How to Set Up and Use Medical ID on iPhone and Apple Watch
Your iPhone and Apple Watch can share critical health information even when they’re locked — but only if you set it up first.
Medical ID is designed to help in real emergencies, giving first responders immediate access to important details like emergency contacts, allergies, medications, and blood type. In this guide, we’ll walk through how Medical ID works, how to set it up correctly, and how it can be accessed when it matters most.
🎓 What You’ll Learn
What Medical ID is and why it’s important
How to set up Medical ID using the Health app
How to add emergency contacts
How Medical ID can be accessed from a locked iPhone
How Medical ID works on Apple Watch
What information first responders can see
❤️ What Is Medical ID and Why It Matters
Medical ID is a built-in safety feature available on every iPhone and Apple Watch. It allows important medical and emergency contact information to be viewed without unlocking the device.
This is especially important in situations where:
Someone is unconscious or unable to communicate
A phone is locked with Face ID, Touch ID, or a passcode
First responders need immediate information
Medical ID can display details that help responders act faster and contact loved ones right away.
📱 Setting Up Medical ID in the Health App
Medical ID is managed through the Health app on iPhone.
Steps
Open the Health app
Tap your profile picture in the top-right corner
Select Medical ID
Tap Get Started
From here, you can enter personal and medical information such as:
Name and photo
Date of birth
Medical conditions
Allergies and reactions
Medications
Blood type
Height and weight
Primary language
You can also choose to show Medical ID when the phone is locked and share information during emergency calls.
👥 Adding Emergency Contacts
Emergency contacts are a key part of Medical ID. These are the people first responders can call directly from the lock screen.
You can add emergency contacts in two ways.
From the Health app:
Open Medical ID
Tap Edit
Select Add Emergency Contact
Choose a contact and relationship
From the Contacts app:
Open a contact
Scroll to the bottom
Tap Add to Emergency Contacts
Select the relationship
Both methods update the same Medical ID information.
🚨 How Medical ID Works in a Real Emergency
Medical ID can be accessed even when the iPhone is locked.
From the lock screen:
Tap Emergency
Tap Medical ID
This displays:
Medical information you entered
Emergency contacts with phone numbers
Allergies, blood type, and other critical details
The device remains locked, but essential information is immediately visible.
⌚ Accessing Medical ID on Apple Watch
Medical ID is also available on Apple Watch.
To access it:
Press and hold the side button
Swipe the Medical ID slider
The same medical information and emergency contacts appear on the watch screen, making it accessible even if the iPhone is not nearby.
⚠️ Why You Should Set This Up Now
Medical ID only works if it’s configured ahead of time.
Important reminders:
Keep information accurate and updated
Add multiple emergency contacts
Enable lock screen access
Review settings periodically
This is one of the simplest setups that can make a life-saving difference.
