What an emergency contact does on iPhone
An emergency contact on iPhone is a person's name and phone number that appears on your lock screen when someone holds down the power button during an emergency. It does not unlock your phone or give access to your data — it only shows a way to reach someone you trust if you are injured, lost, or in crisis and cannot communicate yourself.
The emergency contact feature is separate from your regular contacts. It lives in the Health app, which is built into every iPhone. When you set it up, you choose one or more people and their phone numbers. If you are unconscious or unable to speak, a first responder or bystander can press the Emergency SOS button on your lock screen, and your contact's name and number will appear right there.
This is different from an ICE (In Case of Emergency) contact written on paper in your wallet. The iPhone version is faster and more reliable because it does not require someone to search your pockets or remember what ICE means.
Key Takeaways
- Emergency contacts are stored in the Health app, not in your regular Contacts, and show on the lock screen during an emergency call.
- You can add up to five emergency contacts, and each one will see their name and number on the SOS screen.
- Adding an emergency contact takes about two minutes and requires only a name and phone number — the person does not need to be in your regular contacts first.
- Your emergency contacts cannot see your medical information unless you also add them to your Medical ID, which is a separate step.
How to add your first emergency contact
Open the Health app on your iPhone — it has a white icon with a red heart and is usually on your home screen or in the Utilities folder. Tap the profile icon in the top right corner, then tap Medical ID. If you have never set up a Medical ID before, tap Create Medical ID.
Scroll down to the Emergency Contacts section. Tap Add Emergency Contact. A screen will appear asking you to choose a contact from your phone's address book. Select the person you want to add. Their name and phone number will now appear as your emergency contact.
If the person is not already in your Contacts app, you can add them first by opening Contacts, tapping the plus sign, entering their name and number, and saving. Then return to Health and add them as described above.
Adding multiple emergency contacts
You can add up to five emergency contacts on a single iPhone. Each one will appear on your emergency SOS screen in the order you added them. To add a second contact, open Health, tap your profile icon, tap Medical ID, scroll to Emergency Contacts, and tap Add Emergency Contact again. Choose the next person from your Contacts.
If you want to change the order — for example, to put your spouse first instead of your parent — tap Edit in the Medical ID screen, then tap and hold the three horizontal lines next to each contact's name and drag them up or down. Tap Done when you are finished.
To remove an emergency contact, tap Edit in Medical ID, tap the red minus sign next to their name, and tap Delete. The contact will stay in your regular Contacts app; you are only removing them from the emergency list.
The difference between emergency contacts and Medical ID
Your emergency contact is just a name and phone number. Your Medical ID is a separate section in the Health app where you can store additional information that a first responder might need — your blood type, allergies, medications, organ donor status, or a note about a medical condition.
Adding someone as an emergency contact does not automatically give them access to your Medical ID. If you want your emergency contact to see your blood type or allergies, you need to add them separately in the Medical ID section by tapping Add Medical ID Contact. This is optional and is a different action than adding an emergency contact.
Most people add the same person to both lists — for example, a spouse or parent — so that person can reach you and also see your medical information if needed. But you can have different people in each list if you prefer.
What happens when someone calls your emergency contact
When a first responder or bystander presses Emergency SOS on your lock screen, they see a large red button labeled Emergency Call. Below that, they see your emergency contact's name and phone number. They can tap the number to call that person directly from your phone.
The call comes from your phone number, not from the responder's phone. Your emergency contact will see an incoming call from your number and will not know when ready why they are being called — the responder has to explain. This is why it helps to choose someone who will recognize your number and answer quickly.
Your emergency contact does not receive a notification that you have set them as an emergency contact. They only learn about someone actually calls them during an emergency. You should tell them in advance that you have listed them, so they understand what the call means if it comes.
Emergency contacts on older iPhone models
The Health app and Medical ID feature work on iPhone 6s and newer. If you have an older iPhone, you cannot add an emergency contact through the Health app. Your only option is to write ICE and a phone number on a card in your wallet or on your phone case itself.
If you have an iPhone 6s or later but have never opened the Health app, it is already on your phone — you just need to find it. Swipe down from the top of your home screen to open search, type Health, and tap the app when it appears. Then follow the steps above to add your emergency contact.
Keeping your emergency contact information current
If your emergency contact changes their phone number, you need to update it in the Health app. Open Health, tap your profile icon, tap Medical ID, tap Edit, tap the contact whose number changed, and update their phone number. Tap Done to save.
If you move to a new country or change your own phone number, your emergency contact information stays the same — it is stored on your phone, not on Apple's servers. If you get a new iPhone, your emergency contacts will not transfer automatically. You will need to set them up again on the new phone by following the steps above.
Review your emergency contacts once a year to make sure the phone numbers are still correct and the people you listed are still the ones you would want called in a crisis. Life changes — a close friend might move away, or a family member might become unavailable — so it is worth checking periodically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone see my emergency contact without unlocking my phone?
Yes. Your emergency contact's name and phone number appear on the lock screen when someone presses the Emergency SOS button. They do not need your passcode or Face ID to see this information. This is intentional — the whole point is that a first responder can reach someone you trust even if your phone is locked.
What if I do not want to add an emergency contact?
You do not have to add an emergency contact. It is optional. If you never set one up, the Emergency SOS screen will straightforward not show a contact name or number. A first responder can still call 911 from your phone by pressing the Emergency Call button.
Can I add someone who is not in my Contacts app?
The Health app only lets you choose from people already in your Contacts. If you want to add someone as an emergency contact, you must add them to Contacts first. Open Contacts, tap the plus sign, enter their name and phone number, and save. Then go back to Health and add them as an emergency contact.
Will my emergency contact be notified automatically?
No. Your emergency contact only gets called if a first responder or bystander actively chooses to call them from your lock screen. They will not receive a notification just because you added them to your Medical ID. You should tell them in person that you have listed them, so they know what to expect.
What if my emergency contact does not answer the call?
The responder will hear it ring and can leave a voicemail. If the call goes unanswered, the responder can still call 911 or use other information on your phone to help you. Having an emergency contact is helpful but not essential — first responders are trained to help people even when they cannot reach a contact.