If you have ever seen SOS or SOS only in the status bar of your iPhone. You might have wondered what it means and what to do about it. This article will explain what SOS means on iPhone, why it appears, and how to fix it.
What Is SOS on iPhone?
SOS on iPhone stands for “Save Our Souls” or “Save Our Ship,” it is a feature designed to quickly call for emergency assistance in a dangerous or critical situation. When you call with SOS, your iPhone automatically calls the local emergency number and shares your location information with emergency services. In some countries and regions, you might need to choose the service you need, such as police, fire, or ambulance.
To use SOS on an iPhone, either press and hold the side button and one of the volume buttons until the Emergency SOS slider appears or go to Settings > Emergency SOS and enable the Call with Side Button option. Then, you can drag the Emergency SOS slider to call emergency services immediately or keep holding the side and volume buttons until you hear a countdown and an alert sound. If you accidentally start the countdown, you can cancel it by tapping the Stop button and confirming that you want to stop the call.
What Does SOS Only Mean on iPhone?
SOS only on iPhone means your device is not connected to a cellular network, but you can still make emergency calls. This feature is available in Australia, Canada, and the United States. If you see SOS only in the status bar of your iPhone, it means that either your carrier has no service in your area, your SIM card has failed, or your cellular settings have been messed up.
How to Fix SOS Only on iPhone?
If you see SOS only on your iPhone, there are some steps you can take to fix it. Here are some possible solutions:
Move to an area with better cellular coverage. Sometimes, your iPhone might display SOS only because you are in a remote or rural area where your carrier has no service. Try moving to a different location and see if your iPhone can connect to a cellular network.
Check your cellular settings. Make sure that your cellular data is turned on and that your network selection is set to automatic. Go to Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Network Selection and toggle on Automatic to do this. This will allow your iPhone to connect to the best available network automatically.
Update your carrier settings. Sometimes, your carrier might release updates that improve network performance or compatibility with your device. To check for carrier settings updates, go to Settings > General > About and look for an option to update your carrier settings. If an update is available, tap on it and follow the instructions.
Restart your iPhone. A simple restart might fix minor glitches preventing your iPhone from connecting to a cellular network. To restart your iPhone, press and hold the side and volume buttons until the power off slider appears. Then, drag the slider to turn off your device. After a few seconds, press and hold the side button again until you see the Apple logo.
Reset your network settings. This will erase all your network settings, such as Wi-Fi passwords, VPN configurations, and cellular preferences. Go to Settings > General > Reset > Reset Network Settings to reset your network settings. Then, enter your passcode and confirm that you want to reset your network settings.
Update iOS. Sometimes, updating iOS might fix bugs or issues affecting your cellular connection. To update iOS, go to Settings > General > Software Update and check for any available updates. If an update is available, tap on Download and Install and follow the instructions.
Contact your carrier or Apple support. If none of the above solutions work, there might be a problem with your SIM card, account, or device. In that case, you should contact your carrier or Apple support for further assistance.
Conclusion
SOS on iPhone is a valuable feature that allows you to call for emergency help quickly when in trouble. However, seeing SOS only on your iPhone means that your device is not connected to a cellular network and can only make emergency calls. To fix this issue, you can try some of the abovementioned solutions, such as moving to an area with better coverage, checking your cellular settings, updating your carrier or iOS, restarting or resetting your device, or contacting your carrier or Apple support.
This content helped you understand what SOS means on iPhone and how to fix it if you see it in the status bar. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. Stay safe! 😊
