Phone for older parents: bigger text, simpler screen, contacts

Where should you start?

Before changing anything, ask about everyday use: what is fiddly, what is used daily? Change only what the person names as a problem. It is still their phone.

Let them hold the phone and tap while you explain, so they can repeat each step later. Note every change on paper. Preparing a session of digital help shows how to plan the visit.

How do you make the text bigger?

iPhone has two levels: the normal text size and, under Accessibility, Larger Text. Apple says Mail, Contacts, Calendar, Phone, Notes and other apps that support Dynamic Type follow this setting.

On Android, font size and display size are separate; display size also enlarges icons and buttons. According to Google, font size goes up to 200%, but some apps ignore the setting.

Tip: Test the size with a real message. Apple notes that very large text can make buttons hard to tap; reading and tapping should both be comfortable.

How do you tidy up the home screen?

Fewer icons mean less searching, and nothing needs deleting. On iPhone, rarely used apps move to the App Library and stay available there. Whole pages can be hidden, and new apps can go straight to the App Library.

On Android, you drag an icon to Remove. If Uninstall appears as well, that option takes the app off the device. Google says some of these steps only work on Android 14 and up. Labels can also differ between manufacturers.

When does the simplified iPhone mode make sense?

If even a tidy Home Screen is too much, iPhone offers Assistive Access. It shows only chosen apps with large items, including adapted versions of Calls, Camera, Messages and Photos, either as Rows (a list) or as a Grid.

Apple says set-up is easiest with a trusted supporter such as a family member. The signed-in Apple Account should belong to the iPhone's user. A separate passcode protects the mode.

Tip: Create the recovery Apple Account straight away. Without it, Apple says a forgotten passcode means resetting the iPhone.

Whether this mode fits is the owner's call. If only the small text bothers them, the settings above are enough.

How can the most important people be reached quickly?

Agree on who belongs at the top, for example the children and the GP surgery. Write names the way the person says them: ‘Siobhán daughter’ rather than ‘S. M.’.

On Android, mark these people as favourites in the Contacts app; they then appear at the top of the list. A photo helps with recognising them. On iPhone, Apple's guide to making calls says you can start a call in the Phone app by tapping a favourite. Emergency contacts go into the Medical ID, described below.

In case the phone is out of reach, a list on paper helps. See A paper contact card for when the phone is not at hand.

What belongs in the emergency details?

Both systems store emergency contacts and medical details for first responders. On iPhone this is the Medical ID. With Share During Emergency Call turned on, Apple says it is shared automatically when the person calls or texts the emergency services. Apple adds that this is not available in every country or region.

On Android, the details sit in the Safety app, called Personal Safety in the Play Store and Settings and available on some devices only. Google warns that anyone who picks up the phone can see the emergency information, even while it is locked.

For medication, allergies or conditions, the person alone decides what is visible. Which details make medical sense is best discussed with their doctor. To check what else the lock screen reveals, see Check what your lock screen shows.

Where can older people get help with practising?

After the set-up, practise together: making a call, reading a message, picking a favourite. Apple notes that a supporter may need the iPhone passcode or Apple Account password during set-up. It is better if the owner types both in, as explained in Helping without collecting other people's passwords.

According to the European Commission, 112 is free everywhere in the EU from landlines and mobiles. Switzerland is not an EU member, but the Commission lists it among countries that also use 112.

An example: Siobhán and her father at the kitchen table

Fictional example: Siobhán from Cork visits her father Declan. He has an iPhone and says: ‘The writing is tiny, and the screen is full of things I never use.’ Siobhán writes both points down before she touches the phone.

Declan holds the iPhone while she explains. He sets Larger Text while reading a message from his grandson, moves eight apps off the Home Screen and adds Siobhán and her brother as emergency contacts in his Medical ID.

He leaves his medication out, as he does not want it on the lock screen. A week later Siobhán rings to ask what works: the text could be one step bigger.