If you are involved in a car accident or a severe medical emergency and are physically unable to unlock your smartphone, first responders need immediate access to your critical health information. While modern iPhones are protected by Face ID and complex passcodes, Apple has built a dedicated, highly secure bypass called “Medical ID” that allows paramedics to instantly view your emergency contacts, blood type, and severe allergies directly from the lock screen.
How to Set Up Your Medical ID
The Medical ID is configured using the official Apple Health app that comes pre-installed on every iPhone.
- Open the Health app.
- Tap on your circular profile picture located in the top-right corner of the screen.
- Under the “Medical Details” section, tap on Medical ID.
- Tap the Edit button in the top-right corner.
You can now fill out your critical profile. You should list any severe medication allergies, underlying medical conditions (like diabetes or asthma), your blood type, and whether you are an organ donor.
Adding Emergency Contacts
At the bottom of the Edit screen, you will find a section labeled “Emergency Contacts.”
- Tap the green + add emergency contact button.
- Select a person (like a spouse or parent) from your address book.
- Define their exact relationship to you.
When you use the Emergency SOS feature to call 911, the iPhone will automatically send a text message containing your exact GPS location to every person listed in this specific section.
Enabling the Lock Screen Bypass
The final, and most crucial, step is ensuring first responders can actually see this data without knowing your passcode.
- Scroll to the very top of the Edit screen.
- Locate the toggle switch labeled Show When Locked.
- Ensure this switch is turned ON (green).
- Tap Done to save your profile.
Now, if a paramedic picks up your locked iPhone, they can swipe up, tap the word “Emergency” at the bottom of the passcode screen, and tap “Medical ID” to instantly access your life-saving information.