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Samsung: Turn On or Off SOS Emergency Messages

Pressing the side or power key three times fast can silently fire off an emergency text with your location to contacts you never meant to alert - or the feature might not trigger at all when you actually need it. This usually comes down to how 'Send SOS messages' is configured under Advanced features.

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Step 1 of 9: Tap on **Settings**

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Android 11 · One UI 3
Turn On or Off SOS Emergency Messages – One UI 3: step 1 – Tap on Settings
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Samsung

Turn On or Off SOS Emergency Messages auf Samsung

Send SOS messages is a Samsung safety feature built into Advanced features. When triggered, it sends a text to selected emergency contacts with your approximate location, and optionally a photo and short audio clip.

The trigger is pressing the side key (or power key on older models) three times in quick succession. This is convenient in a real emergency but causes problems if the key gets pressed accidentally in a pocket or bag, or if a household member does not know it is active.

To turn the feature on or off, or to manage who receives the alert, go to SettingsAdvanced featuresSend SOS messages. From there, toggle the feature on or off directly.

If you are enabling it for the first time, tap Select from contacts, choose a contact, then tap Done and go Back to reach further options such as attaching pictures or a short audio recording to the alert.

Turning the feature off stops the triple-press trigger entirely, which helps if false alerts keep happening. Keep it on if you or someone in your household relies on it for actual emergencies, and instead reduce the number of saved contacts if the issue is about who gets notified rather than the trigger itself.

Frequently asked questions

A stuck side key, a tight phone case, or another app remapping the key can cause false triggers. Check SettingsAdvanced featuresSend SOS messages and disable the feature temporarily to confirm the key itself is the cause.

Compatible devices

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Android 11 · One UI 3

No compatible devices are listed for this version.