SOS is short for “Save Our Souls”, or “Save Our Ship”, depending on the circumstances. SOS features are often associated with emergency assistance. If you press a specific button on your smartphone, you can easily contact emergency services.
Users can activate SOS on an iPhone by pressing either the volume button, or the side button. A countdown timer and a siren appear after activation. After activation, the emergency services are contacted. This feature is only available on iOS 11 or later devices.
You never know when you might need the SOS function.
What is SOS for iPhone?
SOS, as mentioned above, is an acronym for “Save Our Souls”, “Save Our Ship”, and is frequently associated with emergency situations. Continuing that thought process, the SOS feature on iPhones was designed to quickly connect emergency services.
You can activate SOS by pressing the volume button on your iPhone or the side button. The alarm will sound and the emergency services will then be called. Your Medical ID is shared with emergency services in medical emergencies.
SOS is a useful feature in situations of emergency, such as car accidents, injuries, accidents, medical crises, and other life-threatening situations.
The SOS feature and emergency calls are often confused, possibly because they serve the same purpose. The SOS feature is similar to the emergency calls, but it has a small difference. It allows you to quickly call emergency services and share your location as well as Medical ID. Emergency Calls allows you to contact help even if your phone is locked.
You can activate SOS on iPhone 8 or later models by pressing both the volume and side buttons. The emergency slider will appear, and you can drag it to request help. You can also keep pressing the buttons until the countdown begins and the emergency services are automatically called. When no Wifi or cellular network is available on iPhone 14, emergency SOS via satellite can be used.
How to turn off SOS on iPhone
Like any other feature, you can customize or turn off the SOS on your iPhone. This is a guide on how to disable the SOS and Automatic Emergency Calls.
- Go to Settings > Emergency SOS
- If you do not want to receive automatic emergency calls after the countdown siren, turn off the “Call With Hold and Release” option and the “Call With 3 Button Presses”.
You can turn on “Call Quietly”, if you do not want to completely disable SOS. You can now call emergency services without the sirens or flashes.
There are many reasons to turn off the SOS.
- Accidental phone calls made by children, pocket dials or other causes
- Interruptions during meetings, school, etc.
- Privacy concerns when sharing location
Despite their inconvenience, SOS and emergency calls serve a very important purpose. You can use these alternative options in an emergency.
- Medical ID You can create your Medical ID via the Health App. Open the app, go to your profile and add any medical information. Medical ID has the advantage of being accessible even if your iPhone is locked. In emergencies, first responders can view your medical details (like allergies, special health conditions, etc.) To help you better.
- Emergency contacts– The Health App allows you to add emergency contact numbers. They will be contacted in case of a life-threatening situation. Click on the Health App, then Medical ID. Enter the numbers of those you want to be contacted.
- Third Party Apps – You can download apps like Red Cross Emergency and CPR from the App Store for emergency situations.
Troubleshooting SOS for iPhone
SOS is generally a smooth operation on iPhone, but there may be some glitches. Here are some of the most common SOS issues and a quick guide on how you can fix them.
- There is no siren when you activate– Make sure that the volume of your ringtone is set to maximum and your phone isn’t in “silent mode”.
- Your emergency contacts have not received notifications– Check that you have entered your emergency contacts correctly in the Health App. You can add emergency contacts by going to the Health App. Tap on your profile, then open Medical ID.
- Your screen has “frozen”.– If your screen does not respond, you can try restarting it.
- Can’t share location – If the app won’t let you share your location, make sure that location permissions have been enabled. Go to Settings > Location & Services, then click on System Services. Toggle “Emergency calls & SOS” on.
If you accidentally activate the SOS you can either click the “stop” or side button again. If you want to avoid these accidents, either disable the SOS function or change the settings. Go to Settings > Emergency SOS. You can change the way SOS is activated.
If you mess with the settings, automatic emergency calls can have some issues. Here are a few common problems with automatic emergency call and quick fixes.
- Check the SOS settings to see if the “Auto Calls” feature is enabled.
- You may need to add emergency contacts to the Health App if you do not receive any calls from your emergency contacts.
- Make sure that your carrier supports emergency calls
Security and privacy concerns
In emergency situations, as mentioned above, SOS will share your location and any medical information. Some people are hesitant to share these details but they could be vital to saving your life.
These quick tips will help you to SOS in a safe manner.
- Choose your contacts for emergencies wisely. Add people you know who are nearby such as family, friends or coworkers.
- Use the SOS feature to familiarize yourself with its use in an emergency.
- Do not use the SOS feature to create false alarms, or for pranks. Also, prevent accidental activation.
- If you are concerned about privacy, make sure to review the SOS settings and adjust them according to your preferences.
You might also receive an SOS message or call. It is easy to panic in such situations, as you need to act fast. Here’s what to do.
- Confirm that the SOS is real. To confirm, you can text or call the person who sent the SOS. You must act quickly. The person who sent it may not be able call or text you to confirm.
- You should take the appropriate steps to assist the caller if it is genuine.
- You can contact the authorities if it’s a false alarm.
Stress is certain to be caused by an emergency call, whether it’s genuine or not. Customizing your settings will ensure there are no false alarms. You can, for example, turn off the automatic-call feature to avoid calling emergency contacts.
FAQs
What’s the difference between SOS on iPhone and Emergency Calls?
SOS and emergency calls serve the same purpose, but there is a small difference. SOS automatically calls emergency services and sends your location and medical ID. Emergency Calls allows you to call emergency services even if your phone has been locked.
How can I activate SOS for my iPhone?
This is a quick guide on how to activate SOS for your iPhone.
Step 1: Go to Settings Step 2: Click on “Emergency SMS”
Step 3: Customize the settings for SOS by turning on the toggles. Step 4: Add emergency contacts
That’s it!
Medical ID can be used to better assist you in an emergency.
How can I customize my iPhone’s SOS settings?
You can select what activates the SOS feature and how it functions. Also, you can decide who contacts. Most of the settings can be changed. You can adjust the settings by going to Settings > Emergency SOS.
How can I disable automatic emergency calls from my iPhone?
How to disable automatic emergency calls – Step 1. Open the Settings App
Step 2: Go to Emergency SOS
Step 3: Turn off the options “Call With Hold and Release” or “Call With 3 Presses”.
What do I do if an unexpected SOS message or call comes through?
What to do when you receive a SOS message or call
- Be sure to not panic, and that you understand the nature of an emergency.
- If you need to, contact the emergency services.
- Contact the family members or emergency contacts
- It may look like an accident, but make sure the caller is not in danger
How can I troubleshoot SOS problems on my iPhone?
If there are any problems with the SOS system, you can try these steps:
- If you want the SOS feature to work, make sure your iPhone is connected via WiFi or cellular network. You can use satellite in iPhone 14 series.
- Check the settings to see if “Call With Hold and Release” or “Call With 3 Presses”.
- Location sharing must be enabled
- Restart the device if you are experiencing any software problems
Contact Apple customer service if you cannot resolve the problem.