How to add emergency contacts and medical information to your phone.

Your phone knows who you call most often. But does it know who to contact in an emergency?

Adding emergency contacts and medical information to your phone can help someone find important details if you’re unable to explain them yourself.

Whether you’re heading to a meeting or enjoying a weekend away, it’s a useful bit of preparation.

What information should you add?

Choose a trusted person who would be helpful in an emergency, check their number and let them know you’ve listed them.

Include relevant medical conditions, allergies and current medication. Keep the information accurate and review it whenever something changes.

Menu names and available options may differ depending on your phone and software version.

iPhone: set up Medical ID and emergency contacts

1. Open the Health app and select Summary.
2. Tap your profile picture in the top corner, then Medical ID.
3. Use Edit or Add beside the relevant fields to enter your medical information.
4. Beside Emergency Contacts, tap Edit, then Add Emergency Contact.
5. Select someone from your contacts and choose their relationship to you.
6. Enable Show When Locked if you want these details available without your passcode.
7. Tap Done to save.

Read Apple’s Medical ID setup guide.

Samsung Galaxy: add contacts and medical information

1. Open Settings → Safety and emergency.
2. Select Emergency contacts → Add member.
3. Choose your contact and tap Done.
4. Review the “Show on Lock screen” option.
5. Return to Safety and emergency, then select Medical info.
6. Enter your details, tap Save and review its “Show on Lock screen” setting too.

Google Pixel: add emergency contacts and medical information

1. Open the Personal Safety app, sometimes labelled Safety.
2. Sign in if prompted, then tap Your info.
3. Select Medical information to enter or update your details.
4. Select Emergency contacts → Add contact, then choose someone from your contacts.
5. Under Emergency info access, review Show when locked.

Decide what should be visible

Allowing information to appear while your phone is locked can help someone assist you. It also means anyone holding your phone could view those details.

Choose what you’re comfortable making available. Avoid adding passwords, financial details or other unrelated sensitive information.

Check it before you need it

Check that your details are saved and, if you enabled lock-screen access, that you can find them while the phone is locked. View the information without placing a call.

Adding contacts and medical information is separate from setting up Emergency SOS or automatic crash detection. It doesn’t mean your phone will automatically call someone during every emergency.

Could your phone call for help if you couldn’t? Read our guide to phone crash detection.

A little preparation now could make important information easier to find later.

For a personal conversation about your next handset, call Nortelco on 01969 625035 or email info@nortelco.co.uk