Your phone has more safety features built into it than most people realise. They are free, they only take a few minutes to set up, and they can make a real difference in an emergency. Here is what is there and how to turn it on.
Emergency SOS
This is the headline feature. With one set of button presses, your phone will call 000, send a text to your emergency contacts, and share your location with them — all at once.
On iPhone
Press and hold the side button and either volume button together for a few seconds. A "SOS" slider appears. Slide it, and your phone calls 000. After the call ends, it texts your emergency contacts with your location.
To set this up: Settings → Emergency SOS. Add your emergency contacts at the bottom.
On Android (Samsung, Pixel, etc.)
The button combination varies slightly by brand but is usually pressing the power button five times quickly. On a Samsung, go to Settings → Safety and Emergency → Emergency SOS to set it up and choose your contacts.
Important note
The SOS feature works even on a locked phone. That means if you cannot unlock it or someone else picks up your phone, help can still be called. It also works if you have no SIM card — it will use any available network for the emergency call.
Medical ID
Medical ID stores important health information — allergies, medications, blood type, emergency contacts — and makes it accessible from the lock screen of your phone, without anyone needing to unlock it.
If you collapse and a stranger or paramedic picks up your phone, they can see this information immediately. It can be life-saving.
On iPhone
Open the Health app → tap your profile picture (top right) → Medical ID → Edit. Fill in what you want to share and turn on "Show When Locked."
On Android
Settings → Safety and Emergency → Medical Info. Add your details. They will appear when someone taps "Emergency" on the lock screen.
Location sharing with family
This is one to talk to your family about. It lets a trusted family member see where you are on a map, in real time — and you can see where they are too. It is great for peace of mind: kids checking in on aging parents, parents knowing the grandkids made it home safely.
On iPhone (Find My)
Open the "Find My" app → People tab → Start Sharing Location. Pick the family member from your contacts. They will need to share back with you for it to be two-way.
On Android (Google Maps)
Open Google Maps → tap your profile picture → Location sharing → New share. Choose who to share with and for how long (you can pick "until you turn this off" or a set time).
WhatsApp also works
If your family already uses WhatsApp, you can share your live location with them inside a chat — tap the paperclip, then "Location," then "Share live location." Choose how long (15 minutes, 1 hour, or 8 hours) and it stops automatically.
Fall detection
If you have an Apple Watch (Series 4 or later) or a Pixel Watch, the watch can detect when you have a hard fall. If you do not move for about a minute after a fall, it calls emergency services and your emergency contacts automatically.
This feature is turned on by default for users over 55 on Apple Watch. To check or change it on Apple Watch: Settings → SOS → Fall Detection.
Quick wins (do these today)
- Add your emergency contacts. 5 minutes. Settings → Emergency SOS (iPhone) or Safety and Emergency (Android).
- Fill in your Medical ID. 5 minutes. Include allergies and any medications.
- Practice the SOS button combination once — but stop before the call goes through. Just so you know what to do.
- If you have family who would want to know where you are, set up location sharing with one of them.
One important thing
These features are great but they only help if they are set up. The number of people we talk to who own an iPhone or a fancy Android and have never set up Medical ID or emergency contacts is enormous. Take 10 minutes one quiet afternoon and do it. You may never need it. But if you do, you will be very glad it was there.