Where to find and update your emergency contact

Your emergency contact on iPhone lives in the Health app, not in your regular Contacts. When you call 911 or when someone finds your phone locked, the emergency contact information appears on the lock screen. To change it, open the Health app, tap your profile picture in the top right corner, select "Medical ID," and tap "Edit." From there you can add, remove, or change the person listed as your emergency contact.

The process takes about two minutes. You do not need to restart your phone or use any other app. If you have never set up a Medical ID before, the same steps will create one for the first time.

Key Takeaways

  • Emergency contacts are stored in the Health app's Medical ID section, not in your Contacts app.
  • You can add up to five emergency contacts and choose which one appears on your lock screen.
  • Changes take effect when ready and do not require restarting your phone.
  • If you do not have a Medical ID yet, the Health app will guide you through creating one before you can add an emergency contact.
  • Your emergency contact information is visible on your lock screen even when your phone is locked, so choose someone you trust.

Step-by-step instructions for adding or changing an emergency contact

Open the Health app on your home screen. If you cannot find it, swipe down from the top of your screen and search for "Health" in the search box. Tap the app to open it.

Tap your profile picture in the top right corner. It looks like a small circle with your initials or photo inside. If you have never set up a Medical ID, you will see a message saying "No Medical ID" instead. Tap "Create Medical ID" and follow the prompts to set up your profile first.

Once your Medical ID exists, tap "Edit" in the top right corner of the Medical ID screen. Scroll down to the "Emergency Contacts" section. Tap the plus sign to add a new contact, or tap an existing contact to change it. Select the person from your Contacts list. You can add up to five emergency contacts.

After you have added or changed your contact, tap "Done" in the top right corner. Your changes save when ready. You do not need to do anything else.

How to choose which emergency contact shows on your lock screen

When you have more than one emergency contact in your Medical ID, only one appears on your lock screen at a time. To choose which one, open the Health app, tap your profile picture, tap "Medical ID," and tap "Edit." In the Emergency Contacts section, look for the contact with a small heart icon next to their name — that is the one showing on your lock screen.

To change which contact appears, tap "Edit" next to that contact's name and select a different person from your Contacts. The heart icon will move to the new contact. This is useful if you want your spouse or parent to be the first person someone calls, but you also want a backup contact listed in your Medical ID.

What information appears on your lock screen

When someone presses the Emergency SOS button on your lock screen or when emergency services access your phone, they see your emergency contact's name and phone number. They do not see your full Medical ID information — only the contact name and number. This is by design, so your emergency contact can be reached quickly without exposing other health details.

If your emergency contact's number is not in your Contacts app, you cannot add them to your Medical ID. You must have their phone number saved as a contact first. If you need to add someone who is not yet in your Contacts, save them there first, then return to the Health app to add them as an emergency contact.

Removing an emergency contact

To remove an emergency contact, open the Health app, tap your profile picture, tap "Medical ID," and tap "Edit." In the Emergency Contacts section, swipe left on the contact you want to remove. A red "Delete" button will appear. Tap it to remove that contact from your Medical ID.

If you remove your only emergency contact, your Medical ID will still exist, but no emergency contact will appear on your lock screen. You can add a new one at any time by following the same steps.

Troubleshooting: contact not appearing or changes not saving

If you add a contact but it does not appear in your Medical ID, check that the contact is saved in your Contacts app with a phone number. The Health app can only pull contacts that already exist in your phone's Contacts. If the contact exists but still will not appear, try closing the Health app completely and reopening it.

If your changes do not save after you tap "Done," make sure you tapped "Done" in the top right corner of the Medical ID screen, not just the keyboard. Some users accidentally close the keyboard without saving the entire Medical ID. If the problem continues, restart your phone and try again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone see my emergency contact if my phone is locked?

Yes. Your emergency contact name and phone number appear on your lock screen when someone presses Emergency SOS. This is intentional — it lets emergency responders or anyone who finds your phone reach someone who knows you. Choose a contact you trust with this information.

What if I do not have the Health app on my iPhone?

The Health app comes pre-installed on all iPhones running iOS 8 or later. If you deleted it, you can reinstall it from the App Store by searching for "Health" and tapping "Get." Once installed, follow the steps above to create your Medical ID and add an emergency contact.

Can I add someone who is not in my Contacts?

No. Your emergency contact must already be saved in your Contacts app with a phone number. If you want to add someone, save them to Contacts first with their full name and phone number, then return to the Health app to add them as an emergency contact.

Will my emergency contact be notified automatically if I call 911?

No. Your emergency contact information is only visible to someone who has access to your phone or to emergency responders. The contact is not automatically called or notified. You or the emergency responder would need to call them separately.

Can I change my emergency contact from another device?

No. You must change your emergency contact on the iPhone itself using the Health app. You cannot make this change from a computer, iPad, or another phone. You need physical access to your iPhone to edit your Medical ID.