What is Safety Check on iPhone, and how do I use it?
Safety Check is an iPhone feature, added in iOS 16, that lets you review and stop sharing your location and other information with people and apps. You'll find it in Settings, Privacy & Security, Safety Check. Its Emergency Reset option stops all sharing at once.
Safety Check offers two paths. Emergency Reset immediately stops sharing with all people and apps, then helps you review your emergency contacts, the devices signed in to your Apple Account and your account password. Manage Sharing & Access lets you go person by person or app by app, covering things like Find My location, shared Photos, Notes and Calendars, and app permissions such as camera and location.
Think about your safety before you start. Apple warns that changes you make to sharing or access may be noticed by others. Every Safety Check screen has a Quick Exit button in the top-right corner that closes Settings straight away, and the changes you've made so far are saved. Safety Check can't change other companies' apps, social media or non-Apple accounts.
- Open Settings, Privacy & Security, Safety Check (you may need to scroll down). It needs iOS 16 or later and an Apple Account with two-factor authentication
- Tap Quick Exit if you need to leave the screen fast
- Afterward, check what Safety Check can't reach, such as email, social media and your phone carrier account
How secure is your phone overall? Take the 2-minute checkup →
Unwanted Trackers & Safety Check
From the Staying Safe on iPhone course. Handle an AirTag alert safely, then review who can see your info with Safety Check.
Try it on the simulated phone Read the full lesson
The reading is free. The hands-on lab is part of Pro.