Your iPhone is either showing “SOS”/“SOS Only” in the status bar (signal issue) or is stuck on the Emergency SOS screen (software/accidental activation). Here’s how to get it out in both situations.

Quick checks first

Try these simple steps in order:

  • Turn Airplane Mode on and off
    • Go to Settings → Airplane Mode , turn it on for 10 seconds, then turn it off.
  • Toggle cellular data
    • Go to Settings → Cellular/Mobile Data and turn it off, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on.
  • Move somewhere with better signal or step outside if you’re indoors, in a basement, or in an elevator. Weak or lost signal is a common cause of SOS mode.

If you still see SOS or the phone is frozen on an SOS screen, move on to the restart steps.

If your iPhone is frozen on the SOS screen

This is when you see the Emergency SOS slider and nothing responds properly.

  1. Force restart (iPhone 8 and newer)
 * Quickly press and release **Volume Up**.
 * Quickly press and release **Volume Down**.
 * Press and hold the **Side button** until the Apple logo appears, then release.
  1. Force restart (iPhone 7 / 7 Plus)
    • Press and hold Volume Down + Sleep/Wake (Side) together until the Apple logo appears.
  1. Force restart (iPhone 6s and earlier with Home button)
    • Press and hold Home + Sleep/Wake until the Apple logo appears.

A force restart does not erase your data; it just reboots the system and usually clears being stuck in SOS mode.

If it says “SOS” or “SOS Only” at the top

That usually means your phone can only call emergency services because it has no normal carrier connection.

Try the following:

  1. Restart your iPhone normally
    • Hold the Side button + a volume button until the “slide to power off” slider appears.
    • Slide to power off, wait 20–30 seconds, then turn it back on.
  1. Check SIM / eSIM
    • If you have a physical SIM, remove it with a SIM tool or paperclip, gently clean it, and reinsert it. A loose or damaged SIM can cause SOS only.
 * For eSIM, go to **Settings → Cellular/Mobile Service** and check that your plan is active and not showing errors.
  1. Reset network settings (only if needed)
    • Go to Settings → General → Transfer or Reset iPhone → Reset → Reset Network Settings.
    • This will erase saved Wi‑Fi networks and VPNs, but can fix stubborn SOS issues.

If your carrier is having an outage or your plan is suspended, you might stay in SOS mode until the carrier side is fixed.

How to avoid accidental SOS in the future

If you keep triggering SOS by mistake with the buttons, you can make it harder to activate:

  • Go to Settings → Emergency SOS.
  • Turn off Auto Call (or the quick side‑button/hold options, depending on your iOS version).
  • You will still be able to use SOS, but it will require more deliberate steps, which reduces accidental activations.

When to contact support or 911

  • Call emergency services if you triggered SOS because of a real emergency or if someone is in danger. That is what the feature is designed for.
  • Contact your carrier if:
    • Other phones on the same carrier work fine in the same place, but yours always shows SOS only.
    • Your account might be suspended, porting, or misconfigured.
  • Contact Apple Support or visit an Apple Store if:
    • Force restarts and network resets do not help.
    • You have physical damage, a water incident, or “No SIM / Invalid SIM” errors along with SOS.

If you tell what iPhone model you have and whether you see “SOS/SOS Only” in the corner or a big Emergency SOS screen, more tailored step‑by‑step help is possible. Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.