Your Android phone has powerful, often-overlooked emergency features that can call for help, share vital info, and warn you about natural disasters. But it’s your responsibility to make sure they’re set up properly—and that you know how to use them.
5Add Multiple Emergency Contacts
In a crisis, the first thing you’d want is to reach out to someone you trust. That’s why it’s important to set up emergency contacts on your phone. First responders can reach these people right away, even if your phone is locked.
On your phone, head toSettings > Safety and emergency > Emergency contacts. TapAdd emergency contact, select the contacts you want to add, and hitDone. You can include family members, close friends, or even your doctor. It’s a good idea to list more than one person in case someone isn’t available.
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Before you finish, ensure to enable theShow on Lock screenoption. This way, your emergency contacts can be accessed directly from the lock screen using the emergency dialer.
4Add Medical Info to Lock Screen
You probably unlock your phone dozens of times a day, but in an emergency, you might not be able to do that. In those moments, your lock screen could be the only way someone else can access the critical information needed to help you.
On Android, you can add key health details—like allergies, blood type, medical conditions, and other critical notes—right to your lock screen. Paramedics are typically trained to look for this kind of information, and in a serious emergency, a few seconds can make all the difference.
To set it up, open theSettingsapp and go toSafety and emergency > Medical info. Tap thepencil iconin the top right corner, fill in the details, and hitSave. When you’re done, make sure to enable theShow on lock screenoption, so first responders can see it without unlocking your phone.
3Turn On Emergency Location Service
Imagine you’re in a situation where you need help, fast. When you call or text emergency services, Android’s Emergency Location Service can automatically share your exact location with first responders. It works even if you’ve turned off location services tosave your phone’s battery. To make sure it’s turned on, go toSettings > Safety and emergency > Emergency Location Serviceand enable the switch.
If you also want to share your location and other important details with your emergency contacts, try theEmergency sharingfeature. In theSafety and emergencymenu, tapEmergency sharing, then selectStart emergency sharing > Start.
This will send a help message and your real-time location to your emergency contacts. If your phone’s battery is low, it’ll share that too. Your phone will send location updates every 15 minutes for up to 24 hours.
2Learn to Use Emergency SOS
You might not always have someone nearby when something goes wrong. If you are ever in a situation where you can’t dial for help, Android’s Emergency SOS can be useful. On most Android phones, you can trigger Emergency SOS by quickly pressing the power button five times. If you’re using a Samsung Galaxy device, it’s three presses.
Once activated, your phone will automatically contact emergency services. And if you’ve set up emergency contacts, it will also send them a message with your current location.
To customize how the feature works, go toSettings > Safety & emergency > Emergency SOS. You can adjust the countdown timer before the emergency call is placed, which can help prevent accidental triggers. If you want the call to go through instantly after activation, turn off theRequire swipe to calloption.
You can alsocreate a custom panic button on Androidif you’d like to go further.
1Ensure Emergency Alerts Are Enabled (and Test Them)
Your Android phone is designed to receive critical alerts from government agencies, including warnings about extreme weather, earthquakes, public safety threats, and missing persons (like AMBER alerts). These notifications are usually turned on by default, but it’s worth double-checking to verify you haven’t accidentally switched them off.
Go toSettings > Safety & emergency > Earthquake alertsand turn on the toggle. When enabled, your phone can notify you of the estimated magnitude and how far the earthquake is from your location. TapSee a demoto preview what one of these alerts will actually sound and look like.
Earthquake alerts aren’t supported in all regions. If you’re in an area where they’re unavailable, you’re able to still stay informed by installing anearthquake alert and tracking appon your phone.
Go back to the previous menu and tapWireless emergency alerts, then turn onAllow alerts. Scroll through the list to make sure each type of alert, likeAMBER alertsandTest alerts, is enabled. You’ll also find a setting calledAlert reminder, which repeats the alert sound at intervals in case you miss it the first time.
Emergency features on your Android phone aren’t something you’ll need frequently (hopefully never). But spending a few minutes setting them up now, and knowing how to use them, can make a huge difference in a crisis. It’s easy to put this off, but you really shouldn’t.
