The Google Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2have extensive functionality, including excellent safety features. One of these, Safety Check, shares your location with your emergency contacts if you don’t check in at a set time.
We walk you through what the Safety Check feature is, how to set it up, and how to safely use it from your smartwatch. This feature is available on all Pixel Watch models with Wear OS 4 and other Google Pixel devices, including the latestGoogle Pixel 8 Pro.
What does Safety Check do?
Activating Safety Check starts a timer. If you don’t confirm you’re okay when the timer runs out, your Pixel Watch shares your real-time location with your emergency contacts through Google Maps.
Unlike most Pixel Watch safety features, Safety Check doesn’t run automatically in the background. You need to start it manually every time.
How to prepare Safety Check on the Google Pixel Watch
Safety Check is part of the Personal Safety app on your Pixel Watch. This is the same app that’s pre-installed on other Pixel devices. You can download it from the Play Store on other Android devices.
Before getting started with Safety Check, set up your emergency sharing settings. Even if you use the Safety Check app on your phone, it’s worth revisiting these settings. Not responding to a Safety Check triggers your emergency sharing settings, so check that you’re sharing the information you want.
We show you how to set up your emergency contacts on the Personal Safety app for Android, as this is easier than using your Pixel Watch. You must tweak emergency sharing settings on your Pixel Watch, as these settings are not shared between devices.
Knowing whether you have the Wi-FI or 4G LTE version of the Pixel Watch is essential. If you don’t have the 4G LTE model, your watch must be connected to your phone via Bluetooth to use Safety Check. Double-check your connectivity settings before you begin.
How to set up your emergency contacts for Safety Check
The only information you must include for Safety Check is one or more emergency contacts. You can choose which contacts you share your location with during a Safety Check.
When your emergency contacts are updated, you’re ready to check your emergency sharing settings.
How to adjust your emergency sharing settings
While your location is always shared during an emergency, you’re able to share other information, including:
You cannot turn off emergency location sharing.
You’re now ready to set up Safety Check.
How to set up Safety Check on your Google Pixel Watch
We show you how to set up Safety Check on your Pixel Watch. We also show you how to find it on the Personal Safety app. Read the instructions for both devices so that you know how to activate them regardless of the device you have.
To find Safety Check on your Android phone, open the Personal Safety app and tapSafety Check.
Add a Personal Safety app shortcut to a complication on your Pixel Watch face so that you don’t need to scroll through your apps every time.
How to use Safety Check
Test Safety Check a couple of times to know how it works. Just warn your emergency contacts first.
You can also end your Safety Check or contact emergency contacts or services from your Android phone. A notification to access these settings appears when you start a Safety Check from your Pixel Watch.
If Google Assistant is activated on your watch, start a Safety Check by saying, “Hey, Google, start a safety check.” End a safety check by saying, “Hey, Google, stop the Safety Check.”
Other Pixel Watch safety features
There are more safety features on the Pixel Watch and Pixel Watch 2 in addition to Emergency Sharing and Safety Check. Read ourdetailed guide on these featuresto understand how they work.
How to add medical information to your Android phone
Your phone can help save your life in an emergency
Stay safe with Wear OS
Safety features aren’t exclusive to the Pixel Watch. If you own a Samsung Galaxy smartwatch, you canuse a similar suite of safety features.
