Turn iPhone into a dumbphone


Turn your iPhone into a smartphone by using tips in this article. These tips can help you remove the addicting parts of the iPhone. This will help you prevent endless scrolling for hours and wasting your life on a smartphone, which can be used on more-fulfilling things instead.

If iPhone addiction prevention fails, you can also read some tips on unplugging from smartphones and Internet in other aspects too. Here are the tips on turning your iPhone into a dumbphone:

  1. Make your screen grayscale. Vibrant colors of the phone are distracting. It’s not enjoyable scrolling social media, watching videos and using apps if the phone is in grayscale. Open Settings > Accessibility. Then choose Display & Text Size > Color Filters. Turn off Color Filters. Select Grayscale
  2. Turn off unnecessary notifications. Open Settings > Notifications. Mark the apps as off for whose notifications you don’t want to see. 
  3. Delete all the distracting apps. In the App library, hold down the icon on the app. When a menu pops up, select Delete App and confirm it.
  4. You can use Screen Time to track which apps or websites people are using on the device, how much time do they spend there, how many times they have unlocked the phone and used it, and more. To enable Screen Time on your device, go to Settings > Screen Time > Turn On Screen Time > This is my iPhone (use this if setting up Screen Time for yourself, instead use This is My Child’s iPhone).
  5. You can check your screen time report of how long and on which apps/websites have you used. First, enable screen time as in previous steps. Then, to view the screen time report, go to Settings > Screen Time > See All Activity.
  6. You can block apps and websites for a certain period of time with Screen Time. First, enable Screen Time as in previous steps. Then go to Settings > Screen Time > Downtime. Turn on Downtime. Then you can choose at which time you want to block a website or an app. You can also choose from whom you want to receive calls and messages during the Downtime period.
  7. You can limit the time you use a certain app. First, enable Screen time as in previous steps. Then go to Settings > Screen Time > App Limits > Add Limit. Then select an app or app category that you want to limit.. Then press Next, set the time and days that you want to use the app, and then press Add.
  8. You can limit communication. You can block calls, FaceTime calls and messages from certain people. To enable this, you first have to enable Screen Time as in previous steps. Then you have to sync contacts to iCloud. Go to Settings > <your name > iCloud > Contacts. Then go to Settings > Screen Time > Communication Limits > During Screen Time. Then you can choose who you want to communicate with. Contacts Only for communication with people win your Contacts list, Contacts & Groups with at Least One Contact and Everyone. When you choose one of these options, press Back and press During Downtime. Here you can choose who can contact you during Downtime, and who you can contact during Downtime. 
  9. One redditor converted his iPhone into a dumbphone. He basically created an extra Apple ID for the child. He then used that Apple ID as his iPhone‘s main account. As a child Apple ID comes with many limitations that you can set, he used the Apple ID to set various limitations. He limited the time in various apps and games. He set up limitations on the iMac computer by using Cold Turkey. The Cold Turkey blocker prevented them from changing settings. This is great if you have an iPhone and iMac. You can use Cold Turkey from iMac, which can block any software on it. To see in details, click here.
  10. You can also use a Restriction Password together with Screen Time. You first set up all the limitations using Screen Time. Then you put a Restriction Password on it. Then you give a Restriction Password to a trusted person. This person must store it somewhere safely, and give it to you only if you absolutely need it.
  11. You can use a dumbphone. One of the recommendations is Sunbeam F1 Orchid. This is a great replacement for those who want many features, but dislike the distractions that a smartphone has. It has an ability to call and text people. It also has a great navigation feature. It, however, lacks social media to distract you in everyday life. You can also use the phone to check weather, advanced navigation and more.
  12. You can use Apple Watch Cellular. It’s a smartwatch that you can use to make calls, text messages and access the Internet. You can do that if your phone provider supports Apple Watch Cellular, often for an additional fee. If you get the Apple Watch Cellular version, you can communicate with the world without having an iPhone nearby. On the other hand, the Apple Watch Cellular screen is too small to enjoy things like social media and browsing the Internet. This means that you can use Apple Watch Cellular to stay in contact but not carry an iPhone. But, any fun thing online will be impossible due to the small screen of Apple Watch.
  13. You can keep your iPhone, but use a dumbphone primarily. The dumbphones like Punkt have hotspot ability. Therefore, you can use your iPhone to connect to hotspots on a dumbphone. Otherwise, your SIM card is in a dumbphone and you carry it in your everyday life. But when necessary, you use an iPhone which accesses the Internet by using the dumbphone as a hotspot.
  14. Use self-discipline with the iPhone. Leave it in your car when you need productive time. Leave it in another room when you don’t need it. Use it only when outside of your home. Otherwise, leave it in the place that is hard to access.