Techniques for automatically initiating the transmission of a silent emergency message via a mobile computing device are provided. A mobile device may receive a plurality of indications of a plurality of external buttons of the mobile computing device being pressed over a time interval. Based on the plurality of indications, the mobile computing device may determine that two or more external buttons have been pressed in a fixed sequence over the time interval. In response to determining that the two or more external buttons of the mobile computing device have been pressed in the fixed sequence, the mobile computing device may silently transmit a message to a computing device associated with an emergency contact, without activating a display screen of the device or making sounds.