How to Set Up Medical ID on Your iPhone

If you ever had a medical emergency and couldn't speak for yourself, would a stranger — or a paramedic — know who to call, what medicine you take, or that you're allergic to penicillin? There's a way for your iPhone to tell them, in seconds, without anyone needing to unlock it. It's called Medical ID, and it's already sitting inside your phone's Health app.

Setting up Medical ID takes about five minutes. Once it's filled in, your iPhone can show your emergency contacts, allergies, medications, and other medical information to anyone who needs it — even from a locked Lock Screen, with no passcode required.

A lot of people never find Medical ID, because it isn't tucked inside the Settings app the way most iPhone features are. Below, we'll show you exactly where it's hidden, what to put in it, and the two switches that make it actually work in an emergency.

Where to Find Medical ID on Your iPhone

Open the Health app (a white icon with a red heart, usually already on your phone).
Tap Summary at the bottom of the screen.
Tap your profile picture in the upper right corner.
Tap Medical ID, then tap Edit (or Get Started if this is your first time).

That's the whole path: Health app → your profile picture → Medical ID.

What to Add to Your Medical ID

You don't have to fill in every field — only add what's true and what you're comfortable sharing. Common things to include:

Any medical conditions (such as diabetes or a heart condition)
Allergies, especially to medications
Current medications
Blood type, if you know it
Height and weight, if relevant to your care

Tap Add or Edit next to any field to fill it in, then tap Done in the upper corner when you're finished with each one.

Turn On "Show When Locked"

This is the switch that makes Medical ID useful in an emergency. With Show When Locked turned on, anyone can see your Medical ID from the Lock Screen — by tapping Emergency, then Medical ID — without needing your passcode or Face ID. Without this switch on, your information stays private but a paramedic can't reach it quickly.

You'll find this toggle near the top of the Medical ID edit screen. Make sure it's green (on) before you finish.

Turn On "Share During Emergency Call"

Right below it is Share During Emergency Call. When this is on, and you call or text an emergency number like 911, your Medical ID information is sent automatically to the dispatcher — so they have it even before help arrives. It's worth turning on, since it only shares information during an actual emergency call.

Add Emergency Contacts

Scroll down to Emergency Contacts and tap Add Emergency Contact. Choose someone from your Contacts app, then tell the Health app how that person is related to you (spouse, daughter, neighbor, and so on). You can add more than one — many people list an adult child along with their doctor's office.

When you're done with every section, tap Done in the upper right corner to save everything.

Medical ID and Emergency SOS Are Different Features

Your iPhone also has a separate safety feature called Emergency SOS, which can call for help even when you're not able to unlock your phone the normal way. It's worth knowing the two work together rather than replacing each other: Emergency SOS is about placing the call, and Medical ID is about what the responders see once help is on the way. Setting up Medical ID doesn't turn on or change Emergency SOS, so there's no harm in doing one without the other.

What to Do if You're Stuck

If you don't see a Medical ID option under your profile picture, your iPhone's software may be out of date — a visit to Settings → General → Software Update can fix that. If the Health app itself is missing, it should already be installed on every iPhone; try searching for "Health" using the search bar on your Home Screen.

If the steps move too fast, or you'd rather someone walk through it with you in person, Porchswing's technology classes cover security and safety basics like this one at a comfortable pace.

Still stuck? Porchswing can walk you through it at your pace — call (916) 521-0065.

Common questions

Can someone see my Medical ID without unlocking my phone?

Yes — that's the whole point. With Show When Locked turned on, anyone can tap Emergency, then Medical ID, directly from the Lock Screen, without your passcode.

Will 911 always get my Medical ID automatically?

Only if Share During Emergency Call is turned on, and only when you call or text your local emergency number from your iPhone. It's one more reason to turn that switch on when you set this up.

Can I update my Medical ID later if my medications change?

Yes. Just go back through Health app → your profile picture → Medical ID → Edit any time your information changes, and tap Done to save it.