How To Set Up Emergency Medical ID in Health App on iPhone and Apple Watch



Medical emergencies can happen to anyone, anywhere, and anytime. That’s why taking a few minutes to create and set up a Medical ID on your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch could be a life-saving decision. 

Everyone should know how to set up an emergency Medical ID in Health app on iPhone as it can potentially save your life. Medical ID stores essential health information about you that first responders and others can use during emergencies such as an accident. When time is paramount, preparedness is our best defense.

Here’s everything you need to know to create and share your Medical ID on your iPhone and Apple Watch. Let’s start with the basics.

What is Medical ID in Health App on iPhone?

iOS 8 introduced the Health app, which lets you create a Medical ID accessible to anyone from your device’s Lock Screen.

A Medical ID is a feature that provides information about you that may be important in an emergency, like allergies and medical conditions. It helps first responders make fast, informed decisions and automatically keeps our emergency contacts updated. It can be viewed even when your phone is locked. 

Medical ID on iPhone provides valuable information related to you and your health. Once you set up your Medical ID and enable it to show on the Lock Screen, anyone with physical access to the device can know about your health conditions and reach your emergency contacts. Further, your Medical ID can be linked to your Apple Watch too. 

When you add emergency contacts to your Medical ID, iPhone can send alerts when you use Emergency SOS from your iPhone or from your Apple Watch.

Your Medical ID on the iPhone or Apple Watch stores medical details about you that can be useful in emergencies. The details include:  

• Name, date of birth, and Apple ID photo
• Medical conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, or asthma
• Medications you are currently on
• Medical notes such as if you have a pacemaker in your heart
• Allergies and reactions
• Blood type
• Organ donor status
• Height and weight
• Primary language
• Emergency contacts and their phone numbers

6 Reasons Why You Should Set Up a Medical ID on iPhone

1. Your Medical ID gives first responders access to the critical medical information on your iPhone.
2. Your Medical ID gives first responders access to the critical medical information on your Apple Watch
3. Your Medical ID can be shared during emergency calls or text messages.
4. Your Emergency Contacts will be notified during emergencies.
5. You can register for organ donation when creating your Medical ID.
6. Your Medical ID can be set up in English — even if your iPhone system language is different.

This important tutorial will show you how to create a Medical ID on your iPhone and how you or anyone else can access a Medical ID from the Lock Screen of your iPhone, iPad, or Apple Watch.

How To Create Medical ID on iPhone and Apple Watch

First responders and others can view critical medical information about you in your Medical ID, even while your iPhone is locked. Here’s how to create your Medical ID on your iPhone and Apple Watch:

1. Open the Health app on your iOS device.
2. Tap your profile picture or initials at the top right. If you don’t see your profile picture or initials, tap Summary or Browse at the bottom of the screen, then scroll to the top of the screen.
3. Tap Medical ID, then do one of the following:
   • Create a Medical ID: Tap Get Started. Enter your details such as medical conditions, allergies and reactions, medications, blood type, weight, height, language, and your emergency contacts.
   • Change your Medical ID: Tap Edit.
4. When you’re finished, tap Done.

After you set up your Medical ID on your iPhone, this data is synced and reflected on your Apple Watch too. You don’t have to take any extra steps to add your Medical ID to your Apple Watch.

A first responder views your Medical ID from the Lock Screen by swiping up or pressing the Home button (depending on your iPhone model), tapping Emergency on the Passcode screen, then tapping Medical ID.

Tip: You can quickly view your Medical ID from the Home Screen: touch and hold the Health app icon, then choose Medical ID.

You can also allow your Medical ID information to be sent automatically to emergency services, via a secure third-party service, when you call or text 911 or use Emergency SOS from your iPhone or Apple Watch (U.S. only; watchOS 6.2.5 or later required if Apple Watch is connected to Wi-Fi or a cellular network without your iPhone nearby; texting 911 isn’t available in all locations).

How To Set Up Medical ID on iPhone and Apple Watch

To create and set up a Medical ID in Health app on iPhone and Apple Watch, follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Open the Health app and tap the Summary tab.
2. Tap your profile picture in the top right-hand corner.
3. Under your profile picture, tap Medical ID.
4. Tap Edit in the top right-hand corner.
5. To make your Medical ID available from the Lock Screen on your iPhone, turn on Show When Locked. In an emergency, this gives information to people who want to help.
6. To share your Medical ID with emergency responders, turn on Share During Emergency Call. When you make a call or send a text to the emergency services on your iPhone or Apple Watch, your Medical ID will be shared with the emergency services automatically.
7. Enter health information, such as your date of birth, allergies, and blood type.
8. Tap Done.

Tip: Having an emergency Medical ID that includes your date of birth is particularly important for those who are 55 and older. Apple Watch Series 4 and Apple Watch SE and later include fall detection, which is turned on if you are 55 and older (and can also be turned on for those who are 18 years and older).

