Dear Savvy Senior,
My 79-year-old mom just upgraded from a flip phone to a smartphone, but she’s having trouble figuring it out. Is there a way to make it easier for her to use?
Only Daughter
Dear Only,
Switching from a flip phone to a smartphone can be a big adjustment. What seems second nature to younger users can feel overwhelming to someone who’s never used a touchscreen. Even though the screen is bigger, the text can still be tiny, the buttons hard to tap, and one accidental touch can open an app or change a setting. Even simple tasks like texting or taking a picture can suddenly feel frustrating.
The good news is that smartphones can be surprisingly senior-friendly. Both iPhones and Android phones have built-in accessibility features that make them easier to see, hear, and navigate. The exact steps vary depending on the phone, but here are some of the most helpful settings to look for.
Apple iPhone
If your mom has an Apple iPhone, start by opening the Settings app, then tap Display and Brightness. From there, she can make the text larger, turn on bold text, and use Display Zoom to make icons, buttons, and menus bigger. Even these small changes can make the phone much easier to use.
Accessibility offers several helpful tools. VoiceOver reads whatever is on the screen aloud, Zoom enlarges small text or photos, and Voice Control lets her open apps or dictate messages simply by speaking.
For a simpler home screen, try Assistive Access. It creates a clean layout with large buttons and fewer apps, and you can lock it with a passcode so it won’t accidentally switch back. For someone moving from a flip phone, this can make using the phone much less intimidating.
Google Pixel
If your mom uses a Google Pixel, open Settings, then Display, and select Display size and text. She can make words, buttons, and icons larger and increase color contrast to make everything easier to see.
Swipe gestures can be confusing for first-time smartphone users. Switching to the traditional three-button layout brings back simple on-screen buttons for Home, Back, and Recent Apps, making navigation much easier.
In Accessibility, TalkBack can read text aloud, Magnification zooms in on parts of the screen, Live Caption adds subtitles automatically, Sound Amplifier makes soft sounds louder, and Voice Access lets her control the phone by speaking.
Samsung Galaxy
If she has a Samsung Galaxy phone, start by turning on Easy Mode. Open Settings, tap Display, and turn it on. This enlarges text and icons, simplifies the home screen, and adds a slight delay to reduce accidental taps.
She can also adjust font size, screen zoom, and switch navigation from gestures to buttons. Accessibility settings improve contrast, offer captions or hearing aid connections, and let her operate the phone with voice commands.
Extra tips
Clean up your mom’s home screen by removing apps she doesn’t use and placing her most used apps – such as Phone, Messages, and Photos – on the first screen. Choose a simple wallpaper, turn up the ringtone and alert volume, add favorite contacts for one-touch calling, and increase the screen timeout so the display stays on longer.
Remember, the goal isn’t to master every feature. Start with the basics – answering calls, sending texts, and taking photos – and give her plenty of time to practice. A little patience goes a long way. With a few simple adjustments, her smartphone can become a tool she actually enjoys using.
Journalist and senior advocate Jim Miller is the creator of Savvy Senior, a weekly information column devoted to older adults that appears in more than 250 U.S. newspapers and magazines. He is also the author of The Savvy Senior: The Ultimate Guide to Health, Family and Finances for Senior Citizens (Hyperion) and is frequently featured in major media outlets, including Time, USA Today, The New York Times, CNBC and CNN.
