There’s a feature on every iPhone that could be genuinely important in an emergency, and most people have never set it up.

It’s called Medical ID. It lets paramedics or bystanders see your key health information and emergency contacts directly from your locked phone, without needing your passcode. If you’re ever unwell and unable to speak for yourself, it means the people helping you know your allergies, your medications, and who to call.

It takes about five minutes to set up. Here’s how.

What Medical ID Shows

You decide what goes in it. The fields available include:

Medical conditions, anything relevant that someone helping you should know
Medications, what you take and at what dose
Allergies, especially anything that could affect treatment
Blood type, useful for emergency medical staff
Emergency contacts, up to several people, with their relationship to you
Organ donor status
Weight and height, optional, but can be useful for medication dosing

You don’t have to fill in every field. Even just an emergency contact and your allergies is far better than nothing.

How to Set It Up

Step 1: Open the Health app on your iPhone. It has a white background with a red heart.

Step 2: Tap your profile picture or initials in the top right corner.

Step 3: Tap Medical ID.

Step 4: Tap Edit in the top right corner.

Step 5: Fill in the fields that are relevant to you. Take your time, there’s no rush.

Step 6: Make sure the Show When Locked toggle is switched on. This is the crucial setting. Without it, Medical ID can only be seen when your phone is unlocked, which defeats the purpose.

Step 7: Tap Done when you’re finished.

That’s it. Your Medical ID is now live.

How Emergency Responders Access It

From the lock screen, anyone can tap Emergency in the bottom left corner (the same button used to call 999), then tap Medical ID at the bottom of that screen. Your information appears immediately, no passcode needed.

Paramedics are trained to look for this. Many police officers know about it too. If you’re ever in a situation where you can’t communicate, this information could directly affect the care you receive.

Adding Emergency Contacts

When you add an emergency contact to Medical ID, it links to your Contacts app. If you call 999 from your locked phone, iOS 17 and later will also show your emergency contacts on screen so someone can notify them on your behalf.

To add a contact: in the Medical ID editing screen, scroll down to Emergency Contacts, tap the green + button, and choose someone from your contacts list. You’ll be asked to specify their relationship to you.

It’s worth adding at least two contacts, a primary person and a backup.

Keeping It Up to Date

Medical ID is only useful if it’s accurate. If your medications change, if you’re diagnosed with something new, or if your emergency contacts change, update it.

A good habit is to check it when you get a new prescription or after any significant health change. It takes about two minutes to update.

A Note on Privacy

Your Medical ID is only visible from the lock screen if you’ve switched on the Show When Locked toggle, which you should. You’re in control of what information goes in it. If there’s anything sensitive you’d rather not include, leave it out. Something is better than nothing.

The goal isn’t a comprehensive medical record. It’s enough information for someone helping you in an emergency to make better decisions and reach the right people.

If you’d like help setting up Medical ID, or just want to check that yours is filled in correctly, we’re happy to walk you through it in one of our sessions across Hebden Bridge and the Calder Valley.

How to Set Up Medical ID on Your iPhone