9 Best Methods to Fix iPhone Stuck on Emergency SOS

Find below the best and proven troubleshooting ideas to fix the “iPhone Stuck on Emergency SOS” issue.

Beginning with iOS 10 and newer iOS editions, Apple introduced the Emergency SOS functionality. It enables you to alert the appropriate emergency services authority in your locality when you face emergencies like a car accident, fire, robbery, sickness, etc.

Also, the iPhone notifies the emergency contact on the Apple Health app with a message about your whereabouts. However, numerous users recently reported the frozen Emergency SOS, even when you end the call with emergency responders.

Read on to discover how you can get rid of this annoying iPhone stuck on SOS issue and get back to your regular work.

Possible Causes of iPhone Stuck on Emergency SOS

Find below the known reasons that cause the iPhone stuck on SOS issue:

• The unfamiliarity of the Emergency SOS feature leads to accidental activation and not knowing what to do next.
• Use of an older iPhone containing malfunctioning buttons, such as the Volume up, Volume down, or the Side button.
• Problems with the iPhone’s touchscreen, such as a lack of responsiveness or intermittent glitches.
• You attempted the iOS jailbreak process but didn’t follow the right workflow.
• iOS updated itself with corrupt update files.

In addition to the above reasons, there are many unknown reasons behind the “iPhone is stuck on Emergency SOS” error.

iPhone Stuck on Emergency SOS: Best Fixes

Find below the proven fixes you can try to un-stuck your iPhone from the Emergency SOS mode:

1. Stop Sharing Your Location Manually

To disable the Emergency SOS status on your iPhone, you need to follow these steps after finishing an emergency call with the first responder help desk:

• The Medical ID screen will appear once the emergency call is over.

• Select the Done option on the top right corner of the Medical ID window.

• Unlock the iPhone by entering the password or PIN.
• Tap on the device time.
• You’ll enter the Emergency SOS screen.

• There, choose the Stop Sharing Emergency Location option.

• Again, select Stop Sharing Emergency Location on a confirmation pop-up at the bottom.

By completing these steps, you can disable real-time location sharing as well as the Emergency SOS event.

2. Turn Off the Emergency SOS From iOS Settings App

Once you’ve ended the Emergency SOS call with first responders and unlocked your iPhone using your PIN, you can take actions to prevent accidentally triggering the feature by following these steps:

• Open the iOS Settings application on your iPhone and touch the Emergency SOS setting.

• While on the Emergency SOS window, deactivate the following options:
  • Call with 3 Button Presses
  • Call with Hold and Release
• The iPhone time display will change to normal from red.
• You can now enable the emergency settings if you wish to use the feature in the future.

3. Clean the iPhone Touchscreen

If you’re unable to disable the Emergency SOS event by pressing the Stop (X) button at the bottom of the screen, it could be due to an unresponsive display. iPhone touchscreen can stop responding due to oily smudges or water splashes. In such a case, you need to clean the display using a clean and soft cotton cloth. Now, try again to stop Emergency SOS by touching the Stop (X) button.

4. Power Off and On the iPhone

To resolve the “iPhone stuck on Emergency SOS” problem, you can turn off your iPhone, wait for approximately 30 seconds to cool down the device, and turn it back on. Follow these steps to turn off your iPhone:

• Open the iOS Settings application and tap on General.
• Scroll down to the bottom of the General settings screen and tap on the Shut Down button.

• Else, simultaneously press the Volume down and the Sleep/Wake button until you see the Slide to power down slider.
• Slide the above button from left to right to power down the device.

5. Force Reset the iPhone

There are various ways to force a reset on an iPhone. The method varies with the iPhone model and the iOS version. Usually, you need to press the volume up, down, and side buttons in a special order to force a reboot.

Read the Force Restart iPhone or iPad section of the Fix iPhone or iPad Frozen or Locked Up Screen article to find force reset steps for all iPhone models.

6. Update iPhone Using PC or Mac

To resolve the “iPhone stuck on Emergency SOS” issue caused by a defective iOS update, you can try updating your iPhone again using a PC or Mac with the iTunes or Finder app. Here are the steps to follow:

• Connect your iPhone to the Mac (macOS Mojave or earlier) or PC using the supplied USB cable.
• Launch the iTunes software.
• If prompted, tap Authenticate, Allow, or Trust on the Apple smartphone.
• Navigate to the connected iPhone details section on the iTunes app.

