This Hidden iPhone Feature Could Seriously Save Your Life In An Emergency

If you're in a place without cellular coverage and need help, try this new update in Apple's iOS 18.

A new feature included in Apple’s latest iPhone update could be a game changer if you ever need to text someone but don’t have cell service.

There’s a host of new features in iOS 18, including new ways to customize your home screen and the ability to add extra text effects (you can bold or underline words for emphasis, for instance). But for the safety nuts among us, the most valuable new addition may be satellite messaging, a feature that allows users to text family, friends and emergency services when they’re off the grid: For instance, maybe you’re in the wifi-less forrest and want to let your mother know you’ve gotten to your campsite safely.

The new feature works similarly to Apple’s Emergency SOS via satellite feature introduced on the iPhone 14 and 15 series. (We previously wrote of how those affected by last year’s Maui wildfires were able to connect with first responders using Emergency SOS.)

To connect to a satellite, you need to be outside with a clear view of the sky and horizon. Then you’ll point your iPhone upward, said Tim Schofield, a tech YouTuber.

“Once connected, you are able to send/receive texts, tapbacks and emojis on your iPhone and message with your friends and family ― not just emergency services,” Schofield told HuffPost.