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Medical ID Guide – an iOS feature that saves lives

If you haven’t already, it’s important to set up a Medical ID, which contains important information that can be accessed in an emergency without unlocking your device. Blood type, medical conditions, allergies, emergency contacts, and the like.

First responders will know to check this if you’re involved in an accident, and it might just save your life – especially if you have health conditions which aren’t easy to spot.

First up, open the Health app. Then tap your profile picture in the top-right of the screen and choose Medical ID. If you’ve never made one before, press Get Started to set things up. From the next screen, ensure Show When Locked is enabled – and Share During Emergency Call, if you like – and then fill out as much or as little data as you like on the form.

At the bottom of the screen you can add some emergency contacts, whose phone numbers will be displayed on the emergency dialer screen along with that person’s relationship to you. If you have an Apple Watch S4 (or later) with Fall Detection enabled, these contacts will be automatically texted if you have an accident and don’t move for 60 seconds.

Hit Done in the top right when you’ve finished.

You can test this is set up correctly by pressing Emergency from the Lock screen keypad, then Medical ID.