London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 31, 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

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×