What Does SOS Only Mean On iPhone And How To Fix It?

Only when your iPhone is outside of normal network coverage does SOS appear.

SOS Only indicates that you are limited to calling emergency services. You won’t be able to send texts, make well-ordered phone calls, or enter the internet.

A malfunctioning SIM card, carrier problems, international circulating problems, software bugs, or hardware issues are just a few of the promiscuous reasons for SOS Only.

To try to resolve the SOS Only iPhone problem on your iPhone, follow these steps. You can try proceeding with your iPhone, enabling roaming, switching off Airplane Mode, or furthermore resetting network settings, among other alternatives.

The optimal course of action is to get in intromission with your carrier to resolve any problems and get remove of the SOS Only message. Your iPhone will resume normal connectivity as a result.

If your iPhone shows ‘SOS Only,’ you won’t be able to access the internet, send texts, or make calls. In this state, your device can only make emergency calls and can’t connect to your regular cellular network. In this guide, I’ll cover the possible reasons behind the ‘SOS Only’ issue on iPhones and walk you through steps to fix it, since it can be quite frustrating.

What does ‘SOS Only’ mean on an iPhone?

If you see ‘SOS Only’ in the carrier field at the top of your iPhone screen, or if ‘SOS’ appears in the upper right corner. The only emergency numbers you can call in the US and Canada are 911, 999 in the UK, 000 in Australia, and 112 in Europe.

You are incapable of sending text messages or making regular calls to other numbers as a result. You won’t be potentially to use the internet since data services won’t be receivable at the same time. You’ll still have access to emergency services like police, fire, and medical assistance.

When your iPhone is in Emergency SOS mode, permitting you to speedily contact emergency services if you are in danger. It is crucial to understand this mode works better than a typical phone call. “SOS Only,” in contrast to the Emergency SOS mode, appears to activate automatically without your intervention. Below, let’s examine a few potential causes.

Why does my iPhone say SOS Only?

As was in advance mentioned, your iPhone can only make emergency calls when it is exposition “SOS Only” and is unable to connect to the regular cellular network.

1. Carrier issues: The SOS Only message on your iPhone may occasionally appear due to a disruption or interruption in the services your carrier provides. This can also become if there is a subject with your account, such as if it is dormant.
2. Roaming issues: If roaming services are turned off or unreasonably set up on your iPhone while you are traveling overseas, it may cause the SOS Only issue.
3. Airplane Mode: Your iPhone can only display SOS when Airplane Mode is enabled because all other connectivity is turned off.
4. Faulty SIM: The SOS Only problem on your iPhone could be caused by a malfunctioning physical SIM. Furthermore, if the SIM card is imperfect, inoperative, or unreasonably inserted, this may decrease.
5. Out-of-Network Coverage: If you are in an area with poor signal attributes or on a train, your iPhone may lose correspondence and display SOS only.
6. iOS Glitches: Issues with connectivity can infrequently be communicated by bugs or technical difficulties in iOS. For this motive, it is crucial to ascertain whether your iPhone is consistently running the latest iOS version.
7. Hardware Malfunction: As with software, the “SOS Only” subject can also be communicated by hardware subjects resulting from physical damage to your device.

In addition, we have a specific guide for iPhone no-service problems if you are experiencing them rather than just SOS.

How to fix “SOS Only” on iPhone

Let’s now examine how to disable SOS on your iPhone exclusively. Try the steps below to troubleshoot the problem.

1. Check for carrier issues

Cellular service providers sometimes experimentation outages due to average maintenance, damaged towers, heavy network traffic, grievous weather, and other factors. The first step to determine if services are functioning generically is to review with your carrier. Another way to rule out any blockages is to make sure your account is current and active.

2. Toggle on/off Airplane Mode

Your iPhone’s Airplane Mode prevents connectivity, as was indicated in the reasons for “SOS Only” above. Thus, be sure to turn it off. Additionally, you can quickly restart your connection by turning it on and off.

• Open Control Center → In the Airplane icon, tap it.
• Wait for approximately 30 seconds, and then turn it off.

As an unconventional, you can inflection on and off Airplane Mode by going to Settings → Airplane Mode.