• Find the Update button to update your iPhone using iTunes.

On an iMac or MacBook running macOS Catalina or later, you can just open the Finder app after connecting the iPhone to the Mac using a USB cable. The Finder app should display the iPhone’s name in the left-side navigation panel. Click your iPhone on the Finder software and you must find the update iPhone option on the app interface. The options could vary, as outlined below:

• Check for Update: This option appears if you haven’t checked for updates on your iPhone using the Finder app ever. If an update is available, you’ll notice the Download and Update pop-up.
• Update: This appears if Finder automatically finds an update for the synced iPhone.

7. Restore iPhone From Recovery Mode

To put the iPhone into Recovery mode and fix the iPhone Stuck on SOS issue through device restore, you’ll need a Windows PC or Mac. However, before you begin the process, it’s essential to back up the device since this method erases all data on the iPhone.

• Connect your iPhone to a Mac (iTunes for macOS Mojave or earlier, Finder for macOS Catalina or later) or a Windows PC (iTunes application is needed).
• Launch the Finder or iTunes software on the respective computers.
• Follow the steps mentioned in the Force Reset the iPhone section specific to your iPhone model to put the device into Recovery mode.
• You’ll need to let go of the buttons when you see the USB and computer graphics on the iPhone.
• Once the iPhone is in Recovery mode, a pop-up will appear on Finder or iTunes to restore the device.

• Hit the Restore button to begin the process.
• Once restored, set up the iPhone from scratch and restore data from iCloud.

8. Factory Reset iPhone Using Find My

If you’ve got access to the Apple ID and its password that you used to set up the iPhone, you can erase the iPhone remotely. Keep in mind that this will erase all data on your Apple smartphone. However, if you had previously enabled the automatic iCloud backup on the iPhone, you can recover most of your data through iCloud.

• Navigate to the Find My iPhone website.
• Sign in with your Apple ID or iCloud account and password.
• Click the All Devices link on the top of the page and choose your iPhone from a drop-down list.
• On the left side of the website, there’s the iPhone details panel. Click the Erase iPhone option there.

• Confirm the remote erase command by selecting Erase on the pop-up that appears.
• Enter the password of the Apple ID to complete the remote erase process.
• You can again set up the iPhone from scratch as soon as the erasing process is complete.

That’s it! When the device is on Home Screen, you shouldn’t see the “iPhone stuck on Emergency SOS” error anymore.

9. Contact Apple Support Team

If the above-mentioned troubleshooting strategies don’t help you in resolving the “iPhone stuck on Emergency SOS” problem, I recommend that you seek professional assistance from Apple Support. You can contact them by visiting the Support.Apple.Com website.

FAQs

Can Emergency SOS be turned off?

Sure! You’ve got the option to permanently disable the Emergency SOS on an iPhone. To do so, go to Settings > Emergency SOS screen and disable the following features:

• Call with Hold and Release
• Call with 3 Button Presses

Once you do the above, the Emergency SOS will only function in case of car accidents since you didn’t turn off the Call After Serious Crash functionality.

Why is my phone stuck on SOS only?

The reasons behind the iPhone being stuck on Emergency SOS are mostly unknown. However, the following are the widely reported causes by many iPhone users:

• Not disabling Emergency SOS yourself
• The iPhone screen broke or the touchscreen isn’t working
• The device installed incomplete updates
• You’ve jailbroken the device incorrectly

Also read: How to Wipe Data From iPhone or iPad With Broken Screen

iPhone stuck on SOS: Final Words

The Emergency SOS on your iPhone is a great tool to inform the emergency services team as well as your next of kin. Use it wisely only when you’re in a real emergency and you need assistance from the appropriate rescue authority of your county, municipality, state, or country.

Follow the above troubleshooting tips to fix the super-annoying iPhone stuck on Emergency SOS problem on your Apple phone. Also, comment below if you see I missed any other method to fix an iPhone stuck on SOS.

Next up, How to Set up Emergency SOS on Google Pixel Watch.