Avoid Embarrassment: Stop Your iPhone from Calling 911 Automatically

Picture it: I was at the annual neighborhood association meeting, walking to my car after the event wrapped up.

As usual, I was carrying too much: a water bottle, notebook, coat, phone, and, oddly enough, a banana peel (I get snacky at these kinds of meetings).

Saying goodbye to neighbors, I realized I couldn’t reach my car keys, so I juggled the contents in my arms and attempted to slide my iPhone into my back pocket.

🚨And that’s when it happened.🔊

A horrendous siren sound erupted from behind me. I spun around, searching for the source, only to realize… it was me. My iPhone had called 911, thanks to the Emergency SOS feature I had unknowingly activated by holding down two buttons while trying not to drop it.

Silly me.

If you’ve never had this happen, consider yourself lucky, but take this as a warning: it’s surprisingly easy to set off your phone’s emergency features by mistake. Here’s what you need to know to avoid it.

What is Emergency SOS on an iPhone?

The Emergency SOS feature on iPhones is a lifesaver—literally. By pressing and holding the side button and either volume button simultaneously, or by pressing the side button quickly five times (depending on your settings), your phone will:

1. Call emergency services (like 911).
2. Emit a loud siren sound to alert anyone nearby (like your neighbors).
3. Send your location to emergency contacts if you’ve set that up.

While it’s designed to be a quick way to call for help in an actual emergency, it can also be easily triggered by clumsy fingers—or, as it turns out, misguided attempts at sliding your phone into your back pocket.

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A quick search through Reddit threads on the topic reveals other surprising culprits, like a phone bouncing around in a car's drink holder or being handled by a curious toddler, can also set off the siren unexpectedly.

How to Avoid Accidental SOS Calls

According to Lifehacker, there are simple steps you can take to prevent accidental 911 calls without disabling the feature entirely:

1. Adjust Your Settings

You can customize Emergency SOS settings to reduce the likelihood of accidental activation:

• Open the Settings app.
• Scroll to Emergency SOS.
• Turn off Call with Hold or Call with 5 Presses to make it harder to trigger accidentally.

This step is explained in more detail in Apple’s support guide.

2. Be Mindful of Button Placement

When holding your phone—or trying to juggle it among other items—be aware of where your fingers are resting. It’s easy to grip the side buttons when you’re not paying attention.

4. Learn How to Cancel an Accidental Call

If you do trigger an SOS call by mistake, you can quickly cancel it before it connects:

• Tap the Stop button on the screen.
• Confirm you want to end the call.

More details about canceling accidental calls are outlined in CNET's iPhone guide.

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What to Do If You Accidentally Call 911

Mistakes happen! And police are very aware that this is a common occurrence. If your iPhone does place a 911 call, don’t panic (like I did). Simply stay on the line and explain the situation to the dispatcher. It’s better to let them know it was an accident than to hang up, which might prompt them to send help unnecessarily.

Don't Get Angry at This Feature - It Saves Lives

Even though accidental calls can be embarrassing—especially in the middle of a parking lot full of your neighbors—this feature exists for a reason. In emergencies where you can’t unlock your phone or open the dialer, Emergency SOS can be a lifesaving tool.