How to Set Up a Medical ID and Emergency Information on Your Phone in Canada

If you are ever hurt, ill, or unable to speak for yourself, your phone may be the first place a first responder looks for help. Both iPhone and Android let you store medical details and emergency contacts that can be viewed from the lock screen, without unlocking the phone. Setting it up takes a few minutes, and it is one of those jobs that is easy to put off until the day it is actually needed.

This guide covers how to set it up on iPhone and on Android, what to include, what to leave out, and how to check that it works. Menu names can vary a little by phone maker and software version, so if a label looks slightly different, look for the closest match.

Step 1: Decide what to include, and what to leave out

Start with the information that would help someone treating you in an emergency. Useful entries usually include allergies, especially drug allergies, medical conditions such as diabetes, asthma, epilepsy, or a heart condition, current medications if you can list them accurately, blood type if you know it for certain, and one or two emergency contacts with their relationship to you.

Keep the list short and accurate. A long list that is out of date can cause confusion, so only add medications and conditions you are confident about. If you are unsure about a dose or a diagnosis, leave it out and let a family member or your medical record fill the gap later.

Do not put sensitive numbers in this field. Leave out your Social Insurance Number, your provincial health card number, bank details, passwords, and any other identifier that could be used for fraud if the phone is lost. A first responder does not need those numbers to treat you, and anyone who finds a lost phone could read this screen. Emergency information is meant to be visible without a passcode, so treat it as public to whoever holds the phone. It is also worth telling your emergency contacts that you have listed them, since they may get a call from an unknown number.

Step 2: Set up Medical ID on iPhone

On iPhone, this feature is called Medical ID and it lives in the Health app. Open the Health app, tap your profile picture or initials in the top corner, then tap Medical ID. Tap Edit in the top corner to add or change details.

Fill in your name, date of birth, medical conditions, allergies, medications, blood type, and organ donor status if you wish to record it. Add emergency contacts by tapping Add Emergency Contact and choosing a person from your contacts, then selecting their relationship to you. When you are finished, tap Done.

Make sure the setting that allows this information to show on the lock screen is turned on. In the Medical ID edit screen, look for the option called Show When Locked and switch it on. Without that setting, the details are stored on the phone but cannot be seen until the phone is unlocked, which defeats the purpose in an emergency.

To check it, lock your phone, go to the lock screen, tap Emergency, then tap Medical ID. You should see the details you just entered. If you see a blank screen, go back to the Health app and check that you tapped Done and that Show When Locked is on.

Step 3: Set up emergency information on Android

On Android, the location of this feature depends on your phone maker, but the idea is the same. On many recent Android phones, open Settings, then look for Safety and emergency, or About phone, then Emergency information. On some Samsung phones, the path runs through Settings, then Safety and emergency, then Medical information. On Pixel phones, look in Settings, then Safety and emergency, then Medical information and Emergency contacts.

Add the same kind of details as on iPhone: allergies, conditions, medications you are confident about, blood type if known, and emergency contacts.

To check it, lock your phone, then on the lock screen look for Emergency or Emergency call. Tap it, and you should see an option for emergency information or medical information. If you cannot find the option, look for a small info icon or a Medical info button, since the label varies by maker. Android also lets you add emergency contacts that can be called from the lock screen without unlocking the phone. Choose contacts you trust with that access, and tell them you have added them.

Step 4: Keep it up to date, and know its limits

Medical information goes stale faster than most people expect. Medications change, allergies are confirmed or ruled out, and emergency contacts change numbers or move away. Put a simple reminder in your calendar to review this screen once or twice a year, for example when you renew a prescription or at the start of a new year.

A Medical ID is not a substitute for a medic alert bracelet, a wallet card, or a conversation with your doctor. First responders may check a phone, but a phone battery can die, a screen can break, or a phone can be left in a car. If you have a serious allergy or condition, a physical alert that travels with you is still a sensible backup. Think of it as a helpful first page, not a full record: an allergy warning, a condition to watch for, and a person to call.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can first responders see my Medical ID without my passcode?

Yes, if you turn on the lock screen setting. On iPhone, that setting is called Show When Locked in the Medical ID screen in the Health app. On Android, emergency information is reached from the lock screen emergency call screen, though the exact label varies by phone maker.

Should I include my provincial health card number in emergency information?

No. Leave out your health card number, Social Insurance Number, bank details, and passwords. First responders do not need those numbers to treat you, and this screen can be viewed without unlocking the phone, so anyone holding a lost phone could see them.

Does my Medical ID transfer automatically to a new phone?

Not always. Some details may not move with a regular backup, since they are treated as device specific for privacy reasons. After setting up a new phone, open the Medical ID or emergency information screen and confirm your details are present, and enter them again if they are missing.