Fix iPhone Stuck on Emergency SOS Mode

The Problem: Your status bar says "SOS" or "SOS only" instead of your carrier name (AT&T, T-Mobile, etc.). You can't make calls.

The Short Answer: This means your phone is not connecting to your carrier's tower, but it sees other towers for 911 calls. It is often a SIM card issue or a local outage.

Method 1: Toggle Airplane Mode

Force the modem to search for towers again.

1. Open Control Center.
2. Tap Airplane Mode (Wait 5 seconds).
3. Tap it again to turn off.

Method 2: Re-insert SIM Card

If you have a physical SIM, it might be slightly loose.

• Use a SIM eject tool to pop the tray out.
• Wipe the gold contacts.
• Put it back in.

Method 3: Reset Network Settings

If the software is confused about which bands to use:

• Settings > General > Transfer or Reset > Reset > Reset Network Settings.