How to set up 'Crash Detection' feature on your iPhone or Apple Watch

Just a few days ago, Apple launched its new smartphone of the year, the iPhone 14 series along with Apple Watch Series 8 and more. At the 'Far Out' event, the tech giant also unveiled a new feature called 'Crash Detection'.

The new feature, which works on iPhone and Apple Watch, will immediately connect you to emergency services once it detects that you have been in a severe car crash.

Compatibility
The new 'Crash Detection' feature is only compatible with a few Apple devices such as iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro models that are updated with the latest version of iOS, Apple Watch Series 8, Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen), Apple Watch Ultra. The smartwatches must be updated and running on the latest version of watchOS.


Sadly, the new feature will not be available on the iPhone 13 series or Apple smartphones that were launched before that.

How It Works
In order for the 'Crash Detection' feature to do its work, you must have cellular connection or Wi-Fi calling with a working internet connection on your Apple smartwatch or iPhone as the devices will require it to make emergency calls.

"Crash Detection is designed to detect severe car crashes—such as front-impact, side-impact, and rear-end collisions, and rollovers—involving sedans, minivans, SUVs, pickup trucks, and other passenger cars," Apple explained.

If you are involved in a severe car crash, your iPhone or Apple Watch will instantly sound an alarm and display an alert on the screen. Your device will also read the alert to you in case you can't see the screen.

If you have your iPhone with you and not your Apple Watch, then your smartphone's screen will display an Emergency Call slider, once you slide that, your phone will call emergency services to get help.

Whereas if you have your Apple Watch, your device will start to chime and tap your wrist while a message on the screen pops up checking in with you. In case you only have the watch on you and not your iPhone, then you will see the Emergency Call slider on your watch.

If your Apple Watch has cellular or Wi-Fi connection, then once you slide the Emergency Call notification, the device will call emergency services.
If you have both the devices with you - Apple Watch and your iPhone, then the Emergency Call notification will pop up on your smartwatch, as it's on your wrist and more accessible especially in a situation of a car crash.

If you haven’t initiated a call or canceled the alert after 10 seconds, your device begins another 10 second countdown.

In case you cannot respond to the Emergency Call slider on either of your Apple devices, then your iPhone or Apple Watch will automatically call services for help after a 20-second delay.

Alerting Your Loved Ones
Apart from getting your help from healthcare officials near you, Apple will also send an alert with your location to your loved ones if you have their number saved in emergency contacts.

If you've already set up your Medical ID on your Apple device, then it will displays a Medical ID slider so that emergency responders can access your medical information without any hassle.

How To Set Up Your Apple Device For Emergency
On supported iPhone and Apple Watch models, Crash Detection is turned on by default. You can also take these steps to make sure that your device is able to share the information that your emergency contacts and emergency responders need.

In order to alert your emergency contacts and share your Medical ID with emergency responders, you will need to set put the information in your device in the Health app.

To share your location with your emergency contacts, turn on Location Services for Emergency SOS: On your iPhone, tap Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services, and make sure Emergency Calls & SOS is turned on.