Check-in with iPhone*
Want to let family and friends know you arrived safely? Your iPhone can do this for you and even advise if there is trouble along the way. Additional features permit the phone to notify chosen recipients if you get lost, kidnapped or simply experience a car breakdown. If you deviate or stop making progress on a trip, you have 15 minutes to respond to a notification to confirm you’re all right. If you don’t respond, your iPhone will notify recipients of your current location, the route you went on, and, in case they want to contact you, your iPhone’s battery level and cell connectivity. This can help in case of a breakdown or travel delays.
Here’s how to set it up. Open Messages, click on a recipient, click “+” button in lower left of screen and scroll down to “Check In”. Go through the screen and answer questions that fit your needs. If you have directions running in Apple Maps, or are in the middle of a workout, it’ll automatically create a check-in based on your destination or when the workout ends. Otherwise, it’ll set a one-hour timer by default”
There are three types of check in: Destination, select by car, walking or transit; Time – set an expiration time; and Workout such as biking, hiking, climbing or some other activity that has an element of risk. Before you send the Check-In message you can select Edit to modify if needed and add a custom message. If you don’t respond on time, your recipient will be notified.
If you made a mistake, you can unsend or edit the message.
Another cool feature is to schedule a text to send later for items such as a special date, a reminder or more if they are in a different time zone. Add a photo or attachment if needed.
*used iPhone 15 Pro with IOS26.2