Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Friday, Aug 22, 2025

How to add an emergency contact on your iPhone, and what they're used for

How to add an emergency contact on your iPhone, and what they're used for

Your emergency contacts appear on your iPhone's Medical ID, and receive a text if you use the Emergency SOS feature.

Over the last few years, Apple has put a lot of work into turning their smart devices into full-fledged medical assistants. You can track your heart rate, count calories, and even automatically call for help after a car crash.

And although it's not as fancy, there's also a useful feature that lets you add anyone you want as an "emergency contact." Here's how the system works, and how to use it.


How the iPhone's emergency contact system works


The iPhone's emergency contact system is pretty simple. To add someone as your emergency contact, they need to be saved to your iPhone's Contacts list with a cellphone number.

Adding someone as an emergency contact won't send them any sort of notification. But if you ever use your iPhone's Emergency SOS feature, which lets you quickly call emergency services, your contact will receive a text message with your current location.

And any emergency contact you add will also be listed on your iPhone's Medical ID, the digital card that holds your most important medical information for first responders to view.


How to add an emergency contact on your iPhone


There are two ways to add an emergency contact: Using the Health app, or the Settings app.


The Health app


1. Open the Health app and tap Browse in the bottom-right corner of the screen.

2. Tap your Apple ID picture in the top-right corner, and then Medical ID.

Open your Health app's Medical ID menu.


3. Tap Edit in the top-right.

4. Scroll down to the Emergency Contacts section and tap add emergency contact.

Add your emergency contact by tapping the green plus sign option.


5. Choose someone from your Contacts list and specify how they're related to you.

6. Repeat this for all the contacts you want to add, and then tap Done in the top-right.

To delete an emergency contact, head back to the Medical ID menu and tap Edit, and then tap the red minus sign next to the contact you're removing.


The Settings app


1. Open the Settings app and scroll down to tap Health.

2. Tap Medical ID, and then Edit in the top-right corner.

The Settings app has this menu too.


3. Scroll down and tap add emergency contact.

4. Pick someone from your Contacts list and select how they're related to you.

5. Repeat this for all the contacts you want to add, and then tap Done in the top-right.

You can also delete emergency contacts by editing your Medical ID again and tapping the red minus sign next to the contact you want to remove.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Dogfights in the Skies: Airbus on Track to Overtake Boeing and Claim Aviation Supremacy
Tim Cook Promises an AI Revolution at Apple: "One of the Most Significant Technologies of Our Generation"
Are AI Data Centres the Infrastructure of the Future or the Next Crisis?
Miles Worth Billions: How Airlines Generate Huge Profits
Zelenskyy Returns to White House Flanked by European Allies as Trump Pressures Land-Swap Deal with Putin
Beijing is moving into gold and other assets, diversifying away from the dollar
Cristiano Ronaldo Makes Surprise Stop at New Hong Kong Museum
Zelenskyy to Visit Washington after Trump–Putin Summit Yields No Agreement
High-Stakes Trump-Putin Summit on Ukraine Underway in Alaska
Iranian Protection Offers Chinese Vehicle Shipments a Cost Advantage over Japanese and Korean Makers
Saudi Arabia accelerates renewables to curb domestic oil use
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez announce engagement
Asia-Pacific dominates world’s busiest flight routes, with South Korea’s Jeju–Seoul corridor leading global rankings
Private Welsh island with 19th-century fort listed for sale at over £3 million
Sam Altman challenges Elon Musk with plans for Neuralink rival
Australia to Recognize the State of Palestine at UN Assembly
The Collapse of the Programmer Dream: AI Experts Now the Real High-Earners
Armenia and Azerbaijan to Sign US-Brokered Framework Agreement for Nakhchivan Corridor
British Labour Government Utilizes Counter-Terrorism Tools for Social Media Monitoring Against Legitimate Critics
WhatsApp Deletes 6.8 Million Scam Accounts Amid Rising Global Fraud
Nine people have been hospitalized and dozens of salmonella cases have been reported after an outbreak of infections linked to certain brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, according to the Public Health Agency of Canada
Texas Residents Face Water Restrictions While AI Data Centers Consume Millions of Gallons
Tariffs, AI, and the Shifting U.S. Macro Landscape: Navigating a New Economic Regime
India Rejects U.S. Tariff Threat, Defends Russian Oil Purchases
United States Establishes Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and Digital Asset Stockpile
Thousands of Private ChatGPT Conversations Accidentally Indexed by Google
China Tightens Mineral Controls, Curtailing Critical Inputs for Western Defence Contractors
OpenAI’s Bold Bet: Teaching AI to Think, Not Just Chat
BP’s Largest Oil and Gas Find in 25 Years Uncovered Offshore Brazil
JPMorgan and Coinbase Unveil Partnership to Let Chase Cardholders Buy Crypto Directly
British Tourist Dies Following Hair Transplant in Turkey, Police Investigate
WhatsApp Users Targeted in New Scam Involving Account Takeovers
Trump Deploys Nuclear Submarines After Threats from Former Russian President Medvedev
Germany’s Economic Breakdown and the Return of Militarization: From Industrial Collapse to a New Offensive Strategy
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
President Trump Diagnosed with Chronic Venous Insufficiency After Leg Swelling
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
Kurdistan Workers Party Takes Symbolic Step Towards Peace in Northern Iraq
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
×