That small computer in your pocket can get you unlost, turn your high school Spanish into the real thing, hail a cab and even, when absolutely necessary, enable you to have a verbal conversation with another human being.
On top of all the amazing things that a smartphone can do, it can also keep you, and your friends, safe in those not fun moments, when something bad has, or could, happen.
In the spirit of education, we have put together a list of safety features that your iPhone or Android have built in, and how to use them. Hey Siri, call 911.
iOS
Automatically call the local emergency number and share your location
1. Press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons at the same time until the Emergency Call slider appears.
2. Drag the Emergency Call slider to call emergency services.
Use a locked iPhone in an emergency
Use someone else's iPhone, to place an emergency call or view the owner's Medical ID without unlocking the phone.
1. With the Lock screen showing, swipe up from the bottom edge of the iPhone or press the Home button.
2. Tap Emergency, then make the call or tap Medical ID.
Text 911
1. In the Messages app on your iPhone, create a new message with 911 in the “To” field.
2. Type your emergency and send.
Hey Siri, call 911
Siri is a quick, hands-free way to get emergency help.
Set up your Medical ID for first responders
Emergency workers can view your critical medical information — such as allergies, medical conditions, and emergency contacts — without unlocking your iPhone or Apple Watch.
How to set up your Medical ID
1. Open the Health app and tap the Summary tab.
2. Tap your profile picture in the upper-right corner.
3. Under your profile picture, tap Medical ID.
4. Tap Edit in the upper-right corner.
5. To make your Medical ID available from the Lock screen on your iPhone, turn on Show When Locked. In an emergency, this gives information to people who want to help. To share your Medical ID with emergency responders, turn on Share During Emergency Call. When you make a call or send a text to emergency services on your iPhone or Apple Watch, your Medical ID will automatically be shared with emergency services.
6. Enter health information like your date of birth, allergies, and blood type.
7. Tap Done.
Request Roadside Assistance via satellite
Using iPhone 14 or later with iOS 17, you can text for roadside assistance when you're outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
1. In Messages, tap the New Message button to start a conversation.
2. In the address field, type "Roadside." When you're off the grid with no cellular and Wi-Fi coverage, you'll see the option to request Roadside Assistance via satellite.
3. Tap "Roadside Assistance."
4. Follow the onscreen instructions to connect to a satellite and request help.
How to use Emergency SOS via satellite on iPhone 14
Use Emergency SOS via satellite on iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro models to help connect with emergency services when you’re outside of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage.
Android
Use Emergency SOS to call for help, alert your contacts and record videos
1. On your phone, press the power button five times or more.
2. Depending on your settings, touch and hold inside the red circle for three seconds or wait for the automatic countdown to start the emergency call.
3. After you start an emergency call, other emergency actions begin based on your settings.
With the Emergency Sharing and video recording turned on, these actions will start while the call is placed to emergency services.
Send your location automatically
To help responders find you, your phone's location can be sent when you dial or text an emergency number, like when you dial 911.
1. On your phone, open the Settings app.
2. Tap Location
3. Location services
4. Emergency Location Service or Google Emergency Location Service.
5. Turn Emergency Location Service or Google Emergency Location Service on or off.
Share your location with your emergency contacts
Share your location, updates about where you are and your battery percentage with emergency contacts. You must give the Personal Safety app permission to access your location.
To use emergency sharing, you'll need:
- At least one emergency contact.
- To grant the Safety app "While in Use" location permissions.
- An internet connection with Location Services turned on.
Start emergency sharing
1. On your phone, open the Safety app.
2. Tap Emergency sharing.
3. Select who you want to share your real-time location with.
- You can also add an optional message.
4. Tap Share
- You can tap the notification banner to view the details of your "Emergency sharing."
Schedule a safety check
Use a safety check when you walk in an unfamiliar area or go to a party. You must grant "While in Use" location permissions to the Safety app.
1. On your phone, open the Safety app.
2. Tap Safety check.
3. Select your Reason and Duration.
- You can set the check at any duration for up to 24 hours.
4. Tap Next.
5. Select your contacts.
6. Tap Start.
Mark yourself safe
When it's time to check for your safety, you'll get an alert for 60 seconds before emergency sharing begins. If you mark yourself safe, the emergency share will be canceled. You can stop the safety check at any time through the notification. If you don't choose one of the options in 60 seconds, emergency sharing will begin.
1. When you get the notification, choose one of the options:
- I'm OK
- Start sharing now
- Call 911
2. If your phone is locked, you might need to unlock it.
If your phone turns off or loses signal, the safety check will remain active and will start an emergency share with your last known location at the scheduled check-in time
Get Crisis Alert
Opt in to crisis alerts and get notified in the Safety app about public emergencies or local crises, like natural disasters. Crisis alert notifications include a link to the Safety app's homepage where you can find extra information about the event.
1. On your phone, open the Safety app.
2. Tap Features Crisis alerts.
3. Turn Crisis alerts on or off.