Why does my phone say “SOS only?” Fixing the “SOS only” status on an iPhone

Why does my phone say “SOS only?”

If your iPhone says “SOS only” at the top of the screen, it means it can’t connect to your carrier’s network, but it can still call emergency numbers. The message shows up when the phone sees that some cellular networks are reachable, but yours isn’t. 

You can lose your signal for a variety of reasons, including:

• Your mobile provider doesn’t have coverage in your location.

• You’re traveling in another country without a data roaming plan, local SIM, or eSIM.

• Your provider’s network has been disconnected.

• Severe weather or a power outage has interrupted mobile service.

• Your iPhone is having network connectivity issues.

What is the “SOS only” mode on an iPhone?

The iPhone’s “SOS only” mode is a feature that allows iPhone users to make emergency calls via satellite, even if they don’t have cellular network coverage. That means that if you’re stranded in the woods or your mobile network goes down during a hurricane, you can still call emergency services.

But how do you know whether your iPhone is in the “SOS only” mode? Look at the status bar at the top of your device. It will say “SOS” or “SOS only.” When you reconnect with your cellular network, the message will disappear from the status bar.

What happens when an iPhone is in the “SOS only” mode?

When your iPhone is in the “SOS only” mode, it means that you don’t have cellular service. Usually, you encounter this mode when you travel outside of your mobile provider’s network, like a rural area or a different country, or if your carrier experiences disruptions.

In the “SOS only” mode, any iPhone features that rely on your provider’s cellular network, such as calling, texting, and navigating via Apple Maps, will be unavailable. However, your iPhone can still use satellites and other carrier networks to make emergency calls, and your phone can share your location with emergency services.

When your iPhone is in emergency SOS mode, you can’t use cellular data. However, if you connect to Wi-Fi, you can still access the internet. That means that you can make calls or send texts via apps like FaceTime, WhatsApp, and Messenger, and you can also use social media and web browsers.

How do you get your iPhone out of the “SOS only” mode?

Being able to make emergency phone calls is great, but what do you do if you’re stuck in the “SOS only” mode on your iPhone? Your phone is supposed to automatically reconnect once you’re back on your carrier’s coverage map, but sometimes, it doesn’t make the switch. If your phone is stuck on the “SOS only” status, try the troubleshooting techniques listed below.

Check your connection

First, check your connection. Ask the people around you to see if they have cellular service. If they also see the “SOS” status on their phones, you’re probably in an area without coverage. When you head to an area with better service, your phone will probably start working again. You can also try connecting to Wi-Fi to get internet access, which can help you use more of your iPhone’s features.

Make sure you have data if you’re traveling

If you’re traveling internationally, you can see the “SOS” message if you don’t have data in your destination. To access data abroad, you’ll need to buy a data roaming plan through your home carrier, a physical prepaid SIM from a local mobile provider, or a travel eSIM.

If you have an international roaming plan, verify that you have roaming enabled:

1. Open “Settings.”

2. Select “Cellular.”

3. Tap “Cellular data options.”

4. Toggle “Data roaming” on.

However, roaming can get very expensive very quickly, so an eSIM is often your best choice for travel! Check out our article on how to install an eSIM on an iPhone to learn more about how eSIMs can help you avoid the “SOS only” mode while traveling.

Force restart 

If you should have service but still see the “SOS” mode, a force restart is the quickest solution:

1. Press the volume button (either up or down will work) and the right side button at the same time.

2. Keep holding until your phone powers down and the screen goes black.

3. Release the buttons and wait 30 seconds.

4. Hold the side button until you see the Apple logo.

Once your iPhone restarts, it will try to connect to your carrier again. Usually, a restart is enough to resolve connectivity issues and get you back on the network.

Update software

If a restart doesn’t work, check whether you need to update the software on your iPhone. Apple is always striving to improve its customers’ experience, and a bug in an outdated iOS version could be causing your network issues.

To update your iPhone software:

1. Connect to Wi-Fi.

2. Open “Settings.”

3. Select “General.”

4. Tap “Software update.”

5. If there is a software update available, download it.

However, your mobile carrier may also have a network settings update. To check for a carrier settings update:

1. Connect to Wi-Fi.

2. Open “Settings.”

3. Select “General.”

4. Tap “About.”

5. If your carrier has a settings update, you’ll have the option to download it.

Turn cellular data on and off

Turning cellular data on and off can also give your iPhone another chance to successfully reconnect with your mobile network:

1. Open “Settings” and select “Cellular.”

2. Toggle “Cellular data” off.

3. Wait a few seconds.

4. Toggle “Cellular data” back on.

Turn airplane mode on and off

When you use airplane mode, your iPhone disconnects from your mobile network, so turning it on and off can reset your network connections:

1. Swipe down from the top right of your iPhone to open the pull-down menu.

2. Tap the airplane icon. It will turn orange to indicate that airplane mode is on.

3. Tap the airplane icon again to turn airplane mode off.

Reinsert the SIM card

If your iPhone uses a physical SIM card, you can try removing and reinserting it:

1. Power down your iPhone.

2. Locate the SIM card slot and insert the SIM-eject tool (or any small, pointed object like a paperclip or toothpick) into the hole.

3. Gently push until the SIM tray ejects.

4. Remove the SIM card and clean it if it looks dirty.

5. Reinsert the SIM card.

6. Close the SIM tray.

7. Turn your iPhone back on. 

If your iPhone briefly shows “no SIM available” or “no SIM” before switching to “SOS only,” that usually means the SIM isn’t seated properly.

Note: If you have an iPhone 14 or later that was bought in the US, your phone uses an eSIM, so you won’t be able to remove it.

Reset network settings

If you’re still having trouble getting out of emergency mode, you can try resetting your network settings. However, this technique will reset all of your Wi-Fi networks, VPN, and cellular settings, so make sure you try everything else first! 

To reset network settings:

1. Open “Settings.”

2. Tap “General.”

3. Select “Transfer or reset iPhone.”

4. Tap “Reset.”

5. Select “Reset network settings.”

6. Enter your passcode when prompted.

Put your iPhone into recovery mode

Finally, if your device is still showing “SOS,” you can try putting your iPhone into recovery mode. This is a last resort!

To put an iPhone into recovery mode:

1. Connect your iPhone to a computer using a charging cable.

2. Open iTunes on your computer.

3. Press and quickly release the Volume Up button.

4. Press and quickly release the Volume Down button

5. Hold the side button until you see the recovery mode screen.

6. Select your device in iTunes on your computer and look for confirmation that it has entered recovery mode.

7. Follow the instructions for how to update or restore your iPhone.

How to prevent an iPhone from entering the “SOS only” mode 

To prevent your iPhone from entering the “SOS only” mode, try:

• Selecting a mobile carrier with broad, reliable coverage.

• Checking your signal strength.

• Cleaning and reinserting your SIM card. 

• Keeping your software updated.

Using low data mode on an iPhone can help you stretch limited data when traveling, but it won’t fix a full “SOS only” situation — that still means your device isn’t connected to your carrier’s network.

If you’re traveling to another country, an eSIM service like Saily is your best choice for avoiding the “SOS” messages. Saily offers high-speed data in over 200 locations, so no matter where you are, you’ll be able to access the internet. And even better, Saily is cheaper than data roaming and easier to use than a prepaid SIM card. To learn more about traveling with Saily, check out our article, eSIM vs. physical SIM.