If you’re wondering what SOS means on iPhone, you’re not alone. In iOS 16, Apple has moved an indicator to a new spot on the status bar, which is confusing some people. Fortunately, there’s a simple answer to why SOS might appear on your iPhone.
Why does it say SOS-only on my iPhone?
SOS on your iPhone means that it can only contact emergency services. No matter where a phone is in the US, as long as it can pick up a compatible cellular signal, it is allowed to make a 911 call. Typically, if a phone doesn’t have service, it’ll give you a heads up that you can still use it for 911 by displaying text like “Emergency Calls Only,” or in the case of iOS 16, the SOS indicator in the status bar.
The SOS indicator shows up where you’d usually see the network type (3G, 4G, LTE, 5G, 5GUW). It’s to let you know that your phone is connected to a tower but can’t connect to your home network. There are a few reasons this might happen:
- Your phone isn’t connected to an active cellular service account.
- You’re outside your home network’s range and don’t have roaming turned on.
- Your SIM card is malfunctioning.
- Your cellular network settings are outdated or misconfigured.
If you’re sure you have service and should be getting a signal, the easiest fix for this issue is to restart your phone. Usually, that’ll get it to reattempt to connect the closest tower.