How To Edit or Remove Your Medical ID Records on iPhone and Apple Watch

Down the line, if you want to update your allergies, medical conditions, or emergency contacts, here’s how to change your Medical ID information:

1. Open Health app > Your Profile Picture > Medical ID > Edit.
2. Tap the field you want to change and add the updated information.
3. For removing an emergency contact, tap (-) button > Delete. To add one, tap add emergency contact.
4. Tap Delete Medical ID if you want to remove it.
5. Tap Done to save the changes you make.

How To Access Medical ID on Locked iPhone and Apple Watch

To access or see Medical ID on an unlocked iPhone, press the Health app icon and choose Medical ID. You can also go inside the Health app > Profile Picture > Medical ID.

Imagine you come across an injured person on the road or in a public place. In this case, you can call their family member directly from the Lock Screen by accessing that person’s Medical ID. Also, a doctor or first aid responder can find out about that injured person’s medical conditions, blood type, allergies, and more.

Here are two ways to see someone’s Medical ID on their iPhone:

See Other’s Medical ID While Powering Off Their iPhone

To view someone’s else Medical ID on their iPhone, follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Go to the power off screen:
   • On iPhone without a Face ID: Press and hold the right side button until you see the power off screen.
   • On iPhone with Face ID: Press and hold the right side button and volume up or volume down button.
2. From the power off screen, swipe right on Medical ID.

View Someone’s Medical ID Using Emergency SOS Button

To view someone’s Medical ID using an emergency button on their iPhone, follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Go to the enter iPhone passcode screen:
   • On iPhone with a Home button: Press the home button. Since this isn’t your iPhone, Touch ID will fail and show you the screen to manually enter the passcode.
   • On iPhone with no Home button: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen. Since this isn’t your iPhone, Face ID won’t unlock the device, and after a few seconds of the failed attempt, it’ll show the screen to enter the passcode manually.
2. Tap Emergency.
3. Tap Medical ID to see the person’s health details and emergency contacts.

How To Review Health Checklist on iPhone

To review the health checklist on your iPhone, follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. Tap your profile picture or initials at the top right. If you don’t see your profile picture or initials, tap Summary or Browse at the bottom of the screen, then scroll to the top of the screen.
2. Tap Health Checklist.
3. To turn on or learn more about an item in the list, tap it.
4. When you’re finished, tap Done.

How To View Medical ID on Apple Watch

To see an emergency Medical ID on your Apple Watch, follow the below-mentioned steps:

1. On your Apple Watch, press and hold the side button until the sliders appear.
2. Drag the Medical ID slider to the right to access health details and emergency contacts.

Note: On iPhone (Medical ID is locked by a passcode), but you can tap the emergency contact’s phone number on the Medical ID screen, and it will call that person. However, I noticed that on an Apple Watch, that’s locked by a passcode, tapping the name or number on the Medical ID screen doesn’t place a call or FaceTime audio call from the watch.

In this case, you can use the person’s iPhone to reach their emergency contacts or see the emergency contact’s number on their Apple Watch and call them using your phone.

How To Fix Medical ID Not Showing on Apple Watch Lock Screen

If you don’t see your Medical ID when you hold the side button on your Apple Watch, follow the below steps:

1. Open the Apple Watch app on your iPhone.
2. Tap My Watch.
3. Tap Health > Medical ID > Edit.
4. Then turn on Show When Locked.
5. To hide your Medical ID when your Apple Watch is locked, turn off Show When Locked.

Tip: Add emergency contacts to your Medical ID, and your Apple Watch alerts them if it makes an Emergency SOS call to emergency services. See Make an emergency phone call on Apple Watch.

Conclusion

I hope by now you know how to create and set up Medical ID on iPhone and Apple Watch and see it on a locked iPhone or Apple Watch.

Learning how to access Medical ID is essential for everyone, be it an iOS or Android user. When you know this, you can be a great help to that person who needs quick medical assistance.

Learn More:

• How To Make Emergency SOS Calls on iPhone and Apple Watch
• How To Add or Remove Emergency Contacts on iPhone

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Do paramedics check iPhone Medical ID?

Many emergency personnel and first responders check for a Medical ID on your iPhone or Apple Watch. However, since they may not have time to look through your pockets to find your phone, they are much more likely to check your Apple Watch if you are wearing one. So, it’s a good idea for everyone to keep their Medical ID updated.

How to delete Medical ID on iPhone? 

To delete your Medical ID, open the Health app → go to Summary → tap your profile picture at the top right → select Medical ID → scroll down and select Delete Medical ID.

Is the medical ID on the iPhone private? 

If you choose to show your Medical ID when your phone is locked, anyone can view it if they get hold of your phone. This raises a privacy concern, but it is offset by the safety factor that this option adds to your life.

via ©GadgetsBeat.