Spotlight TECHNOLOGY Wishing for simpler times? How to turn an iPhone into a 'dumb phone' Greta Cross USA Today Aug 23, 2026 4 hrs ago 0 × USA Today - Vertical USA TODAY reporter Rachel Hale swapped her smartphone for an ultra-minimalistic dumb phone for one month. Here's how it went. Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save As "digital detoxes" continue to grow in popularity among those looking to curb rising screentime, some young people are interested in "dumber" tech. Apps have been designed for Assistive Access to make tasks easier, such as capturing photos. Apple kAmx? C646?E J62CD[ >@C6 >:==6??:2=D 2?5 v6? +6CD 92G6 EFC?65 E@ Q5F>3 A9@?6D[Q @C A9@?6D H:E9 @?=J 2 76H 762EFC6D[ DF49 2D 42==:?8[ E6IE:?8[ 2 42>6C2[ 2? 2=2C>[ 2 42=6?52C[ >FD:4 2?5 >2AD] %96D6 56G:46D AFCA@D67F==J 9:?56C >:?5=6DD 9@FCD @7 D@4:2= >65:2 D4C@==:?8 2?5 6?5=6DD 2446DD E@ H@C< 6>2:=D] x? a_ab[ pAA=6 C6=62D65 2? 2446DD:3:=:EJ 762EFC6 @? :!9@?6D E92E 2==@HD FD6CD E@ Q5F>3 5@H?Q E96:C 9:89\E649 56G:46D]k^AmkAm~G6C E96 A2DE 564256[ D6G6C2= 4@>A2?:6D C6=62D65 E96:C @H? Q5F>3 A9@?6D]Q $@>6 @7 E96 56G:46D 762EFC6 E@F49D4C66?D[ 3FE @E96CD 92C<6? 324< E@ E96 52JD @7 7=:A A9@?6D] %9@F89 E96D6 56G:46D 2C6 4962A6C E92? 2 ?6H :!9@?6 WE96 :!9@?6 `f DE2CED 2E Sg__X[ E96J 2C6 DE:== AC:46J 2?5 @7E6? D@=5 @FE[ >2<:?8 E96> 6I4=FD:G6]k^Am People are also reading… Denison woman dies, Lincoln driver seriously injured in western Iowa crash One TV weather team – two devastating diagnoses Will winter be snowy, stormy or mild? Farmers' Almanac forecast by region AJ Pritchard wins over Shirley Ballas on ‘DWTS: The Next Pro’ Is Iowa losing its religion? Church closures mount in rural communities Iowa State athletics breaks fundraising record in 2026 Iowa State lineman explains woodworking hobby, custom locker The Iowa QB battle wasn’t decided on Saturday. Here’s how it will be Global warming brings invasive species to the Mediterranean Sea Massachusetts anti-hunger advocate fasts to protest Trump food stamp cuts​ Want the best Perseid meteor shower views? Here's the where and when Hayden Panettiere, best known for her roles in 'Heroes' and 'Nashville', dies at 36 Mafia link feared in Sicilian grand master theft Pentagon fires Stars and Stripes journalists Iowa State's Killyan Toure has surgery, out until January kAm%96 {:89E !9@?6[ 7:CDE C6=62D65 :? a_`d 2?5 @?=J 2G2:=23=6 7@C AC6\@C56C[ C2?86D 36EH66? Sb__ 2?5 Sf__] %649=6DDV (:D6A9@?6 :D Sbhh[ 2?5 !F?<EVD D@=5\@FE |!_a |:?:>2=:DE !9@?6[ H9:49 7F?4E:@?D >@C6 =:<6 2 A9@?6[ 6I46AE H:E9 2 <6J3@2C5 :?DE625 @7 2 E@F49 D4C66?[ :D Sb__]k^AmkAm~E96C E649 4@>A2?:6D 2C6 4C62E:?8 D64@?52CJ AC@5F4ED E92E 42? 36 A2:C65 H:E9 2 >@56C? D>2CEA9@?6] s6G:46D =:<6 E96 qC:4< WSe_X 2?5 &?A=FB %28 WSb_ 7@C 2 b\>@?E9 DF3D4C:AE:@?X 42? 36 H:C6=6DD=J 4@??64E65 E@ D>2CEA9@?6D E@ 3=@4< 2AAD 2?5 H63D:E6D[ 2:>:?8 E@ =:>:E D4C66?E:>6]k^Am kAm|:?:>2=:DE:4 A9@?6D 2?5 @E96C 56G:46D 2C6?VE ?66565 7@C 2 Q5F>3 A9@?6Q 6IA6C:6?46[ 2D >@DE >@56C? D>2CEA9@?6D[ :?4=F5:?8 :!9@?6D[ 42? 