Open Settings and find Medical ID

Your Medical ID lives in the Health app on your iPhone, not in Settings. Open the Health app — it has a red heart icon — and tap the profile icon in the top right corner. You'll see your name and a row of options below it. Tap "Medical ID" to see what's currently stored.

If this is your first time setting up Medical ID, the screen will be mostly empty. If you've already created one, you'll see the information you entered before. Either way, tap "Edit" in the top right to make changes.

Key Takeaways

  • Medical ID is stored in the Health app, not Settings, and you reach it through your profile icon in the top right corner.
  • You can add or change your name, date of birth, blood type, organ donor status, emergency contacts, and medical conditions all in one place.
  • Medical ID appears on your lock screen when you tap "Emergency SOS" and hold the side button, even if your phone is locked.
  • Changes take effect when ready once you tap "Done" — there's no separate save step or confirmation screen.
  • You can delete any field by tapping "Edit" next to it and leaving it blank, then tapping "Done."

Add or change your basic information

Once you're in edit mode, you'll see fields for First Name, Last Name, and Date of Birth at the top. Tap any field to change it. Type your information the way you want it to appear — spelling counts, since this shows on your lock screen. If you don't want your full name visible, you can enter just a first name or a nickname.

Below that are sections for Blood Type, Organ Donor Status, and Tissue Donor Status. Tap "Blood Type" and choose from O+, O−, A+, A−, B+, B−, AB+, or AB−. If you don't know your blood type or don't want to list it, leave this blank. For organ and tissue donation, tap the toggle next to "Organ Donor" or "Tissue Donor" to turn it on or off.

Add emergency contacts and medical conditions

Scroll down to the "Emergency Contacts" section. Tap the plus sign to add a contact. You'll see a list of people already in your phone — tap one to add them, or tap "Create New Contact" to add someone not in your contacts yet. You can add as many emergency contacts as you want. Each one will show their name and relationship to you (like "Mother" or "Friend") on your Medical ID.

Below that is the "Medical Conditions" section. Tap the plus sign and type any condition you want first responders to know about — diabetes, asthma, heart condition, severe allergies, or anything else relevant. You can add multiple conditions. To remove one, swipe left on it and tap "Delete," or tap "Edit" next to the condition name and delete the text.

Add medications and allergies

The "Medications" section works the same way as Medical Conditions. Tap the plus sign, type the name of each medication you take, and tap "Add." Include the dosage if you want — for example, "Metformin 500mg" — but you don't have to. First responders will see this list, so include anything they should know about.

The "Allergies" section is critical. Tap the plus sign and list any allergies to medications, foods, or materials. Be specific: instead of "drug allergy," write "Penicillin" or "Sulfa drugs." If you have a severe allergy, you might also add it to your Medical Conditions section so it appears twice and catches attention. To change or remove an allergy, swipe left and tap "Delete," or tap "Edit" next to it.

Add notes and height and weight

At the bottom of the Medical ID screen is a "Notes" field. This is free text where you can add anything else a first responder should know — for example, "Non-verbal, communicates by pointing," or "Diabetic, may be confused if blood sugar is low," or "Severe anxiety, prefers calm environment." Tap the field and type what's relevant.

Just above Notes are fields for Height and Weight. These are optional. Tap either field to enter your measurements. Height appears as feet and inches (5'10") or centimeters depending on your phone's region settings. Weight appears in pounds or kilograms the same way. If you don't want to include these, leave them blank.

Save your changes and verify they appear on your lock screen

Once you've entered or changed everything you want, tap "Done" in the top right. Your Medical ID is saved when ready — there's no confirmation screen or extra step. You can close the Health app now.

To verify your changes appear correctly, lock your iPhone and press and hold the side button (or the Home button on older models) until "Emergency SOS" appears. Swipe left on the Medical ID card that appears. You should see all the information you just entered. If something is missing or wrong, go back into the Health app, tap Medical ID, tap Edit, and fix it. Changes show up on the lock screen right away.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can someone see my Medical ID without unlocking my phone?

Yes. Medical ID is visible on your lock screen when you press and hold the side button to trigger Emergency SOS. This is intentional — first responders need to see it even if your phone is locked. If you're concerned about privacy, you can leave certain fields blank or use general terms instead of specific details.

What if I don't have an emergency contact in my phone yet?

Tap "Create New Contact" when you're adding an emergency contact to Medical ID. You'll enter their name, phone number, and relationship. This creates a new contact in your phone's Contacts app at the same time, so you can call them later if needed.

Can I add a photo to my Medical ID?

No. Medical ID shows text only — name, blood type, conditions, medications, allergies, emergency contacts, and notes. There's no photo field. If you want a photo to appear on your lock screen, you can set a lock screen wallpaper, but that's separate from Medical ID.

Do I need to update my Medical ID if my medications change?

Yes. Tap into the Health app, go to Medical ID, tap Edit, and add or remove medications. It takes about 30 seconds. If you start a new medication or stop taking one, update it as soon as you can so the information is current if you need emergency care.

What happens if I delete the Health app?

Your Medical ID is stored in the Health app, so deleting the app deletes your Medical ID. If you reinstall the Health app later, you'll need to set it up again from scratch. Don't delete the Health app unless you're sure you won't need it.