If you’re an Android user navigating such an ordeal, Google’s Safety app can assist. In the moment, you can share your location, and use the power button to trigger a suite of automated actions bundled within its Emergency SOS mode. You can also prepare for any future emergencies by adding medical data that may be vital for first responders. Setting up this potentially lifesaving mode is simple and will let you focus on what’s important while knowing help is on the way. The first thing you’ll need to decide is whether you want your device to play an alarm sound when you trigger Emergency SOS. This can be useful if you’re in a situation where you need to draw attention to yourself and will also help you avoid activating Emergency SOS by accident. The alarm option is an on-off toggle switch next to Play alarm sound, and even though you can listen to a test of the noise your system will use, you cannot change it. Right after the alarm goes off, Emergency SOS will trigger the first action: a call for help. You can turn this feature on by tapping the toggle switch next to Call emergency services. If you live in the US, your phone will call 911 by default, but if you move to another country or want to use your local emergency service, you can change this manually by tapping on Call emergency services and then Number to call. On that same menu, you can activate Use assisted calling, which will share your name and location with first responders in case you’re unable to talk. If you have a Pixel phone and have car crash detection on, your device will also share this information if it detects a collision. Keep in mind that the ability to do this depends on your device and your carrier, so it may not be an option for you. While you’re on the phone, Emergency SOS will text your loved ones. To turn on this feature, toggle the switch next to Share info with emergency contacts, then tap on it to go to the Emergency sharing menu. Here, you can set up exactly what the platform will share and with whom. If you haven’t set up a list of emergency contacts, you can do so from here by tapping Emergency contacts and adding the people you want to notify in case something happens to you. Back on the Emergency sharing menu, you can allow your phone to share real-time information about when you start and end a call with anyone (toggle the switch next to Phone call), or a first responder (toggle Emergency call), and when your device is running low on juice (turn on the Low battery switch). One thing you won’t be able to toggle is location sharing, which will always be on if you activate Emergency SOS. Once the time is up or you stop the recording, your device will automatically compress the video and, if you have an internet connection, back it up to the cloud. Once the file is finished uploading, Emergency SOS can send a download link to your emergency contacts in case you lose access to your device. This setting is optional, and you can activate it by toggling the switch next to Auto share in the recording settings. Hopefully, Emergency SOS is a feature you’ll never have to use. But it’s good to know that you can set your phone to act on its own so you can focus on caring for yourself and the people around you.
