The SOS feature on your iPhone 13 is a valuable tool for emergency situations, allowing you to quickly call for help or alert your emergency contacts. However, there may be instances when you need to disable SOS temporarily or permanently. Perhaps you’ve unintentionally triggered it, or you want to prevent accidental calls to emergency services. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to turn off SOS on your iPhone 13.
Why Disable SOS on iPhone 13?
Before we dive into the steps, it’s essential to understand why you might want to disable the SOS feature on your iPhone 13:
Accidental Calls: The SOS feature can be activated by pressing the side button and volume button simultaneously. If you accidentally trigger it frequently, you may want to disable it to prevent unintentional calls to emergency services.
Privacy Concerns: Some users may have privacy concerns about the SOS feature, especially when it allows emergency contacts to be notified. Disabling SOS can help you maintain your privacy.
International Travel: When traveling abroad, the SOS feature might not work the same way as in your home country. Disabling it temporarily can avoid any confusion or unintended calls to emergency services while overseas.
Steps to Turn Off SOS on iPhone 13:
Here’s how to disable the SOS feature on your iPhone 13:
Unlock Your iPhone: Begin by unlocking your iPhone 13 using your passcode or Face ID.
Open Settings: Tap on the “Settings” app, which is represented by a gear icon and is typically found on your home screen.
Scroll Down and Select “Emergency SOS”: Scroll down in the Settings menu until you find “Emergency SOS” and tap on it.
Disable “Call with Side Button”: In the Emergency SOS settings, you’ll see an option labeled “Call with Side Button.” By default, this feature is enabled. Tap the switch next to it to turn it off.
(Optional) Disable “Auto Call”: If you also want to prevent your iPhone from automatically calling emergency services when you press and hold the side and volume buttons, you can disable the “Auto Call” feature. This will require you to slide an on-screen slider to make the emergency call instead. Toggle off the “Auto Call” switch if desired.
Confirm Your Selection: After disabling the “Call with Side Button” feature, your iPhone will ask you to confirm your choice. Confirm the change by tapping “Disable.”
SOS Is Now Turned Off: Once you’ve confirmed your selection, the SOS feature is now turned off on your iPhone 13.
Reactivating SOS:
If you ever need to re-enable the SOS feature on your iPhone 13, you can do so by following the same steps and toggling the “Call with Side Button” switch back on. Just remember to press and hold the side button and volume button simultaneously to activate the SOS feature after it’s been re-enabled.
Emergency Contacts:
It’s important to note that disabling the “Call with Side Button” feature will not remove your designated emergency contacts or other critical information from your iPhone. You can always access these details in the Health app’s Medical ID section.
Alternate Method: Using Settings Search
If you prefer a quicker method to disable the SOS feature on your iPhone 13, you can use the Settings search function. Here’s how:
Unlock your iPhone and swipe down on the home screen to access the search bar at the top.
Type “SOS” in the search bar, and relevant settings options will appear.
Tap on “Emergency SOS” under the “Settings” section.
Follow steps 4-7 from the previous section to disable the “Call with Side Button” feature.
This method allows you to directly access the Emergency SOS settings without navigating through the Settings app.
Conclusion:
Turning off the SOS feature on your iPhone 13 is a straightforward process and can be useful in various situations. Whether you want to prevent accidental emergency calls, protect your privacy, or make adjustments for international travel, you can easily disable and re-enable the feature using the steps outlined in this guide. Just remember to keep your iPhone’s settings in line with your needs and preferences for an optimal user experience.
