How to Add Emergency Contact on iPhone

This guide shows you how to add an emergency contact on your iPhone, which lets medical responders and people you trust see your vital information and reach your loved ones from the lock screen—even when your phone is passcode-protected. You’ll set up your Medical ID and choose who to notify when you use the Emergency SOS feature. You need an iPhone with iOS 10 or later, and you’ll want the contact’s name and phone number saved in your Contacts app.

What You’ll Need

Your iPhone with the latest version of iOS (the steps below work on iOS 15 and newer)
The person you want to add must already be saved in your Contacts app
Your Apple ID passcode or Face ID/Touch ID to unlock settings

Step-by-Step

Open the Health app. It’s the white app with a red heart icon. If you can’t find it, swipe down on the home screen and search for “Health.”
Tap your profile picture. It’s in the top-right corner of the Health app’s Summary tab. If you don’t see it, tap “Summary” at the bottom first.
Tap “Medical ID.” This is where all your emergency information lives.
Tap “Edit” in the top-right corner of the Medical ID screen.
Scroll down to “Emergency Contacts.” You’ll see a section with a plus (+) icon and a list of any contacts you’ve already added.
Tap the green plus (+) icon. This opens your Contacts list.
Select the person you want to add. Tap their name. They’ll be added to your Medical ID.
Choose their relationship. After selecting the contact, a “Relationship” field appears. Tap it and pick from options like “Spouse,” “Parent,” “Friend,” or “Doctor.” This helps responders understand who they are.
Make sure “Show When Locked” is on. This toggle is near the top of the Edit screen. If it’s green, your Medical ID (including emergency contacts) will be visible from the lock screen without unlocking your phone. This is critical for emergency situations.
Tap “Done” in the top-right corner to save your changes.

That’s it. Your emergency contact is now saved. To test it, lock your phone, then swipe up from the bottom or press the side button to see the lock screen. Tap “Emergency” in the bottom-left corner, then tap “Medical ID.” You should see your contact’s name and phone number.

Common Mistakes

Forgetting to turn on “Show When Locked.” If this is off, your emergency contact is hidden behind your passcode, which defeats the purpose. Double-check this toggle every time you edit your Medical ID.
Adding a contact who isn’t in your Contacts app. You can’t type a phone number directly into the Medical ID. You must first save the person in Contacts, then add them from there.
Adding an old or wrong number. If your contact changed their number, the Medical ID still shows the old one. Verify the number in Contacts before adding them.
Not updating after a relationship change. If your emergency contact is no longer the right person (e.g., a former spouse), remove them and add someone current. Stale contacts are worse than none.
Assuming Emergency SOS automatically calls your contact. It doesn’t. The Emergency SOS feature calls local emergency services. Your emergency contact is only notified if you’ve set up “Emergency Contacts” in the Medical ID AND you use the “Call with Hold” or “Call with 5 Presses” option that triggers a countdown and then sends a message to your contacts. Check your Emergency SOS settings separately.

Tips

Add multiple contacts. You can add several people. If you use Emergency SOS, all of them will be notified when the countdown ends. Add at least two—a family member and a close friend—in case one is unreachable.
Fill in your medical conditions and allergies. While you’re in the Medical ID editor, add your blood type, conditions, allergies, and medications. This information is just as valuable to first responders as your contact list.
Set up Emergency SOS properly. Go to Settings > Emergency SOS. Choose whether you want the “Call with Hold” (press and hold side button and volume button) or “Call with 5 Presses” (rapidly press side button five times). Both trigger a countdown and then call emergency services and notify your contacts. Test the countdown once so you know what it feels like.
Keep your Medical ID updated. Review it every few months, especially after a move, a new phone number, or a change in health status.
Use the “Organ Donation” section. If you’re a registered organ donor, you can add that info here. It’s optional but can be important in emergencies.

Troubleshooting

The contact doesn’t appear in the list when I tap the plus icon. This means the person isn’t in your Contacts app. Open the Phone app, go to Contacts, add the person, then return to Health > Medical ID > Edit and try again.
“Show When Locked” is grayed out or won’t toggle. This can happen if you have a restrictive Screen Time setting or a configuration profile (e.g., from a work or school device). Go to Settings > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions and check if “Health” is allowed. If you’re on a managed device, contact your IT administrator.
I can’t find the Health app. It’s built into iOS and cannot be deleted. Swipe down on the home screen and search for “Health.” If it’s hidden in a folder, check all your folders. If you still can’t find it, restart your iPhone.
My contact says they didn’t get a notification when I used Emergency SOS. First, make sure you have them listed under “Emergency Contacts” in Medical ID. Second, check that your iPhone has cellular or Wi-Fi connectivity (Emergency SOS needs a network to send messages). Third, verify that your contact’s phone number is correct in Contacts. Finally, note that the notification is a text message with your location, and it may take a moment to deliver. If the call to emergency services failed, the message may not send either.
The Medical ID looks different on my lock screen. On iPhones with Face ID, you tap “Emergency” then “Medical ID.” On older models with Touch ID, you may need to press the Home button first. If you see nothing, the “Show When Locked” toggle is likely off.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I add an emergency contact without using the Health app?
A: No, the Medical ID and emergency contacts are managed exclusively through the Health app on iPhone. There’s no other native way to set them up.

Q: Will my emergency contact see my medical information?
A: Not automatically. Your contact only sees what you choose to share. When you use Emergency SOS, they receive a text message with your location and a note that you’ve called emergency services. They don’t get a copy of your full Medical ID unless you send it to them manually.

Q: What happens if I don’t have any emergency contacts set up?
A: If you use Emergency SOS, it will still call local emergency services. But no one will be notified automatically. Your Medical ID will still show your medical info (if you’ve filled it in) but with no one to call.

Q: Can I add an emergency contact who doesn’t have an iPhone?
A: Yes. They just need a regular phone number. The notification is sent as a standard SMS text message, so any phone can receive it.

Q: Is my Medical ID private?
A: Yes, it’s stored on your device and in your iCloud (if you have iCloud backup enabled). It’s encrypted. Only you and anyone who unlocks your phone can see it. When you call emergency services, your Medical ID is not automatically sent to them—you must show it to a responder or they must access it from your lock screen.

Q: How do I remove an emergency contact?
A: Open Health > Medical ID > Edit. Tap the red minus (-) button next to the contact’s name, then tap “Delete.” Tap “Done” to save.

General steps for current mainstream versions; menus can differ by device and version. See the disclaimer or report an error.

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