Medical ID Setup On iPhone And Android For Seniors (Step-By-Step)

When a first responder finds someone unconscious, the first thing they do after checking pulse and breathing is reach for a phone. They are looking for two things: who to call, and what medical conditions to know about. If you have set up Medical ID, your phone tells them both — without anyone needing your passcode.

This guide walks through Medical ID setup on iPhone and on the two most common Android phones (Samsung Galaxy and Google Pixel). The process takes eight minutes. It is the single highest-leverage safety setting on a smartphone.

This article is informational and not medical advice. Talk to your doctor about which conditions and medications to list.

What Medical ID actually shows

When triggered, your phone's Medical ID screen displays:

• Your name and date of birth.
• A photo (optional).
• Medical conditions (diabetes, heart disease, dementia, COPD, etc.).
• Medications and doses.
• Allergies and reactions.
• Blood type.
• Organ donor status.
• Emergency contacts with names and relationships.
• Primary language.

It does not show your other apps, photos, messages, or any personal data. It is a single read-only card.

Why this matters

Three reasons.

1. EMS protocols rely on this info. Many ambulance services now train responders to check phone Medical IDs before transporting. The information can affect which medications they give you and which hospital they take you to.

2. Family members may not be reachable. A spouse or child may be unreachable for hours. Your medical info on the phone is immediate.

3. Allergies kill faster than waiting. A patient given the wrong drug because their allergy was not known is a real and frequent ER incident.

For a related setup that pairs with this, see How To Set Up Emergency Contacts On Phone.

iPhone — Medical ID setup

iPhone has had Medical ID since 2014 and the experience is the most polished.

Open the Health app

1. On your iPhone home screen, find the Health app — white icon with a red heart. (If you have deleted it, redownload it free from the App Store.)
2. Open it.
3. Tap your profile picture in the top right corner.
4. Tap Medical ID.

Fill in the basics

1. Tap Edit (top right).
2. Add or confirm your date of birth.
3. Tap Add Medical Conditions. Type each condition, tap return between each. Examples: "Type 2 diabetes, Atrial fibrillation, Mild cognitive impairment."
4. Tap Add Medical Notes. Use this for anything that does not fit a category. Example: "Pacemaker installed 2024. Avoid MRI machines."
5. Tap Add Allergies and Reactions. Be specific about the reaction. Example: "Penicillin — severe rash. Shellfish — anaphylaxis."
6. Tap Add Medications. Be specific. Example: "Metformin 500mg twice daily. Lisinopril 10mg morning. Eliquis 5mg twice daily."
7. Choose your blood type (if you do not know, leave blank or ask your doctor).
8. Set organ donor status.
9. Confirm height and weight.
10. Set primary language.

Add emergency contacts

1. Scroll to Emergency Contacts.
2. Tap Add Emergency Contact.
3. Pick a person from your contacts, choose their relationship.
4. Add 1 to 3 contacts.

The two switches that make it work

This is the part most people miss.

1. Scroll to the bottom and find:

• Show When Locked — turn ON. This is what makes Medical ID viewable from the lock screen.
• Share During Emergency Call — turn ON. Sends your data to 911 dispatchers when you call.

1. Tap Done.

Test it

1. Lock your iPhone (press the side button).
2. From the lock screen, swipe up or tap to wake.
3. Tap Emergency (bottom left of the passcode screen).
4. Tap Medical ID (bottom left).
5. Confirm your information appears.

If you see your data without entering a passcode, it is working. For broader iPhone safety setup, jump to iPhone Emergency SOS Setup Guide.

Samsung Galaxy — Medical ID (Emergency information)

On Samsung phones running One UI 6 or later, the feature is called Medical info and lives under Safety & Emergency.

Open the settings

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Safety and emergency.
3. Tap Medical info.

Fill in your details

1. Add your name, date of birth, blood type.
2. Tap Allergies and add each one.
3. Tap Medications and list each with doses.
4. Tap Conditions and list each.
5. Tap Notes for anything else.
6. Add an emergency address if you wish.

Add emergency contacts

1. Go back to Safety and emergency.
2. Tap Emergency contacts.
3. Add up to 5 contacts from your contacts list.

Make sure it shows on the lock screen

1. In Safety and emergency, tap Emergency Information.
2. Turn on Show on lock screen.
3. Turn on Show during emergency call.

Test it

1. Lock the phone.
2. From the lock screen, swipe up to the keypad.
3. Tap Emergency call.
4. Tap Emergency information at the top.
5. Confirm your data appears.

For broader Samsung accessibility setup, see Android Samsung Easy Mode Setup.

Google Pixel — Emergency information

On a Pixel running Android 14 or later, the path is similar.

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Safety and emergency.
3. Tap Medical info to add conditions, allergies, and medications.
4. Tap Emergency contacts to add 1 to 5 contacts.
5. Tap Emergency SOS to verify the 5-press shortcut is enabled.
6. Lock the phone, swipe up to the keypad, tap Emergency, then View emergency info to test.

A few practical notes

Keep it updated

Medications change, conditions develop. We recommend a 90-second review every January and after every doctor's visit where anything changed. Set a recurring calendar reminder.

List by both brand and generic name

Write "Eliquis (apixaban) 5mg" rather than just "Eliquis." Some hospitals stock by generic, some by brand.

Use medical notes for the unusual

The free-text Medical Notes field is where you put things responders need but that do not fit a category. Examples:

• "Has dementia. Easily confused. Wife's name is Carol."
• "Pacemaker. No MRI."
• "Recent stroke. Right side weakness."
• "Hard of hearing. Aids in ears."

Print a backup

A phone can run out of battery. Many seniors keep a wallet card with the same info written on it, plus a sticker on the inside of the front door for first responders entering the home. The Vial of Life program, free at most fire departments, gives you a magnet for the fridge with the same data.

What about Apple Watch?

If you have an Apple Watch, the iPhone Medical ID is automatically available on the Watch's emergency screen. No extra setup. Hold the side button on the Watch → swipe to Medical ID. See our deeper Apple Watch Fall Detection Setup for the full Watch story.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will showing Medical ID on the lock screen reveal anything else?

No. Medical ID is a separate read-only card. It does not unlock the phone, expose your contacts list, your photos, or your messages. Anyone using it sees only the emergency card.

Should I include my Social Security number?

No. Medical ID is for medical and emergency contact info only. Never put SSN, bank info, or other identity data anywhere on a lock-screen-accessible screen.

What if I do not know my blood type?

Leave it blank. Hospitals will type your blood themselves on arrival. Listing the wrong type is more dangerous than listing none.

Should my emergency contact be a spouse or an adult child?

Both, ideally. List 2 to 3 contacts in priority order. We typically suggest: spouse first, adult child second, neighbor third. The neighbor is critical because they may be the closest person physically.

Does Medical ID work on a phone with no service?

Yes. The Medical ID card itself does not require an internet connection. It is stored on the device. The 911 dispatch sharing feature does require service to reach the dispatcher; without service, the card is still visible to anyone holding the phone.