Most of us carry our phone everywhere, which makes it one of the most useful things we have if something unexpected happens. If you fall, feel unwell in a shop or have a minor accident on the road, the people who come to help will often look for a phone. The trouble is that a locked phone usually hides everything they need: who to call, which medicines you take, and whether you have an allergy.
Both iPhone and Android phones have a built-in way to solve this. You can store emergency contacts and a few medical details that anyone can see from the lock screen, without knowing your passcode. In this guide you will learn what to include, how to set it up on each type of phone, how to check that it works, and a few habits that keep the information useful.
What emergency information does for you
Emergency information on your phone works like the card some people keep in their wallet, but it is easier to update and harder to lose. When it is turned on:
- A helper can open it from the lock screen without unlocking your phone or seeing your messages, photos or apps.
- Paramedics and emergency staff can quickly see allergies, conditions and medicines you have chosen to list.
- The people you trust most can be called straight away, even by someone who does not know them.
Nothing else on the phone becomes visible. Your private information stays locked; only the emergency section can be opened. You decide exactly what goes in it.
What to include (and what to leave out)
Before you open any settings, take a few minutes to gather the information on paper. It makes the setup much faster.
- Emergency contacts. Two or three people who usually answer their phone, such as a son or daughter, a neighbour or a close friend. Ask them first, so they know they are on your list.
- Medical conditions. Only the ones that would matter in an emergency, written in plain words, for example “type 2 diabetes” or “pacemaker.”
- Medicines. The names you see on the box or the pharmacy label. If the list is long, ask your pharmacist or doctor which ones are most important to show.
- Allergies. Especially to medicines, foods or insect stings.
- Other useful notes. For example, “hearing aid in left ear” or “wears contact lenses.”
Leave out anything you would not want a stranger to read, such as your home address, identification numbers or bank details. The emergency screen is meant to be seen by anyone who picks up the phone, so keep it to what helps people help you.
How to set it up on an iPhone
On an iPhone, this feature is called Medical ID and lives in the Health app, which comes already installed. Apple describes the steps on its page about setting up Medical ID on your iPhone. In simple terms:
- Open the Health app (the white icon with a red heart).
- Tap the Summary tab at the bottom, then tap your picture or initials in the top corner.
- Tap Medical ID, then tap Get Started or Edit.
- Fill in the fields you prepared: conditions, medications, allergies and any notes.
- Scroll to Emergency Contacts, tap the plus button and choose a person from your contacts. Pick their relationship to you, such as “Daughter” or “Friend.”
- Make sure Show When Locked is turned on. This is the switch that lets helpers see your Medical ID from the lock screen.
- Tap Done.
Apple also offers an option to share your Medical ID during an emergency call. This works only in some countries, so do not rely on it alone; the lock screen option is the one that helps anywhere.
How a helper opens it on an iPhone
On the lock screen, a helper swipes up or presses the Home button, taps Emergency in the bottom corner of the passcode screen, and then taps Medical ID. It is worth knowing this yourself so you can show family members where to look.
How to set it up on an Android phone
Android phones come from many brands, so menu names can vary a little. On many phones the feature lives in the Personal Safety app, which appears simply as Safety in your list of apps. Google explains the steps on its help page about getting help during an emergency with your Android phone. The usual path is:
- Open the Safety app. If you cannot find it, open Settings and search for “emergency” or “safety.”
- Sign in with your Google Account if you are asked.
- Tap Your info.
- Tap Medical information and fill in the items you prepared, such as allergies and medications.
- Go back, tap Emergency contacts, then Add contact, and choose the people you want.
- Look for Emergency info access and choose Show when locked, so helpers can see it from the lock screen.
On some brands, such as Samsung, you will find similar options under Settings, then Safety and emergency. The names differ slightly, but the idea is the same: add medical information, add emergency contacts and allow them to show on the lock screen.
Emergency SOS on Android
Newer Android phones also include Emergency SOS. According to Google’s article on the Personal Safety app, pressing the power button five or more times can start an emergency call after a short countdown, and the feature can also alert your emergency contacts. You can turn it on in Settings, then Safety and emergency, then Emergency SOS. Google notes it does not work when Battery Saver or airplane mode is on. Because it can call emergency services, try the setup slowly and read each screen carefully so you are comfortable with how it works.
Check that it really works
Setting it up is only half the job. Take two minutes to check it the way a stranger would:
- Lock your phone and put it on the table.
- Without unlocking it, try to open the emergency information the way a helper would.
- Read each line out loud. Is the spelling of your medicines correct? Are the phone numbers right?
- Ask a family member to try it too. If they cannot find it in under a minute, show them how.
Do not call emergency services as a test. Opening the emergency screen to read your information is enough. If you ever start an emergency call by mistake, stay on the line and explain calmly that it was an accident.
Keep it up to date
Emergency information is only helpful when it is correct. A few easy habits keep it that way:
- Update it whenever a doctor changes your medicines or adds a new diagnosis.
- Check your contacts every few months. People change numbers and move away.
- If you get a new phone, set it up again. It does not always transfer by itself.
- Tell your emergency contacts that they are listed, and ask them to save your number with your full name.
A good example: Margaret, 74, added her daughter and her neighbour as contacts, listed her blood thinner and a penicillin allergy, and turned on Show When Locked. Then she showed her daughter how to find it. Later, when she felt dizzy at the supermarket, a staff member opened her Medical ID, called her daughter right away and passed the medication list to the paramedics.
Summary
Your phone can carry the most important information about you in an emergency, even when it is locked. Prepare a short list of contacts, conditions, medicines and allergies. On an iPhone, add them to Medical ID in the Health app and turn on Show When Locked. On Android, use the Safety app or the Safety and emergency settings, add your information and allow it to show when locked. Then test it from the lock screen, show a family member where to find it, and review it whenever something changes. For questions about which medical details matter most for you, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Photo: Hand holding smartphone with blank white screen, by Santeri Viinamäki, license CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped.
Health note: this article explains how to use technology and is not medical advice. Always follow the guidance of your doctor or health team, and seek medical help for any worrying symptom.