The Emergency SOS feature on the iPhone 11 is designed to provide users with a quick way to call for help in the event of an emergency. By pressing certain button combinations, your iPhone will automatically dial the emergency services for your region. While this feature is potentially lifesaving, there are instances where a user might accidentally trigger an emergency call or simply prefer to disable the feature to prevent unintended activations. In this article, we will guide you step-by-step on how to turn off the SOS feature on your iPhone 11.
Understanding the Emergency SOS Feature
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Before proceeding to turn off the feature, it’s important to understand how it works. On the iPhone 11, the Emergency SOS feature can be triggered by:
- Quickly pressing the side button (the one on the right side of the device) and either volume button (volume up or volume down on the left side of the device) 5 times in a row.
- Holding the side button and one of the volume buttons down simultaneously for several seconds.
Either of these actions will initiate a countdown, accompanied by an alert sound. When the countdown finishes, the phone will call the emergency services. This countdown can give users a few seconds to cancel the call if activated accidentally.
Steps to Turn Off Emergency SOS on iPhone 11
Follow the steps below to disable the Emergency SOS feature:
- Open Settings: Unlock your iPhone 11 and tap on the “Settings” icon, which looks like a gear or cog.
- Scroll to ‘Emergency SOS’: In the settings menu, scroll down until you find the “Emergency SOS” option and tap on it.
- Disable Auto Call: Once inside the Emergency SOS settings, you will see the “Auto Call” toggle. Turn this toggle off (it should no longer be green) to disable the auto call feature.
By turning off “Auto Call”, your iPhone will no longer automatically dial emergency services when you press the button combinations mentioned earlier. However, you will still see the “Emergency SOS” slider if you hold the side and volume buttons together. You would need to manually slide this to make an emergency call.
What About the Countdown Sound?
While in the Emergency SOS settings, you might also notice an option called “Countdown Sound”. When this is enabled and you activate the SOS feature, your phone will sound an alarm while it counts down before calling emergency services. This can be useful as an auditory warning of an accidental activation or to deter potential threats in an emergency situation. If you’d like to turn this feature off:
- Toggle Off ‘Countdown Sound’: Simply tap the toggle next to “Countdown Sound” to turn it off (it should no longer be green).
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my iPhone 11 showing SOS?
Your iPhone 11 may display “SOS” because it’s either in an area with no cellular reception, prompting the “SOS Only” mode, or you might have inadvertently triggered the Emergency SOS feature by pressing certain button combinations.
How do I completely turn off SOS?
To turn off the Emergency SOS feature on iPhone 11, go to “Settings,” scroll down to “Emergency SOS,” and disable the “Auto Call” toggle. However, note that while this will prevent automatic calls when pressing button combinations, the “Emergency SOS” slider will still appear if you hold down the side and volume buttons, requiring a manual slide to call.
Conclusion
It’s always recommended to familiarize yourself with the Emergency SOS feature and decide whether it’s right for you. While it can be a life-saving tool in critical situations, there are users who feel more comfortable having it turned off to avoid accidental calls.
Remember, even if you disable the Auto Call feature, you can still make emergency calls by manually swiping the Emergency SOS slider that appears when you hold the side and volume buttons together. Alternatively, emergency calls can be made the traditional way, by unlocking your phone and dialing the emergency number manually.
Safety should always be a top priority. If you choose to disable the SOS feature, ensure that you and your loved ones know other ways to quickly access emergency services. Regularly revisiting these features and settings can help ensure that you’re making the most of your device’s capabilities and that you’re prepared for any situation.
Timothy is a tech enthusiast and has been working in the industry for the past 10 years. He has a vast knowledge when comes to technology and likes to help people with this knowledge.