What apps should I allow for a Dumb Phone?

Dumb phones are the anti-smartphone, a lot like old cellphones and flip phones. They are meant to be almost purely communication devices, not for other distractions like games, web browsing, social media, etc.

How do I select apps for a Dumb Phone?

When you set up a device as a Dumb Phone, you'll be taken through the following steps (you can also update them later in your kid's device settings).

1. Choose the Apple apps you want to allow.
   • Note that you cannot disallow the Messages app (since Apple won't let us remove it), but you can block its usage. Keep reading to find out how.
2. Decide whether you want to remove the camera.
3. Get rid of all other apps you don't want. You can do this in one of two ways:
   • Manually delete the apps. We recommend doing this from the app list on their device by going to Settings > General > iPhone/iPad Storage, since there may be apps that don't appear on their home screen.
     • If you see "Remove app" instead of "Delete app," or otherwise can't delete apps, find out why below.
   • Alternatively, add apps to the Blocked apps list. This allows the app to remain on the kid's device but will block it from being used. This is sometimes handy if you need an app to operate in the background, or you believe you might occasionally switch the device out of Dumb Phone mode and want those apps available at that time.
     • Do note that blocking an app can take up to 1 minute after turning on a device – a frustrating limitation from Apple that we can't get around.
     • If you are having problems using Apple's "app picker" (what they call the list of apps from your kid's device that you can select), then please try the workaround.

What apps should I allow?

Besides a few Apple apps, some families choose to allow music or audiobook apps, for example if their kid has long bus rides to sporting events and likes to listen to music while they do homework. But others believe a Dumb Phone should truly mimic old-school cellphones and kids shouldn't be closing themselves off from their environments by listening to music. Every family is different, so make the right call for yours.

Note that allowing apps does run the risk of depleting the phone battery more quickly and thus preventing communication, which is the main point of a Dumb Phone.

How can I tell if an app is installed on my kid's device?

Apps may exist on an iPhone or iPad, but yet not appear on the home screen among all the other apps. This is particularly true starting in iOS 18, which allows apps to be hidden on demand. Here are a few ways to tell what apps are on a device.

• Review the full app list in Settings.
  • On their device, open Settings > General > iPhone/iPad Storage and scroll down to the app list. (You might want to sort it by Name to make it easier.) You can also tap apps and delete them from here.
• Use the search bar to find a specific app.
  • On the home screen of their device, tap the Search button or drag the whole screen down. Then in the search bar, type in any app name. If the app appears in the Top Hit section, it's on the device. You can delete it from here by holding down on it and selecting "Delete app".

Note: apps that have a little cloud-with-arrow icon before their name means they've been "offloaded" to save space, but they're still installed on the device and can be redownloaded at any time.

What if I can't delete an app?

There are a few reasons apps may not be able deletable on an iPhone or iPad:

• Certain system apps, like Settings, Phone, and Messages, are not able to be deleted because Apple deems them vital to the device and operating system. So, you won't be able to delete those.
  • Though, note that you can at least block Messages from being used by following the instructions above.
• If you see "Remove app" instead of "Delete app" when you try to delete it, it may be because Apple Screen Time is still controlling it and not allowing you to delete apps. Please see our guide to transferring control from Apple Screen Time to Screenable.
  • If you just want to change this one setting, open your (the parent's) phone and go to Settings > Family > Choose your kid > Screen Time > Content & Privacy Restrictions > iTunes & App Store Purchases and make sure Deleting Apps is set to "Allow".