Aside from a plethora of Accessibility and health features, watchOS also comes with a well-thought-out Emergency SOS feature. Given how unpredictable life is, you should set up the feature to prepare for unexpected moments in life and get the much-needed help without any hindrance.

So, how does Emergency SOS work on Apple Watch? Well, when you invoke Emergency SOS, your smartwatch automatically calls local emergency services and shares your location with them. Additionally, it also sends your emergency contacts a text message with your current location so that they can reach the site without any delay.

Note that you may be asked to choose a preferred emergency service in some countries and regions. For instance, you may need to select police, fire, or ambulance in mainland China. With that said, let’s set up Emergency SOS on Apple Watch!

How to Call Emergency Services on Apple Watch 

If your Apple Watch doesn’t have cellular connectivity, make sure to keep the paired iPhone nearby. If your iPhone is not nearby, ensure that the Apple Watch is connected to a known Wi-Fi network. 

Step 1: Press and hold the side button until the Emergency SOS slider appears.

Step 2: Now, drag the Emergency SOS slider to initiate the call immediately. 

After a countdown, your Apple Watch will call emergency services automatically. Once the call has ended, the smartwatch will send your emergency contacts a text message with your current location. 

Note that if the Location Services are disabled, it will temporarily turn it on (Settings app > Privacy > Location Services). It’s also worth pointing out that for some time after you have activated the Emergency SOS mode, your Apple Watch will send your emergency contacts updates when your location changes.

Post the emergency call, your Apple Watch will send you an alert every four hours that your location is being shared with your emergency contacts. If you no longer want to share the location, just tap on Stop Sharing in the notification.

How to End an Emergency Call That You Started Accidentally on Apple Watch 

Ending an emergency call you initiated accidentally is relatively easy. 

Step 1: First off, release the side button and tap the End Call button (the red icon).

Step 2: Now, tap Yes to confirm that you wish to stop the call. 

Step 3: Next, your Apple Watch will ask if you still want to send a text message to your emergency contacts. Make sure to tap No to finish. 

How to Add Emergency Contacts

You can add emergency contacts to your Apple Watch so it can inform your parents or friends of your whereabouts during an emergency.

Step 1: Open the Health app on your iPhone and tap your profile at the upper right corner of the screen. 

Step 2: Now, tap Medical ID and then hit Edit at the top right corner of the screen. 

Step 3: Next, scroll down to the Emergency Contacts section and tap the add emergency contact button. 

Step 4: Next, select a contact from your address book. If your contact has more than one phone number, be sure to choose the number you want to use. 

Step 5: Specify the relationship and tap Done to save your changes. 

How to Remove Emergency Contacts

Depending on your needs, you can remove emergency contacts with ease.

Step 1: Launch the Health app on your iPhone and tap on your profile at the top right corner of the screen.

Step 2: Now, tap Medical ID and tap Edit at the upper right corner of the screen.

Step 3: Next, scroll down to the Emergency Contacts section and hit the delete emergency contact button next to a contact. Make sure to tap Delete to confirm.

Step 4: In the end, tap on Done at the top right to finish. 

Once you have set up the Emergency SOS feature, check out some top tips and tricks for the Apple Watch Series 7 that will help you get more out of the smartwatch.

So, that’s how you can set up and use Emergency SOS on your Apple Watch. Around 30 percent of people die due to delays in access to emergency services. Considering how critical it is to get first aid at the earliest, it always pays to be well-prepared for the unexpected. That said, share your thoughts about this notable Apple Watch feature and the improvements you wish to see in it. Besides, if you have any related questions, feel free to ask us in the comments.