A lot of criminals are lurking around with bad intentions, so we should always be alert in case anything happens. Fortunately, if you have the right smartphone, you can immediately call for help or send an emergency alerts to the people you know.

A smartphone’s emergency SOS feature will automatically send a distress signal or call authorities when you press designated buttons on your device. They are made to be easily triggered, even when you’re not looking.

Such features are present on iOS and Android devices, two of the biggest mobile operating systems in the world that are used by millions of people, especially here in the Philippines.

Today, we’ll show you how to setup such features and hopefully, you won’t ever need them. Let’s begin.

Table of Contents

How to setup Emergency SOS signal on Android

As you know, Android phones from different brands have their own respective layout and interface. That said, enabling the Emergency SOS features on Android devices differ, but we’ll show you a quick guide to help you find them.

Step 1: Look for your device’s Settings menu and open it.

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Step 2: Your settings menu should have a search icon on top. Use that and look for “Emergency” or “Emergency SOS”.

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Step 3: The feature will be called differently on different smartphone brands. It could be called “Emergency SOS”, “Emergency Rescue”, etc. Still, they should all sound similar.

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Step 4: Once in, it should allow you to setup the Emergency SOS function. You can set things like the number you want it to call (911, family member, friend, etc.), how you want it to be triggered (i.e pressing the power button 5 times), play a loud alarm, etc.

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Step 5: You should be able to trigger the Emergency SOS using your chosen settings.

How to setup Emergency SOS on iPhone

Apple has made it really easy to setup an emergency SOS contact on iPhones. Here’s how.

Step 1: Go to Settings.

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Step 2: Scroll down and look for “Emergency SOS”.

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Step 3: Setup the Emergency SOS feature.

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Call with Hold: Enabling this lets you press and hold the home/power button and the up or down volume control to reveal the SOS slider. Alternatively, you can just press them longer until a countdown starts, after which it will automatically call for emergency services.

Call with 5 presses: Enabling this will automatically call emergency services after a countdown ends, which would initiate after you press the lock/power button rapidly 5 times.

Set up Emergency Contacts in Health: Turning this on will launch the Apple Health app where you can set an emergency contact, which the responders can use to contact.

Countdown Sound: This will play a countdown sound before your device calls the authorities. You can turn this off if you want to be discreet from criminals.

Step 4: Now, when you trigger the Emergency SOS, it will automatically dial 911, the Philippines’ national emergency telephone number.

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Does 911 work in the Philippines?

Yes. the 911 emergency hotline replaced Patrol 117 in August 2016. The emergency telephone number service is managed by the Emergency 911 National Office.

Can you cancel the emergency SOS?

Yes. Depending on the phone you’re using, you’d be allowed to cancel the emergency SOS a few seconds before it goes out. For safety, the call will not be canceled after the limited time given.

Can you change the contact number on Emergency SOS?

Yes, but only for select Android devices. You have the option to use 911, the PH’s national emergency number, or have it call a family member or friend.

Unfortunately, the option is not available on iOS users, as it will only automatically call 911.


These are the things you need to know when setting up the emergency SOS alert feature on your Android or iOS device.

If you have any questions, let us know and we’ll try to help you out. Stay safe!

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