In the midst of a natural disaster, your cell service might not last for long. But that doesn’t mean you can’t reach out for help.
In the past few years, some smartphones have evolved to gain the ability to connect to passing satellites that can route messages to people — or even emergency services — as long as you have a clear view of the sky. Even better: You can use these satellite features free, at least for now.
If you have an iPhone 14 or newer, you can contact emergency services or fire off text messages via satellite, as long as you’re running Apple’s iOS 18 software. Google’s Pixel 9 phones can help you get in touch with emergency responders. Meanwhile, some T-Mobile customers in the path of Hurricane Milton — which made landfall in Florida Wednesday night — can send text messages by routing them through SpaceX’s Starlink satellites.
These satellite services aren’t perfect — they’re only available when you have no cellular service at all, and some have reported issues with using them even in what seem like ideal conditions.
With luck, you’ll never have to find out yourself, but it’s worth learning how to use them just in case. Here’s what you should know.
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The basics
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You need a clear view of the sky. This typically means you’ll have to be outside to send messages via satellite, which isn’t always possible. (That said, SpaceX, which operates the Starlink satellites that can ferry messages for some T-Mobile customers around, says you might be able to fire off messages if you’re next to a window.)
Keep conversations short. You might not be the only person trying to use these satellite services, and a glut of satellite texts can bog things down for everyone. Be brief, and don’t send more messages than you need to.
Some satellite features are only free for a while. If you own an iPhone 14 or newer, you’ll get free access to these satellite communication features for two years from the day you activated your device. People who bought an iPhone 14 early would normally be out of luck by now, but Apple extended their satellite service for an additional year. Google’s emergency satellite SOS features are also free for two years.
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How to send satellite messages from an iPhone
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What you’ll need: An iPhone 14, 15 or 16 model running iOS 18.
- Find a clear view of the sky, avoiding trees and foliage if possible. You should see a satellite icon in the top right corner of the screen. You may also get a pop-up prompting you to “Use Messages via Satellite.” If so, skip steps 2 and 3.
- Open your iPhone’s Control Center and swipe down until you see the Satellite option. It should say “Not Connected.” If it says “Not Available,” find a different location and try again.
- Tap the Satellite option. You’ll be taken to a new screen where you can select the option to send messages. Follow your iPhone’s instructions and move your phone until it’s pointing at a satellite.
- Compose your message, send it and wait. It can take up to 30 seconds for your message to reach its destination.
Things to keep in mind: This feature lets you text other people when you don’t have cell service, and they will be able to respond to you normally. But if you want certain people to be able to send you messages when you don’t have cell service, you’ll have to add them to your emergency contacts or your Family Group first.
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How to use Emergency SOS via satellite on iPhones
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If you need immediate emergency assistance, the process is a little different than for sending text messages.
What you’ll need: An iPhone 14, 15 or 16 model running iOS 18.
- Call 911 — if this fails because you don’t have cell service, you’ll see an option in the bottom-left corner of your phone’s screen to send an Emergency Text. Tap it.
- Tap Report Emergency, and tap through the brief questionnaire to describe your situation.
- Decide if you want to alert your emergency contacts as well as emergency services — if you do, this will send them your location.
- At this point, you’ll be prompted to connect to a satellite, which involves going outside. Only do this if the situation is safe. The information you provided in the questionnaire will be sent to emergency services, and you’ll be able to communicate with emergency responders on the other end via text.
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How to contact emergency services with a Google Pixel via satellite
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Google’s new Pixel phones won’t let you send text messages to friends and family, but they will help you get in touch with emergency responders when cell networks are down.
What you’ll need: A Google Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL, or 9 Pro Fold phone.
- Call 911 — if this fails because you don’t have cell service, you’ll see a Satellite SOS option on-screen. Tap it.
- Tap through the emergency questionnaire.
- Decide if you want to alert your emergency contacts as emergency services — if you do, tap the Notify button to send them your location and situation details.
- At this point, you’ll be prompted to connect to a satellite, which involves going outside. Only do this if the situation is safe. The information you provided in the questionnaire will be sent to emergency services, and you’ll be able to communicate with emergency responders on the other end via text.
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How to send satellite messages with a T-Mobile phone
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If you’re in an area that’s been affected by Hurricanes Helene or Milton, check to see whether your phone’s network indicator says “T-Mobile SpaceX” instead of just “T-Mobile.” (You can usually see this at the top of your phone’s screen when it’s locked.)
You’ll probably only have one or two bars of service, but you should be able to just send a text as you normally would — though we haven’t yet seen this working ourselves yet.
Unlike Apple’s approach, T-Mobile phones don’t need any specific hardware or apps to talk to Starlink satellites. That’s because those satellites communicate with cellphones over a slice of radio spectrum that T-Mobile picked up through its acquisition of Sprint.
SpaceX says that if a message doesn’t go through at first, try again — that’s because they are being “delivered on a best-effort basis.”