Your phone shows “SOS” or “SOS only” when it has lost normal connection to your carrier but can still reach emergency services like 911 (or your country’s equivalent).

What “SOS” on your phone really means

  • Your phone is not connected to your usual mobile network , so calls, texts, and data may not work normally.
  • It can still try to call emergency numbers using any available compatible network in the area (where this feature is supported, like the US, Canada, and Australia).
  • It does not mean you already called for help; it’s just showing that only emergency calling is available.

Common reasons your phone shows SOS

  • No or weak coverage : You’re in an area with poor or no signal for your carrier (basement, rural area, inside certain buildings).
  • Carrier/network outage : Your provider is having temporary issues or maintenance, so your phone can’t fully register on the network.
  • SIM issues : The SIM is loose, damaged, not activated, or your plan has a problem, so your line isn’t allowed on the network.
  • Roaming / travel : Abroad or on the edge of coverage, your phone may only be allowed to place emergency calls on another carrier.
  • Software or settings glitches : Rarely, a software bug or wrong network settings can make the phone think it’s limited to SOS.

Quick things to try right now

If this is happening to you, you can try a few simple steps:

  1. Move to a different spot
    • Go near a window, step outside, or move to a more open area to see if normal signal returns.
  1. Toggle Airplane mode
    • Turn Airplane mode on for about 10 seconds, then turn it off to force a fresh network search.
  1. Restart your phone
    • Power it off completely, wait a few seconds, then turn it back on; this often clears minor glitches.
  1. Check your SIM
    • If your phone uses a physical SIM: power off, remove the SIM, gently reinsert it, and power back on.
 * If you use eSIM, open your carrier or phone settings to confirm your plan is still active.
  1. Check with your carrier
    • If SOS stays on in places where you normally have full bars, your plan, SIM, or local tower may have an issue, and support can confirm outages or account problems.

Extra notes for iPhone vs Android

  • On iPhone , “SOS” or “SOS Only” appears in the status bar when you can only make emergency calls, not normal calls or use data.
  • On many Android phones, you’ll see something like “Emergency calls only” instead of “SOS,” but it means essentially the same thing.

If your phone keeps showing SOS in areas where others have normal service, it’s usually a sign to contact your carrier or phone maker, as it could be a SIM, account, or hardware issue.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.