5 emergency settings to enable on your phone to receive SOS alerts from the government and more

Smartphone

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, staying informed through timely government alerts is crucial. While most recent updates can be easily found via social media, news outlets and more, the real-time updates for your location and emergency warnings issued by the government are equally important in times like this.

Both iPhone and Android users can enable emergency notifications to receive critical updates during national emergencies, natural disasters, or security threats. In this guide, we’ve simplified the entire process of enabling SOS services on Android smartphones and iPhones.

This guide outlines activating these alerts on your device to ensure you remain informed and safe. But that’s just one part of it, there are several other settings and features that you can use to stay safe in such situations.

Enable Emergency Alerts

How to Enable Emergency Alerts on iPhone (iOS 17 and later):

• Open the Settings app.
• Tap Notifications.
• Scroll to the bottom to find Government Alerts.
• Toggle on Emergency Alerts and Public Safety Alerts.  

Note: These alerts can override Do Not Disturb and silent modes to ensure you receive critical information promptly.

How to Enable Emergency Alerts on Android (Android 11 and above):

• Open the Settings app.
• Navigate to Safety & Emergency or search for Wireless Emergency Alerts (the menu name may vary by device).
• Tap on Wireless Emergency Alerts.
• Ensure the following are enabled:
• Extreme threats
• Severe threats
• Public safety alerts
• Allow alerts
• Alert sound
• Override Do Not Disturb

Note: The exact path may differ slightly depending on your device’s manufacturer. Also, if you can’t find the setting, simply search “Emergency Alerts” in the Settings.

Offline Maps

Google Maps supports offline maps. Make sure to download Maps of your nearby area to find the directions in case of an emergency or to reach a safe location.

• Open the Google Maps app on your Android phone or tablet.
• If you don’t have it installed, download it from the Google Play Store.
• Ensure you’re connected to the internet and signed in to your Google account.
• Search for a location, such as San Francisco.
• At the bottom of the screen, tap the place name or address.
• Tap More and select Download offline map, then tap Download.

Enable Medical ID on your phone

How to set up your Medical ID on your iPhone using the Health app

Medical ID allows emergency responders to access important health information directly from your lock screen, even without unlocking the device. This can include details like allergies, medical conditions, blood groups, etc

Steps to set up Medical ID on iPhone

• Open the Health app and go to the Summary tab.
• Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner.
• Select Medical ID under your profile.
• To let others view your Medical ID from the Lock screen, enable Show When Locked. This allows first responders to access your vital info during emergencies.
• To share your Medical ID automatically when you call or text emergency services, turn on Share During Emergency Call. This works on both iPhone and Apple Watch.*
• Tap Edit (or Add) to enter or update information like medical conditions, medications, allergies, and emergency contacts.
• Tap Done to save your changes.

Setup Medical Information on Android

• Open the Settings app on your Android device.
• Look or search “Safety and emergency”
• Select Medical Info
• Enter all the required details like name, medical condition, blood type, allergies, current medications, etc.
• Hit the Save button

Note: The exact steps and menu names may vary slightly depending on the device brand and Android version.

Emergency Contact and Emergency Sharing

This is another important feature to enable in your smartphone. This allows you to automatically inform your loved ones about your situation in case of an emergency. Triggering the Emergency SOS automatically shares important details with them as well. Things like location, capture and share photos and even audio.

How to enable it on Android

• Open your phone's "Settings" app.
• Search for "Emergency" or "Safety & emergency."
• Select Emergency SOS and enable all the toggles
• Now, look for the Emergency Sharing option and allow the sharing access by allowing the necessary permissions.

How to enable it on iPhone

• Open the Health app on your iPhone and tap your profile picture.
• Select Medical ID from the menu.
• Scroll down to the Emergency Contacts section and tap Edit.
• To add a contact, tap the Add button and choose someone from your contacts list (note: emergency services can’t be added as an SOS contact).
• To remove a contact, tap the Delete icon next to their name, then confirm by tapping Delete.
• Once you’ve made your changes, tap Done to save them.

Change the government’s default Emergency Number 

You have to make sure that your emergency helpline number is correct to get help in time. To check, head to Settings → Emergency SOS → Emergency number to call and see if it is right.