How to Fix SOS Mode on an iPhone

If you are somewhere and suddenly notice that SOS has appeared at the top left of your iPhone screen, this does not mean that your device is calling for help. Instead, it’s a simple problem that’s nothing to panic about. Here’s what to do when your iPhone is in SOS mode.

Why is my iPhone only in SOS?

SOS or SOS will only appear on your iPhone if you are in an area without a cellular network connection, but your device is still capable of making emergency calls. It should be noted that this feature is only available in Australia, Canada and the United States.

What does SOS mean on an iPhone?

As explained above, when you see the SOS or SOS message only on your iPhone, it means you are in a place where the network connection is so weak that your device cannot make any calls. Emergency services probably have a certain priority on the networks which still allows them to be contacted when the SOS message appears.

This is different from when you see No Service or Searching, because these messages mean you can’t make any calls. It’s also different from Emergency SOS via satellite, which requires an iPhone 14 or later and must be set up before leaving the house. With this service, your iPhone can use satellite communication to try to contact emergency services or send them your location via text message. You can read more about this in the article on how to use satellite emergency SOS on our sister site, Macworld.

How to Fix “SOS Only” on iPhone

There are different ways to manage SOS mode, most of which are quite simple.

Move to another location

The most obvious is to head to a new location where the signal should improve. If you are in a forest, beach, or other undeveloped area, cell towers may be too far away to provide coverage.

Try resetting your connection

It’s possible that you passed through an area of poor reception, but your iPhone subsequently failed to reconnect. To reset the connection, turn Airplane Mode (the little airplane icon in the quick settings menu) on for about 10-15 seconds, then turn it off again and your iPhone will immediately search for a network signal.

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Try restarting your iPhone

Another easy solution is to simply turn off your iPhone for a few seconds and then restart it to see if that fixes the problem.

Update to the latest version of iOS

If you still have a Wi-Fi signal, you can try checking if an iOS update is available, as this could fix existing issues. To see how it’s done, read how to update iOS on an iPhone on Macworld.

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Enable data roaming if you’re abroad

If you’re traveling internationally, your iPhone may not have data roaming enabled, which would limit its ability to connect to a network. To check this, go to Settings > Cellular (or Cellular Data)then activate Cellular data. After that select Cellular Data Options and turn on Data roaming.

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If you have a dual SIM setup, select the appropriate number and activate Data roaming for this one.

(Note: In the UK, Apple uses mobile services rather than the cellular system, although SOS mode is currently not available in this region.)

Contact your network provider

If none of the solutions above work, it’s worth borrowing a friend’s phone and calling your network provider to see if there’s a problem with your account or its service.

Visit the Apple Store

If none of the solutions have worked for you, your iPhone may be experiencing a technical problem. In that case, we recommend Macworld’s article on booking an appointment at the Genius bar at your local Apple Store. I hope they get you back up and running in no time.