3. Turn on/off Cellular Data

To help fix the SOS Only issue, it’s worth turning off and then back on Cellular Data, just like with Airplane Mode. To disable it, open the Control Center and tap the Cellular Data icon. To re-enable data, tap on it once more after a few seconds of waiting.

Instead, you can take the following action.

• Open Settings.
• Tap Cellular/Mobile Data → Toggle off Cellular/Mobile Data.
• After a few seconds of waiting, toggle on.

4. Restart your iPhone

On an iPhone, most issues can occasionally be resolved with a simple reboot.

• To activate the power-off slider on an iPhone X or later model, simultaneously press the volume and power buttons.
• If you’re using an older version of the iPhone, click on the power button until the power off slider becomes visible. Your iPhone can be turned off by moving your finger across the slider. Holding down the power button for 30 seconds will cause the Apple logo to show on the screen.

5. Enable roaming on iPhone

Make sure to enable roaming on your iPhone if you’re going abroad in order to resolve the SOS Only problem.

1. Open the Settings application and select Cellular/Mobile Data.
2. After selecting Celluar/Mobile Data Options, turn on Data Roaming.

Remember that you may be charged additional roaming fees by your cellular service provider.

6. Update carrier settings on the iPhone

On occasion, cellular carriers release updates to enhance network performance and cellular connectivity. You can still manually check and update your iPhone’s carrier settings, even though this usually happens automatically.

7. Switch to 4G or LTE

Are you using your iPhone with 5G? This could be the reason for your new iPhone’s “no service” message after the incentive. Because 5G is still developing, cellular providers are vigorously working to improve their infrastructure. It is still preferable to stick with 4G or Auto mode until 5G is more widely accessible. Adhere to these steps to coordinate your settings.

1. Go to Settings and select Cellular.
2. Select Cellular Data Options.
3. Tap Voice & Data and then select 4G.

8. Disable or enable automatic Network Selection

Your SIM can connect to the appropriate network with the help of this setting. It might not, however, immediately identify the right one.

Turning off and on Automatic Network Selection on your iPhone will restore the connection and potentially resolve the SOS Only problem.

• Open Settings → Choose Cellular/Mobile Data.
• Select Network Selection → Toggle off Automatic.
• Wait for a few seconds and toggle it on.

9. Re-insert SIM card

Although it is uncommon, a physical SIM card error can also result in network connectivity issues. To see if it fixes the SOS Only problem, try taking out and reinstalling your iPhone’s physical SIM card. However, unless your carrier specifically instructs you to do so, do not reset your iPhone if it is using eSIM.

10. Reset network settings on iPhone

Try this step to remove all connectivity-related settings, including Bluetooth devices, Wi-Fi passwords, VPN configurations, etc., if none of the aforementioned methods were successful in clearing SOS only on your iPhone.

1. Open Settings → tap General.
2. Scroll down and select Transfer or Reset iPhone.
3. Select Reset → choose Reset Network Settings.
4. Enter the passcode.
5. Now, choose Reset Network Settings.

You can attempt a factory reset if, after attempting all of these fixes, your iPhone still displays the SOS Only message. As an outgrowth, all material on your device will be deleted. If that doesn’t determine the issue, consider reaching out to Apple Support or your carrier for ahead assistance.

Video: How to fix SOS only on iPhone

I hope that this guide’s solutions enabled you to resolve the SOS Only problem with your iPhone. Don’t hesitate to leave any further questions in the comments below. I would be glad to respond.

Conclusion

Encountering the “SOS Only” message on your iPhone can be overcome, but it is generally a sign of a connectivity purport rather than a device malfunction. Whether the issue is with your carrier, roaming settings, Airplane Mode, or a faulty SIM card, there are several troubleshooting steps to explore.

These steps can help restore your service to normal. From exclusively toggling Airplane Mode or restarting your device to more developed steps like updating carrier settings or resetting network preferences, most of these solutions can be cheaply implemented at home. If the issue sustains, don’t vacillate to get in intromission with your carrier or Apple Support for more help. With some patience and the right steps, you’ll probably have your service restored quickly.

Neeraj Gupta

Neeraj is a Content Strategist at The Next Tech. He writes to help social professionals learn and be aware of the latest in the social sphere. He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Technology and is currently helping his brother in the family business. When he is not working, he’s travelling and exploring new cult.

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