Emergency iPhone Hack Alerts Emergency Contacts And Sounds Siren If You're In Danger

Social media users are sharing an emergency iPhone hack that can help people if they're ever in danger, following the disappearance of Sarah Everard.

Instagrammer @theindiaedit shared the tip-off on her Stories, saying: "Please please share as I feel this is a little known fact that could make us ALL feel safer."

There are two different approaches you can take, depending on which iPhone model you have, but both involve simply tapping the side or top button on your handset.

The method not only gives you the option for a loud siren noise to emit from your phone, but also to easily reach out to emergency services and emergency contacts listed in your phone.

A page on the Apple Support website explains that people can 'call for help quickly and easily, as well as alert your emergency contacts'.

For those on an iPhone 8 or later model, Apple says there are two steps:

1. Press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons until the Emergency SOS slider appears.

2. Drag the Emergency SOS slider to call emergency services. If you continue to hold down the side button and Volume button, instead of dragging the slider, a countdown will start and an alert will sound. If you hold down the buttons until the countdown has finished, your iPhone will automatically call the emergency services.

Apple

For people with an iPhone 7 or earlier model, it's a slightly different process:

1. Rapidly press the side (or top) button five times. The Emergency SOS slider will appear. (In India, you only need to press the button three times, then your iPhone will call emergency services automatically.)

2. Drag the Emergency SOS slider to call emergency services.

Apple

Apple explains that, after the call has finished, your iPhone will send anyone listed as your emergency contact a text message, supplying your current location - unless, of course, you choose to cancel this option.

"If Location Services is off, it will temporarily turn on," Apple says.

"If your location changes, your contacts will get an update and you'll get a notification about 10 minutes later."

Apple

To add emergency contacts into your phone, simply open up the Health app and tap your profile picture.

Press 'Medical ID' and then 'Edit', scrolling down to 'Emergency Contacts'.

Tap the add (+) button to add an emergency contact, adding their relationship and hitting 'Done' to save changes.

Find out more information via the Apple Support site here.

Topics: News, Technology, Apple, iPhone

Jess Hardiman

Jess is a journalist at LADbible who graduated from Manchester University with a degree in Film Studies, English Language and Linguistics - indecisiveness at its finest, right there. She also works for FOODbible and its sister page Seitanists, which are both a safe haven for her to channel a love for homemade pasta, fennel and everything else in between. You can contact Jess at [email protected].

@Jess_Hardiman