Medical ID on Phone: Set It Up for Your Whole Family
Updated: 43 minutes ago
A medical ID on phone is a lock-screen card that shows your blood group, allergies, conditions, medicines and emergency contacts to a first responder, without unlocking your phone. On an iPhone, you set it up in the Health app under Medical ID. On Android, look for Safety and emergency or the Personal Safety app. It takes about ten minutes per person, and it can save critical minutes when a family member can't speak for themselves.
How to set up a medical ID on phone, model by model
Picture this. Your father collapses at the bank. A stranger picks up his phone. It's locked. Unless his phone shows a medical ID, nobody knows he is diabetic, on blood thinners, or that you are the person to call. Here are the steps for the phones most Indian families use.
Medical ID iPhone steps
Open the Health app and tap your profile picture at the top right.
Tap Medical ID, then Edit (or Get Started the first time).
Fill in conditions, medications, allergies, blood type and weight.
Under Emergency Contacts, add at least two people and their relationship.
Turn on Show When Locked and Share During Emergency Call.
Tap Done.
Android emergency information on Pixel and stock Android
1. Open Settings and search "emergency" or open the Personal Safety app.
2. Tap Your info, then Medical information.
3. Add blood type, allergies, medications and medical notes.
4. Go back and add Emergency contacts.
5. Turn on Emergency info access so it shows when the phone is locked.
Samsung medical info steps
1. Open Settings, then Safety and emergency.
2. Tap Medical info and fill in each field.
3. Return to Safety and emergency and add Emergency contacts.
4. Make sure Show on Lock screen is switched on for both.
Whichever brand you use, a medical ID on phone only works if the lock-screen option is on. Most failed tests we see come from this one toggle being off.
Menus vary slightly on Xiaomi, Vivo, Oppo, Realme and OnePlus phones. If you can't find them, type "emergency" into the Settings search bar. See Apple's Medical ID support page or Android Help for current screens.
What to put in your medical ID (and what to leave out)
A medical ID on phone is read by a stranger in a hurry. Keep it short, specific and useful.
The must-haves
Field | What to write | Example |
Name and age | Full name as on Aadhaar | Ramesh Kumar Sharma, 68 |
Blood group | Exact group with Rh factor | B positive |
Allergies | Medicines and foods, with reaction | Penicillin, causes rash and swelling |
Conditions | Long-term illnesses | Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, angioplasty 2023 |
Current medicines | Name and dose, especially risky ones | Clopidogrel 75 mg, insulin |
Emergency contacts | Two people, one local | Son (Delhi), daughter (Pune) |
Notes | Devices, language, doctor | Has pacemaker; speaks Hindi; Dr Mehta 98xxxxxxx |
ICE contact: pick the right people
ICE means "In Case of Emergency". Choose someone who answers calls, lives nearby, and knows the person's health history. For elderly parents, add one local contact, such as a neighbour or nearby relative, plus the adult child who manages their care. Saving them as "ICE – Rahul (son)" in the contacts list also helps on older phones.
What to leave out
Anything visible on the lock screen can be seen by anyone holding the phone. Skip your home address, Aadhaar number, bank details and insurance policy numbers. Write "Health insurance: Star Health, card in wallet" rather than the policy number.
In simple terms: A medical ID is a small health card that lives on your lock screen. Anyone can read it in an emergency without your password. Add only what a doctor needs in the first few minutes, and nothing a thief could misuse. |
Setting up emergency contacts on lock screen for parents
Most parents won't do this themselves, so do it on your next visit. Bring their medicine strips and latest reports so the details are correct.
A 15-minute family session
1. Collect each person's phone and their latest prescription.
2. Fill in the medical ID together, so they understand what it shows.
3. Add the same two emergency contacts on every phone.
4. Turn on emergency SOS if available, which can alert contacts with location.
5. Lock each phone and test the emergency screen.
Teenagers' phones too. If your teenager has a phone, set up a medical ID on phone for them as well, especially if they have asthma, a food allergy or epilepsy. Add both parents as emergency contacts and the school's name in the notes. Teenagers travel alone for coaching and sports, and a lock-screen card is often the fastest way a stranger can reach you.
Keep it current
Medicines change after every hospital visit. Update the medical ID whenever a doctor adds or stops a drug. A good habit is to check it on each birthday. When you get medical records from hospital after an admission, update the phone the same day. Our pillar guide explains how to get medical records from hospital quickly.
Basic phones and backup cards
For parents with keypad phones, write the same details on a wallet card and stick a copy inside the phone cover. The family history behind those conditions belongs in a family medical history chart, which helps doctors judge inherited risk.
Seht tip Keep the full picture, including reports, prescriptions and discharge summaries, in Seht. The lock-screen ID gives the first five minutes; Seht gives the treating doctor everything after that. |
When to see a doctor
A medical ID helps in emergencies, but it does not replace care. Book a doctor's visit or call for help if a family member has:
Chest pain, pressure or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back
Sudden weakness, face drooping or slurred speech
Very high or very low sugar readings on a glucometer
Fainting, confusion or a fall with head injury
Breathlessness at rest or blue lips
A serious allergic reaction, such as lip or throat swelling
In any emergency, call 112 or 108 immediately, and tell the responder that the person's medical ID is on their phone.
FAQs
How do I set up a medical ID on phone for iPhone?
Open the Health app, tap your profile picture, then Medical ID and Edit. Add conditions, medicines, allergies, blood type and emergency contacts. Switch on Show When Locked and Share During Emergency Call, then tap Done. To check it, lock the iPhone, tap Emergency on the passcode screen, then tap Medical ID.
Can someone see my medical ID on phone without unlocking it?
Yes, that's the point. When "Show When Locked" or "Show on lock screen" is on, anyone can open it from the emergency button on the lock screen. They can't open your apps, photos or messages. Because it is visible to strangers, include only medical details and contacts, never Aadhaar, bank or address information.
Does Android have a medical ID like iPhone?
Yes. Most Android phones have emergency information under Settings, often in Safety and emergency. Pixel phones use the Personal Safety app. Samsung calls it Medical info. Add your details, then turn on the lock-screen option. Responders reach it by tapping Emergency call and then the emergency information button. Lock the phone and test it yourself.
What should I include in my emergency medical information?
Include your name, age, blood group, allergies with reactions, long-term conditions, current medicines with doses, devices like pacemakers, and two emergency contacts. Add your preferred language and your regular doctor's number if space allows. Leave out financial details, home address and ID numbers, because the information is visible to anyone holding the phone.
Do paramedics in India check phones for medical information?
Practices vary. Many trained responders and hospital staff now check the lock screen, and bystanders often do too. It is not guaranteed, so also carry a wallet card, save ICE contacts, and keep full records in a family health app. A medical ID raises the chance that the right information reaches the right person.
Download Seht — free on iOS and Android
Keep every family member's reports, prescriptions and discharge summaries in one place, and share them in seconds when a hospital asks for history.
Download free:
Sources and references
Apple. Set up and view your Medical ID on iPhone. Apple Support. https://support.apple.com/en-in
Google. Android Help: emergency information and Personal Safety app. https://support.google.com/android
Samsung India. Safety and emergency features on Galaxy phones. https://www.samsung.com/in/support
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Emergency Response Services (108/112). National Health Mission. https://nhm.gov.in
World Health Organization. Emergency care systems for universal health coverage. https://www.who.int
Disclaimer: This blog is for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Seht helps families stay informed, but is not a substitute for professional healthcare guidance.
