What Is "SOS Only" Mode & How Do I Get Rid of It?

PDF download Download Article
Disable the SOS feature on your iPhone so it doesn't automatically call emergency services
PDF download Download Article

Has your phone mount triggered the SOS feature on your iPhone again? Fortunately, you can toggle off the button-press-to-call action so you don't accidentally call the cops for the tenth time. While emergency SOS calls can be super helpful, they can also be annoying and frustrating when your pocket or purse sends a faulty SOS signal. This wikiHow article teaches you how to turn off SOS on an iPhone.

Things You Should Know

  • If you're consistently accidentally making emergency calls, you can turn off the shortcut buttons. [1]
  • Disable the shortcut buttons for emergency SOS by going to "Settings > Emergency SOS" and toggling off both "Call with" switches. [2]
  • If you're seeing "SOS ONLY" in your status bar, you don't have cell signal and can only make emergency calls. [3]
Section 1 of 2:

Disabling Emergency SOS

PDF download Download Article
  1. Tap the app icon that features a set of gears on a light grey background. [4]
    • Since the feature can not be disabled completely, this method will show you how to disable the shortcuts so you or your pocket do not accidentally trigger an emergency call.
  2. You'll see this next to a red icon with the letters "SOS" on it. [5]
    Advertisement
  3. In the Emergency SOS menu, you'll see the options to "Call with Hold and Release" and "Call with 5 Button Presses". To keep from accidentally triggering either one of these options, tap the switches (
    iPhone Switch Off Icon
    ) to toggle them off. If the switch is white and pointing left, you can no longer trigger an emergency call by pressing buttons on your phone. [6]
    • Once you've done this, the only way you can make an emergency call other than dialing the number is to press the buttons to power off your iPhone and then drag the "Emergency Call" slider.
    • If you have an iPhone 14 or later, you can also disable the "Call After Severe Crash" feature by tapping the switch to toggle it off. That feature can cause faulty calls for newer iPhone users. [7]
    • If you have an Apple Watch, it can also call emergency services falsely. To disable that feature, open the Watch app on your iPhone and tap the My Watch tab. Tap Emergency SOS and tap the switch next to "Hold Side Button to Dial" to toggle it off. [8]
    • If your iPhone is stuck in the "Emergency Call" mode with the slider, try to force your iPhone to restart . In case you didn't get your iPhone out of the "Emergency Call" screen by forcing a restart, contact Apple Support.
    4. Advertisement
Section 2 of 2:

What "SOS Only" Means

PDF download Download Article
  1. If you see "SOS Only" in the status bar, you don't have cell service although you can still get through to emergency services. Get rid of it by finding an area with better cell service or going to an area with Wi-Fi. However, if you're in an area where there's usually a good cell signal, you can try a few things: [9]
    • Go to Settings > Cellular and toggle "Cellular data" off for about 10 seconds, then turn it back on.
    • If you're abroad, make sure roaming is enabled (if the extra roaming charges aren't your concern). To do this, go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Data Roaming .
    • Check for carrier updates. Go to Settings > General > About and see if there's an update option next to your cellular provider. [10]
    • Check your physical SIM card for any damage. [11] If you're using an eSIM instead, skip this step.
    • Restart your iPhone. [12]

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Hard Reset an iPhone
      Apple ID Sign Out Unavailable? Here's How to Fix It
      How to
      Get Past the Activation Lock on an iPhone or iPad without the Seller
      10 Simple Ways to Fix an iPhone or Android That Won’t Send Pictures
      6 Easy Steps to Reload Your Cash App Card at the Store
      How to
      Fix the “iPhone Unavailable” Message: Explanation and Fixes
      How to
      Turn On MMS Text Messages on an iPhone
      How to
      Use the iPhone Hidden Album to Hide Private Photos
      2 Ways to Get a Still Image from Video on iPhone or iPad
      How to
      Fix "Notifications Silenced" on iPhone Messages
      How to
      Downgrade and Restore Older Versions of iOS on iPhone
      How to
      Bypass Your Screen Time Passcode: Reset, Remove, or Hack Screen Time
      Turn Off Location Sharing on an iPhone Without Anyone Knowing
      4 Ways to Find Your Lost iPhone When It’s Offline or Dead
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/open-features-with-accessibility-shortcut-iph3e2e31a5/ios
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/104992
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201415
      4. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/104992
      5. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/104992
      6. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/104992
      7. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/104992
      8. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/108374
      9. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201415
      1. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/109324
      2. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/109357
      3. ↑ https://support.apple.com/en-us/118259

      About This Article

      In other languages
      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 135,765 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement