SOS Ring

SOS Ring makes calls and supported direct messages from VIP contacts audible even if your phone is in Silent, Vibrate, or Do Not Disturb mode.

Perfect for families where someone always keeps their phone on silent but needs to be reachable in emergencies.

HOW IT WORKS:
• Add your VIP contacts (family, partner, etc.)
• Enable the monitoring service
• When a VIP contact calls, SOS Ring overrides Silent/DND mode, plays the ringtone at your chosen volume (25-100%), and vibrates
• Optionally pair their direct WhatsApp, SMS/RCS, or Telegram conversation and choose a separate message volume (5-100%) and sound
• After the alert ends, your phone is restored to its original state — silent mode, DND, volumes, everything

WHY THIS APP EXISTS:
Android 14+ removed per-contact DND exceptions. No built-in way exists to let specific contacts bypass silent mode. Google restricts READ_CALL_LOG on the Play Store, so this type of app can't be published there. SOS Ring is free, open source, and works where others can't.

FEATURES:
• Pick VIP contacts from your phonebook or enter manually; select any or all numbers for contacts with multiple numbers
• Configurable call override volume (25-100%)
• Sound from the first VIP call or the second within 3, 5 or 10 minutes, with per-number exceptions
• Optional volume doubling between successive calls when the base volume is below 50%, capped at 100%
• Optional VIP message alerts for WhatsApp, Google Messages (SMS/RCS), and Telegram
• Separate message sound toggle, volume (5-100%), and Android default or VIP contact sound
• Works in Silent, Vibrate, AND Do Not Disturb mode
• Full state restore after call (including alarm volume)
• Quiet Hours and the temporary mute timer stop both call and message overrides
• Survives phone reboots (auto-start)
• Minimal battery usage (event-driven, no polling)
• Dark mode support
• No ads or tracking

REPEATED CALLS:
The default remains the first call. Choose the mode in Settings, Home or each VIP's menu. Only distinct cellular calls from the same number count; answering or pausing resets the sequence. The window does not slide. Messages do not count and stay silent during cellular calls. Pending counts use local hashed identifiers, expire within the window and are excluded from exports. See the README for details.

LOCATION SHARING (optional, peer-to-peer):
• No SOS Ring server required — you pick a UnifiedPush distributor app (e.g. ntfy on F-Droid); it relays only encrypted data
• End-to-end encrypted using Web Push encryption; the distributor never sees your location
• Each message is signed with a per-device key in the Android Keystore, so the recipient can verify the sender
• Pairing is explicit via QR code — no automatic connections
• Location sharing is off by default per contact; you control who can see your location
• Live tracking streams your position roughly every 10 seconds for a chosen duration, shown on an OpenStreetMap map in the app
• Tracked path is saved locally on the requester's device only — no data leaves without your explicit action
• No server, no analytics, no tracking

PERMISSIONS EXPLAINED:
• Phone State & Call Log: detect incoming calls and identify the caller
• Contacts: pick VIP contacts from your phonebook
• Notification access (optional): identify paired direct conversations; message text is never stored, and conversation identifiers are saved only as hashes
• Do Not Disturb access: override DND when a VIP calls
• Notifications: show a small persistent notification while monitoring
• Location (including background): used only to answer location requests from paired contacts you explicitly authorized, even while the app is not on screen; nothing is collected or sent otherwise

SOURCE CODE: https://github.com/JackRushante/SOSRing

Is SOS Ring free to download?
Yes. The APK file linked from this page is free. The developer may offer in-app purchases once installed, but obtaining the installer itself costs nothing.

What Android version does SOS Ring require?
Android 4.1+ or newer. Installing on older devices may cause crashes or refuse to install.

Is SOS Ring safe to install?
We link to the exact APK published by Lorenzo Marci. We do not modify the file. Still, as with any sideloaded app, scan it with a reputable antivirus before opening it, and only grant permissions the app genuinely needs.

How do I update SOS Ring?
Install the newer version on top of the old one — Android will keep your data. If the signature differs, uninstall first (you may lose local progress).

Why is the app not installing?
Common causes: not enough storage, an older Android version than 4.1+, or a conflicting build already installed. Free up space, check your OS version, and uninstall any previous copy before retrying.

1. Tap the Download APK button above and save the file to your device.
2. Open your device Settings → Security (or Apps → Special access → Install unknown apps) and allow your file manager or browser to install unknown apps for this one file only.
3. Open the downloaded com.lorenzomarci.sosring.apk file from your Downloads folder.
4. Tap Install and wait for Android to finish.
5. Open «SOS Ring» by Lorenzo Marci and grant only the permissions it actually needs.
6. Revoke the "unknown sources" permission once you are done installing.

Note: this page hosts or links to the installer only. The application name, icon and description are provided for identification. All trademarks belong to their respective owners.