Anyone nearby can use a public automated external defibrillator (AED); you do not need prior training. If someone is unresponsive and not breathing normally—including if they are only gasping—call your local emergency number, begin CPR, and use an AED as soon as it is available. The device analyzes the heart rhythm and prompts a shock only when one is advised. Follow its instructions and keep everyone from touching the person during analysis and a shock.
Who is allowed to use a public AED?
A bystander can use one. The American Heart Association (AHA) says AEDs are intended for the general public, and use should not be restricted to trained rescuers. Training is valuable preparation, but do not wait for a trained person before helping.
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There is no minimum age to operate an AED, according to the AHA. Children can help, too; a child who cannot safely manage the device or perform CPR should call for help and get an adult. The immediate priority is to activate emergency services and start the response.
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One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware matchUsing a public AED in an emergency is different from owning one or administering an AED program. This guidance concerns using a device already available at the scene; legal protections and rules can vary by location.
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When should you use one?
Suspected cardiac arrest
Use an AED when a person suddenly becomes unresponsive and is not breathing normally. Gasping or occasional, abnormal breaths do not count as normal breathing. Call the local emergency number, start CPR, and have someone bring an AED if one is nearby.
Cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack. An AED is for suspected cardiac arrest—not for a responsive person who has chest pain. Call emergency services for a possible heart attack and follow the dispatcher’s directions.
Do not wait for the AED to start CPR
If other people are present, have one call emergency services and another retrieve the AED while you begin CPR. If you are alone, call for help and follow the dispatcher’s instructions. Do not stop ongoing CPR to retrieve a device when someone else can get it.
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- Philips defibrillators perform a daily, weekly and monthly self-test to eliminate the need for manual calibration. May be converted to an AED trainer with the use of Adult or Infant/Child Training Pads Cartridge (sold separately)
- Philips AEDs use advanced technology to respond to your actions, utilizing SMART Analysis to assess the heart’s rhythm, and a Quick Shock feature which allows the device to deliver a shock within 8 seconds. Post shock guidance on CPR will follow
For a drowning-related emergency, effective CPR with breaths and compressions is especially important; getting or applying an AED must not delay it. Once the AED is at hand, turn it on and follow its prompts.
How to use a public AED
- Check the scene. Make sure it is safe to approach. Check whether the person responds and is breathing normally.
- Call and delegate. Call your local emergency number, or direct someone else to call. Ask another bystander to bring an AED if available.
- Start CPR. For an adult, push hard and fast in the center of the chest. The AHA gives a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute and a depth of at least 2 inches. Follow dispatcher instructions.
- Turn on the AED and follow its voice prompts. Expose the chest, dry it if needed, and place the pads as shown on the pads or device.
- Clear the person while the AED analyzes. Make sure nobody is touching them. If the AED advises a shock, ensure everyone is clear and press the shock button if prompted.
- Resume CPR when directed. Continue following the AED’s prompts until the person shows signs of life or emergency medical services take over.
Can an AED shock someone who does not need a shock?
An AED analyzes the person’s heart rhythm before advising whether to deliver a shock. It will not prompt a shock unless its analysis indicates one is appropriate. That safeguard is why a bystander should turn the device on and follow its prompts rather than trying to decide independently whether a shock is needed.
Analysis is not a guarantee that every action in every circumstance is harmless. Keep clear during analysis and shock, follow the device and dispatcher, and avoid unnecessary interruptions to CPR. Do not touch the person while the device is analyzing or delivering a shock.
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How common is bystander CPR and AED use?
In a September 8, 2026 explainer, the AHA reported more than 350,000 adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year in the United States and said bystanders administer CPR about 40% of the time. It also reported that about 1 in 8 people who have cardiac arrest in a public setting receive a bystander AED shock. These are U.S. figures, and the public-setting AED statistic is not the same measure as AED use across all out-of-hospital arrests.
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For a different measure, the AHA’s adult basic life support guideline page reports 2024 CARES registry data: among adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the registry, bystander CPR was reported in 47.7% of cases and bystander AED use in 7.9%. The registry figures describe its covered cases, not every U.S. arrest.
How to prepare before an emergency
A CPR/AED course can help you feel more prepared, but it is not a prerequisite to helping. If you want to locate a nearby device in advance, the AHA notes that PulsePoint lists registered AEDs; not every AED is registered, so an app listing cannot be treated as a complete map. Emergency numbers, device instructions, training expectations, and legal protections vary by country.
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