# Six Emergency Features You Should Enable on Your iPhone
Your iPhone has built-in safety tools that many parents never activate. These features help your child reach emergency services and give rescuers critical information fast.
Enable Emergency SOS by going to Settings, then Emergency SOS. This lets your child press the side button and volume button together to call 911 automatically. You can add trusted contacts who receive alerts when your child triggers this feature.
Medical ID stores vital health information accessible from the lock screen. Parents should add their child's allergies, blood type, medications, and emergency contacts here. First responders can access this data without unlocking the phone. Go to Health app, tap your profile, then Medical ID to set this up.
Crash Detection alerts emergency services if your iPhone detects a severe car accident. This feature works automatically on newer iPhone models and can send your location to emergency contacts.
Turn on Location Services under Privacy settings. This allows emergency dispatchers to locate your child during a 911 call. You can also share your child's real-time location with trusted family members through the Find My app.
Set up Emergency Contacts in the Health app by listing people who should be notified in a crisis. Include their phone numbers and relationships. Emergency responders check this list first.
Enable Automatic Call with Emergency SOS so your iPhone automatically calls 911 after the button sequence completes. Some families prefer manual calls for teens, but automatic dialing removes delays for younger children.
Parents with teens should have a conversation about these features. Explain that Emergency SOS exists to help, not punish. Knowing these tools work removes anxiety for both parent and child during genuine emergencies.
Take 10 minutes this week to activate all six settings. Your child's iPhone then becomes a genuine safety device, not just a communication tool.