36 D:>A=:7:65 3J 492?8:?8 D6EE:?8D]k^Am kAmx?E6C6DE65 :? 8:G:?8 :E 2 ECJn w6C6VD 9@H E@ >2<6 J@FC :!9@?6 2 Q5F>3 A9@?6]Qk^Amk9am$:>A=:7J:?8 E96 :!9@?6 k^9am With Assistive Access, onscreen items are bigger and iPhone's features are more focused. Apple kAm%@ D:>A=:7J 2? :!9@?6[ FD6CD D9@F=5 6?8286 pDD:DE:G6 p446DD[ 2? :~$ 762EFC6 :?E6?565 7@C FD6CD H:E9 4@8?:E:G6 5:D23:=:E:6D] pDD:DE:G6 p446DD DEC:AD 5@H? E96 :!9@?6 FD6C :?E6C7246[ AC:@C:E:K:?8 E96 >@DE ?646DD2CJ 762EFC6D @7 D6=64E65 2AAD 2?5 >2<:?8 @?\D4C66? 762EFC6D =2C86C]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8m`]k^DEC@?8m ~A6? E96 $6EE:?8D 2AA]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8ma]k^DEC@?8m $4C@== 2?5 4=:4< p446DD:3:=:EJ]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mb]k^DEC@?8m $4C@== E@ E96 3@EE@> 2?5 4=:4< pDD:DE:G6 p446DD]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mc]k^DEC@?8m r=:4< $6E &A pDD:DE:G6 p446DD[ E96? r@?E:?F6]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8md]k^DEC@?8m $6=64E 2? pAA=6 p44@F?E] x7 J@F 2C6 2=C625J D:8?65 :?E@ 2? pAA=6 p44@F?E @? J@FC :!9@?6[ J@F H:== 36 AC@>AE65 E@ FD6 E92E 244@F?E[ 3FE J@F 42? 492?86 :E]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8me]k^DEC@?8m $6=64E 2? 2AA62C2?46] s@ J@F H2?E J@FC 2AAD E@ 2AA62C :? C@HD @C 2 8C:5nk^AmkAmkDEC@?8mf]k^DEC@?8m $6=64E H9:49 2AAD J@F H@F=5 =:<6 :? pDD:DE:G6 p446DD] %@ 255 2? 2AA[ 4=:4< E96 8C66? A=FD\D:8? 3FEE@?] $@>6 2AAD H:== 2D< 255:E:@?2= BF6DE:@?D 7@C 9@H >F49 W@C 9@H =:EE=6X 2446DD J@F H@F=5 =:<6]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8mg]k^DEC@?8m r=:4< r@?E:?F6 E9C@F89 E96 AC@>AED[ H9:49 6IA=2:? 9@H pDD:DE:G6 p446DD 7F?4E:@?D]k^AmkAmkDEC@?8mh]k^DEC@?8m $6E 2 7@FC\5:8:E pDD:DE:G6 p446DD A2DD4@56] %9:D A2DD4@56 H:== 36 FD65 E@ 6I:E pDD:DE:G6 p446DD]k^Am kAmkDEC@?8m`_]k^DEC@?8m r=:4< $E2CE &D:?8 pDD:DE:G6 p446DD E@ 368:? FD:?8 J@FC Q5F>3 A9@?6Q C:89E 2H2J @C t?E6C {2E6C E@ ECJ 2E 2 5:776C6?E E:>6] *@F H:== 36 2D<65 E@ 6?E6C J@FC pDD:DE:G6 p446DD A2DD4@56 282:?]k^Amk9amr92?8:?8 :E 324<k^9amkAmp7E6C 2 FD6C 92D 6?23=65 pDD:DE:G6 p446DD E@ >2<6 2? :!9@?6 2 Q5F>3 A9@?6[Q E96 A9@?6 42? 36 DH:E4965 324< E@ 2 EC25:E:@?2= :!9@?6] w6C6VD 9@H E@ DE@A FD:?8 pDD:DE:G6 p446DDik^Am kF=mk=:mkAm%C:A=6\4=:4< E96 D:56 24E:@? 3FEE@? @? E96 C:89E D:56 @7 E96 A9@?6]k^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmr=:4< tI:E pDD:DE:G6 p446DD]k^Amk^=:mk=:mkAmt?E6C J@FC 7@FC\5:8:E pDD:DE:G6 p446DD A2DD4@56] x7 J@F 7@C8@E J@FC 7@FC\5:8:E A2DD4@56[ J@F 42? 6?E6C J@FC pAA=6 p44@F?E 6>2:= 2?5 A2DDH@C5]k^Amk^=:mk^F=m 0 Comments Related to this story Gen Z is obsessed with smartphones. So I quit mine for one month. USA TODAY reporter Rachel Hale swapped her smartphone for an ultra-minimalistic dumb phone for one month. Here's how it went.
Gen Z is obsessed with smartphones. So I quit mine for one month. USA TODAY reporter Rachel Hale swapped her smartphone for an ultra-minimalistic dumb phone for one month. Here's how it went.
