
2 Find the settings: Go to Settings > Safety & emergency > Emergency SOS. This will start the setup process in the Personal Safety app. - A full set of features:
- Activation method: Activate by pressing the power button 5 times.
- Final confirmation: To prevent it from activating, you can choose between two options: either you have to touch and hold the red circle on the screen for a few seconds (Touch & hold) or wait for the 5-second countdown to finish.
- Record emergency video: This is one of the cool features of the Pixel. The phone can record up to 45 minutes of footage. This video is automatically saved to your Google account and can be sent to your emergency contacts.
- Car Crash Detection: Like Apple, Pixel phones can detect a serious accident and automatically call for help.
- Safety Check: This is a special feature. You can set a timer for a specific task (like walking home at night). If you don’t report back by the end of that time, the app will alert your contacts.
Save your life by enabling SOS!
Enabling SOS is one of those small, minute-long tasks that could save your life one day. It’s a powerful tool that’s free and only takes a few minutes to set up. By putting in that little bit of time, you’re adding an important layer of security to your life.
Key points to remember
Try it! Don’t be afraid to experiment and learn. Apple and Pixel phones have a demo mode. On other phones, you can also start the process and cancel it before the countdown ends or rings. This practice will help you act faster and more accurately in stressful situations.
- Preventing accidental alerts: The designers of this feature also thought about accidental activation. The countdown, the alert sound, and the need for final confirmation on the screen are all to prevent this problem. If for some reason you call the emergency number by mistake, do not hang up. Stay on the line and tell the operator that it was a mistake and that you do not want help.
- Network and SIM card requirements: Remember that to call official emergency numbers (such as 112), you usually do not need your operator’s antenna or even a SIM card in your phone. However, to send SMS, location, photos, and audio to your emergency contacts, you must be connected to the network and your SIM card must be valid for sending SMS. The iPhone and Pixel’s satellite capabilities are the only exception to this rule.
So, now that you’ve learned the ins and outs of this pocket lifeguard, it’s your turn. Grab your phone right now, go to Settings, and turn on SOS. Carefully enter your medical information and emergency contacts. This simple step is the most valuable investment you can make for your own safety and the peace of mind of your loved ones. Share this guide with your friends and family so they can use this safety shield too.
