Spotlight TECHNOLOGY Wishing for simpler times? How to turn an iPhone into a 'dumb phone' Greta Cross USA Today Aug 23, 2026 9 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 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… Virginia Tech student expelled for sexual abuse settles lawsuit against school Franklin official resigns abruptly 2 days after disclosing data center's demise 3 injured as boat runs ashore at night on Smith Mountain Lake Boones Mill's revitalization of historic downtown ready for next phase Virginia Tech’s Jackson making strong impression at receiver 'Project Flash' data center proposal fizzles out in Franklin County Families of JMU students killed in crash collect $2 million in settlements Impacts of possible Franklin County data center the topic of Sunday meeting Berglund Center, with casino or not, at 'critical point,' city manager says 94-year-old woman's death at Va. assisted living facility ruled a homicide Grant will help Franklin County Habitat's affordable housing efforts Family sues over Virginia Tech student's suicide Virginia Tech’s young safety corps tested by experience Where college football preseason rankings went wrong Cole Byrd's emergence key for Virginia Tech's special teams kAm%96 {:89E !9@?6[ 7:CDE C6=62D65 :? a_`d 2?5 @?=J 2G2:=23=6 7@C AC6\@C56C[ C2?86D 36EH66? Sb__ 2?5 Sf__] %649=6DDV (:D6A9@?6 :D Sbhh[ 2?5 !F?<EVD D@=5\@FE |!_a |:?:>2=:DE !9@?6[ H9:49 7F?4E:@?D >@C6 =:<6 2 A9@?6[ 6I46AE H:E9 2 <6J3@2C5 :?DE625 @7 2 E@F49 D4C66?[ :D Sb__]k^AmkAm~E96C E649 4@>A2?:6D 2C6 4C62E:?8 D64@?52CJ AC@5F4ED E92E 42? 36 A2:C65 H:E9 2 >@56C? D>2CEA9@?6] s6G:46D =:<6 E96 qC:4< WSe_X 2?5 &?A=FB %28 WSb_ 7@C 2 b\>@?E9 DF3D4C:AE:@?X 42? 36 H:C6=6DD=J 4@??64E65 E@ D>2CEA9@?6D E@ 3=@4< 2AAD 2?5 H63D:E6D[ 2:>:?8 E@ =:>:E D4C66?E:>6]k^Am kAm|:?:>2=:DE:4 A9@?6D 2?5 @E96C 56G:46D 2C6?VE ?66565 7@C 2 Q5F>3 A9@?6Q 6IA6C:6?46[ 2D >@DE >@56C? D>2CEA9@?6D[ :?4=F5:?8 :!9@?6D[ 42? 36 D:>A=:7:65 3J 492?8:?8 D6EE:?8D]k^Am kAmx?E6C6DE65 :? 8:G:?8 :E 2 ECJn w6C6VD 9@H E@ >2<6 J@FC :!9@?6 2 Q5F>3 A9@?6]Qk^Amk9am$:>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 Stay up-to-date on what's happening Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly! Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. 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.
