Have you encountered com.android.emergency on your Android phone? What is its function on your device?
Having an app or tool you don’t know about on your phone can be disconcerting. However, com.android.emergency should not worry you as it is an Android system package that manages emergency features on your device.
Below is a detailed description of the tool, its features, how it works, and other details you should know.
What does com.android.emergency do?
Com.android.emergency performs several functions on your phone, including:
1. Managing your emergency contacts
The Android emergency services application allows you to add emergency contacts to your device.
You can also manage your emergency contacts list, for example, by making them visible to emergency responders when your phone is locked.
2. Managing your medical information
The Android emergency services application allows you to store your medical information, including details like height, weight, blood group, allergies, medications, medical notes, and organ donor status.
You can also use the application to manage your medical information, such as making it visible to emergency responders when your phone is locked.
3. Managing the emergency SOS feature
The emergency services application manages the SOS feature on your Android phone. For example, you can set trigger actions to quickly call emergency services (911/999/112).
You can also set trigger action for other SOS features like:
- Sharing your information with emergency contacts.
- Share photos, videos, or audio recordings with your emergency contacts or services.
4. Managing wireless emergency alerts
The com.android.emergency package allows your mobile device to receive safety alerts from the government and other emergency agencies.
These alerts can include natural disaster warnings (for example, an earthquake) or public security threats near your location.
5. Sharing information with emergency services
Another vital role of com.android.emergency is sharing your information with emergency services/first responders when you make an emergency call.
This can include your medical information and your emergency location.
How to access com.android.emergency on your phone?
Unfortunately, since com.android.emergency is an Android system package, you cannot access it directly on your phone – unless you enable root access on your device.
However, you can access the Android feature that uses this package on your phone. To do this, go to your phone’s settings and select “Safety & Emergency.”
Some Android phones also have a dedicated “Emergency” app that you can launch directly from the app menu.
After accessing the emergency feature on your phone, you can edit and manage various safety features, such as your emergency contact, medical information, SOS, and other emergency settings.
What are the benefits of the Android emergency services application?
The com.android.emergency is a vital system package on your phone, especially in emergencies. Some of its benefits include:
- Providing first responders with life-saving medical information like your blood group, allergies, and medication you are in.
- Alerting your family or friends about your situation during emergencies.
- Allowing your emergency contacts and first responders to track you accurately if you are in danger.
- Warning you of crisis or safety threats near your location.
Is com.android.emergency safe?
Com.android.emergency is a legit Android application; thus, it is completely safe to have on your phone.
However, while the application is not malicious, some people might be concerned about the privacy and security risks it poses. For example, it stores your personal information (and that of close family and friends), which could be risky if your phone is stolen.
In addition, the application can access your location, which can be distressing to privacy-conscious individuals. However, Google is adamant that the application is secure and that the emergency location is only shared with emergency services.
Some Android users have also complained about accidental dialling of emergency services after inadvertently triggering the SOS feature.
Lastly, a vulnerability scan report by Oversecured shows that the application has some concerning issues that can present a security risk.
These include logging sensitive personal information and storing arbitrary data, which could expose your device to serious security breaches by hackers.
Therefore, while the Android emergency services application is legit, you should be cautious about using it as it might expose you to a significant risk of data breach.
Can you uninstall the Android emergency system application?
Given that com.android.emergency is an Android system package, you cannot ordinarily uninstall it. The best thing you can do is not use the application’s features, such as emergency contact and medical information.
You can also deactivate some of the application’s features, such as the SOS trigger and sharing your emergency location.
If you are technically savvy, you can try uninstalling the com.android.emergency application from your device. There are two ways you can do this:
1. Uninstalling the application through root access
To uninstall com.android.emergency through root access, you must first root your Android device. This will grant you administrator privileges, allowing you to access and modify otherwise hidden system files on your device.
Once you have root access, download a system app remover/root uninstaller from the Google Play Store and use it to uninstall the application from your device.
2. Uninstalling the application through ADB
The other way to uninstall the com.android.emergency application is through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is an Android developer tool.
To do this:
- Go to Settings > About Phone (About Device/My Phone)
- Tap the “Build number” and enter your device’s PIN or password to enable developer mode.
- Go to Settings > System > Developer Options and enable USB Debugging
- Connect your phone to a PC where you have installed an ADB studio.
- Run the ADB command line to remove the application (adb shell pm uninstall –user 0 com.android.emergency)
NOTE: Enabling root access and developer mode on your Android phone is risky, as you can accidentally mess with system settings or applications. This can corrupt your phone’s software, void its warranty, or even destroy your device.
Likewise, uninstalling a system package like com.android.emergency is not advised, as the emergency feature will not work on your phone. Attempting to do so can cause irreparable damage to your device.
