Use Emergency SOS via Satellite
If you own an iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15, or iPhone 15 Pro, you can use Emergency SOS via satellite to contact emergency services when you are off the grid with no mobile or Wi-Fi coverage.
How Emergency SOS via Satellite Works
Emergency SOS via satellite is designed to connect you with emergency services when other means of communication are unavailable. If you’re in an area with no mobile or Wi-Fi coverage and need to reach emergency services, your iPhone will attempt to connect via satellite. To establish a satellite connection, you must be outside with a clear view of the sky and horizon. The experience of sending or receiving messages via satellite differs from traditional mobile connections.
Emergency SOS via satellite is available free of charge for two years following the activation of your iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15, or iPhone 15 Pro. Additionally, if your iPhone or Apple Watch detects a severe car crash or a hard fall and you are unresponsive, Crash Detection or Fall Detection may trigger an automatic notification to emergency services via satellite, provided you are outside of mobile and Wi-Fi coverage.
Before You Go Off Grid
If you plan to travel to areas with no mobile or Wi-Fi coverage, consider preparing in advance. Try the Emergency SOS via Satellite Demo to familiarise yourself with how this feature works by trying the demo available on your device.
You can also set Up Your Medical ID and Emergency Contacts before heading into areas with no coverage to ensure your Medical ID is set up to share health information with emergency responders. You can set this up in the Health app on your iPhone and add your emergency contacts.
Text Emergency Services via Satellite
Should you need to text emergency services via satellite:
- First Attempt a Call: Try calling the local emergency number, even if your usual mobile network isn’t available. You may still be able to make a call.
- Text Emergency Services: If the call fails, you can text emergency services via satellite. Ensure you have iOS 16.4 or later to connect to emergency services via satellite for certain local emergency numbers.
- Tap Emergency Text via Satellite.
- If you’re in need of help but it’s not an emergency, you might have the option to contact a roadside assistance provider, if available.
- Go to Messages to text the local emergency number, then tap Emergency Services.
- Tap Report Emergency.
- Follow the onscreen instructions to provide details about your situation and choose to notify your emergency contacts.
Once connected, follow the onscreen instructions to stay connected while sending your message. Your iPhone will start a text conversation with emergency responders, sharing critical information such as your Medical ID, emergency contact information, location, and battery life. Additional responses may be required, and the service supports multiple languages, including English, American Spanish, Canadian French, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, and Portuguese.
Share Information with Your Emergency Contacts
If you’ve set up emergency contacts in the Health app, you can choose to notify them when you text emergency services via satellite. Emergency contacts will receive a message containing a live transcript of your conversation, including your answers to the emergency questionnaire, your location on a map, and the messages exchanged with emergency services. If your contacts have non-Apple devices or older iOS versions, they will receive a text alerting them about your emergency. In the US and Canada, this message will come from 767911; in Europe from 767112; and in Japan from 0005990037.
Emergency contacts can respond “YES” to receive additional text messages with your name, contact time, location, and emergency details. If they respond “NO” or “STOP”, they will not receive further updates unless they text “RESTART”.
Emergency SOS via Satellite Availability
Emergency SOS via satellite is available on iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 15, and iPhone 15 Pro with:
- iOS 16.1 or later in the US and Canada
- iOS 16.2 or later in France, Germany, Ireland, and the UK
- iOS 16.4 or later in Australia, Austria, Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, and Switzerland
- iOS 17.6 or later in Japan
The service is available in various countries and regions, including Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the UK, and the US. However, satellite connectivity is not offered on iPhones purchased in certain countries.