Google Fi directs 911 calls to local 911 operators, who then contact emergency responders, usually a local police or fire department. You should always be prepared to provide your location and your phone number. Unlike calls from a landline phone, local 911 operators may not know your location or phone number when you call on a Google Fi device.
Google Fi also provides enhanced 911 services (E911), when available, which can send local 911 operators additional information like your approximate location and name. In addition, Google Fi provides text-to-911 in certain locations. While you can text 911 with your phone, you can’t text 911 from your computer. Not all local 911 operators currently support E911 and text-to-911.
A few things to note:
- If you are transferring (porting) your phone number to Google Fi and need to call 911, we may not be able to provide your location to local 911 operators while the transfer is in progress.
- In some cases, the local 911 operator may see a phone number that is different from your Google Fi phone number. This may happen as a result of Google Fi's multiple networks. You can still be reached by your Google Fi number and you can provide your Google Fi number to the 911 operator.
- If you send a text to 911 while in an unsupported E911, you should get an automated reply that says the text is not supported.
- 911 emergency calls don’t appear in your call history and phone dialer history.
- For privacy reasons, Google Fi doesn’t share 911 call history.
Calls to 911 over Wi-Fi or a data connection
Calls to 911 over Wi-Fi or a data connection operate differently than traditional calls to 911. Calls to 911 over Wi-Fi or a data connection may not connect to local 911 operators, or may connect to the administrative offices of the emergency operators, which may not be staffed after hours or by trained 911 operators. If your call does connect to local 911 operators, your location information and phone number might not be shared, and you may need to provide your location and other information.
Calls to 911 may be limited or unavailable if:
- Your phone is set to Wi-Fi only mode.
- You are placing the call from Messages for web.
- There’s a power outage or a disruption in your Wi-Fi service or Internet connection.
It’s important to keep your Service address updated in order to connect you with the public-safety answering point closest to you. See the section below on how to make those changes.
You should consider placing a warning label about the limitations of this service on your Google Fi device. View and print one here.
Emergency address
View a tutorial on how to change your Google Fi service address on your Android or iPhone.
In some cases when you dial 911, your location won't be known immediately, like if you're calling over Wi-Fi. In order for Google Fi to connect you with a local 911 operator without knowing where you're calling from, Google Fi will rely on the Service address you provided during sign up as a fallback. This address can also become available to a 911 operator if you're unable to give your location over the phone.
You can change this address any time in the Google Fi app or website, and we recommend always keeping it up to date.
Edit your Service address:
- Open the Google Fi app
or the website.
- In the "Home" tab, select Service address.
- Edit the address and select Save.
Emergency alerts
You can choose to get alerts when there are nearby threats or emergencies. Learn how to turn emergency alerts on or off.
Emergency services outside the U.S.
When you are traveling outside the United States, you may not be able to reach emergency responders by dialing 911. Where possible, we’ll attempt to reroute 911 calls to local emergency services. Emergency calling is not available in all countries and may not be reliable even when available.