What to Know
- If you want Siri to call 911, you just have to ask.
- Say "Siri, call 911" or a similar voice command to activate your iPhone calling emergency services.
- You will have a five-second window to cancel.
Can Siri call 911? When you tell Siri to call 911, you will have a few seconds to cancel the call before the call is made. Let’s dive deeper into what happens when you ask Siri to call 911.
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Benefits of Using Siri during an Emergency
Sometimes an emergency, such as a car accident or a serious injury, can prevent you from reaching your iPhone. What’s great about using Siri during emergencies is that you can call 911 without touching your phone. Just make sure that your iPhone is set up for you to use the “Hey Siri” feature (if you have iOS 17 or later you just have to say "Siri").
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What Happens When You Say "Hey, Siri, Call 911"
You can use the following voice commands with Siri to call 911:
- “Hey, Siri, call the ambulance”
- “Hey, Siri, dial 911”
- “Hey, Siri, call emergency services”
- “Hey, Siri, call 911”
If you are using iOS 17 or later, you don't need to say "hey" and can activate this feature simply by saying "Siri."
When you use one of these voice commands, Siri will respond by saying, “Calling Emergency Services in five seconds,” to give you a chance to cancel the call if the call was unintentional. Despite Siri giving you five seconds to cancel a call, please do not attempt to test the feature out unless in an actual emergency. If you want your emergency contacts to be notified when using Emergency SOS, make sure you have enabled “Share During Emergency Call”. If you don't have a cellular signal, you may still be able to get help using the Emergency SOS via satellite on the iPhone 14 and later.
FAQ
- Can you call 911 without service? Yes, you can call 911 if you do not have service in an area as long as there is another network with service in range, but 911 will not be able to call you back or find your location unless you have emergency satellite service or something similar. Settings like Airplane Mode or areas where there is no cell service at all will prevent you from being able to place an emergency call.
- Can you cancel an emergency call? You will have a window of a few seconds to cancel your call before it goes through to emergency services.
- Can Siri call 911 when the phone is locked? Yes, Siri services still work with voice activation if your iPhone is locked.
