I turned my iPhone into a dumb phone📱| Minimalist Phone Setup | Digital Minimalism

[@amandachaulk]

What are your thoughts on dumbing down your phone? Would you try it? :)

[@gabberna]

New subscriber 😊 your video really spoke to me. I just deleted a handful of apps (Wells Fargo I can just get email notifications of charges, plant watering reminder app, bitmoji). Others I’m struggling with like Venmo, find my iPhone (my husband and I always share location), gas buddy, period tracking, meditation, Libby (audiobooks). I think those are helpful enough and not distracting that I’ll keep them.

[@xMagicChris86x]

i love the idea

[@superschaap1991]

Great video. Just what I was looking for. I've been trying to minimize my phone use for a few years now but I recently noticed that my screen time went up again. I've been thinking about my first iPhone (back in 2010) and how it felt more like a tool. After seeing this video I deleted some more apps. Let's find out how this goes. I also like the idea of shifting more things, like the photo library, to the computer. Greetings from the Netherlands.

[@sidensvans67]

Definitely . A wise move .

[@rebeccarussell9618]

I'm ready x

[@BringBackClassAndMaturity]

Offline is the new luxury.

[@minadelina]

my daily usage was 12 hours a day last week. im gonna throw it out the window i guess

[@buttercup5470]

Search Jose Briones. He explains the different categories of feature phones. His #1 phone is the light phone.

[@hanibee22]

😂 I feel you, I used my phone for working and gosh I love me some good video to listen to on KZbin, so that’s my go to. I don’t have dumb phone cause I’m not obsessed with social media like FB IG TT etc. Only will check on them for few minutes, sometimes it would last for an hour if I got distracted. But YT is a different platform, it’s where we can learn a lot of things. And listening to free music instead of Spotify, save a bit of bills 😊 Her obsession with having phone on her is something I can relate to😂 but not with dump phone though, and it’s okay.

[@vaultboy1419]

Jesus. Doing this everyday means half your life wasted away in a smartphone...

[@d9kd9k]

Throw it on the craigslist

[@Meg-IV]

Same issue. Then I got a job and my daily phone use fell to like 4 hours, which is amazing considering it touched 12 hours on a lot of days a week

[@zyepod]

I've watch several videos now about this subject and I must say your's has been the smartest. You've kept what you can use to better your life and removed the distraction. I am proud for you...

[@amandachaulk]

thank you so much! :)

[@Juhsentuh]

My screen time on my iPhone 13 mini is an hour a day. I have no social media installed, no games, no media content. These days you still need a smartphone for banking, gps and email, those apps are very essential for daily life. I use music and camera to take pics of my dog other than that my phone is a phone. Communication needs. Uninstalled those distraction apps folks your phone will still be operational 😂.

[@amandachaulk]

yes exactly! so many distraction apps! Thanks for sharing :)

[@antilopo]

Another mini user here👋👋

[@IndiaSimoneD]

You can download offline maps to use gps without the internet. Also see if your bank offers text notifications for your bank account.

[@Mindartcreativity]

Where do you watch youtube?

[@Juhsentuh]

@@Mindartcreativity iPad 👍🏽

[@hyperTorless]

The key driver here is that you really actually want to do these things -- because you can just change the settings anyway, and nobody is stopping you. As you said, it takes an epiphany to be really motivated for a lot of people, because we might be intellectually convinced but still haven't realized how much this hurts us. Checking your daily usage, and clearly seeing the insane amount of time we spend on our phones is a good first step.

[@ritty300]

Wow, I never even thought about just deleting the browser. Might have to give this a shot.

[@VintageRayne]

I can’t delete mine. Only remove it from Home Screen. Safari is definitely a problem. 🫣

[@DevashishMishra7]

Another recommendation to reduce screen time would be to turn the screen's colour to greyscale in accessibility settings. I feel much less tempted to look at a black and white screen.

[@amandachaulk]

I have heard of this! I should try that as well. Great suggestion! :)

[@whysosour935]

idk why but it helped with my eyes setting it to that it didn’t really help me sadly LOL

[@PaperlessPrinxo]

I have combined this tip with the back tap feature, so whenever I want to turn the screen to greyscale, I simply double tap on the back of the iPhone and that's it. Triple tap to switch back to colors!

[@Merryyy203]

I love that setting. Phone is still tempting but not that bad on the eyes. Too bright when I put it back to have a look at pictures.

[@luchetumaree]

@@PaperlessPrinxoit work perfectly! Thanks

[@BBunch9]

We are reading “The Opt Out Family” right now. Eye opening how they create all this to be addicting and how it’s changing the way our children’s brains are developing.

[@BringBackClassAndMaturity]

I just finished "The Anxious Generation." Same idea. Totally insane.

[@denniskirschbaum9109]

Good for you! I deleted all of my social media accounts four years ago. Not just from my phone but entirely. The only one I kept was KZbin and I removed that from my phone. I found that was enough for me. I created a simple Home Screen with a few widgets for the apps I need. Calendar, Fitness, Music. The rest are in the App Library which I open if I need them. Finance apps and the like. The result is a very boring phone! Thanks for sharing your strategy!

[@thesandboxbandit3838]

04:29 Don't feel bad if this is you're in the same boat. These giant corporations spend billions of dollars every year perfecting their algorithms to make you addicted.

[@extrememinimalistparent]

My phone, a Motorola, has mostly the same functions as an iPhone but cheaper and has the ability to 'hide' apps on the screen that still exist within the phone. I deleted so much to the point where the only 18 visible apps I have: 1 for utilises, 3 for banking, 1 main food shop app, 1 bus pass, 4 texting/calls, personal gmail account, 1 for photos, camera, editing app for KZbin, settings and google/chrome. I reinstall or download apps when I need them.

[@brendaolimires]

thank you so much for sharing the story with your daughter! such an impactful image for me as well and by sharing, you help us too! thank you so much :)

[@amandachaulk]

You’re so welcome! 🙏🏼🥰

[@Swaantje98]

Your iPhone setup is the neatest I have seen yet

[@nh8383]

A good tip is to buy a smaller phone so it is not so much of a good experience using the apps & hopefully will make you use it less and only when out of the house.

[@Nico75981]

Yes, I love this so much! I dumbed my phone down too a while ago and I hate the fact that all the apps are still there when you swipe! I wish there was a way to turn it off

[@ThinaDlamini-d1p]

I love the idea of turning my iPhone into a dumb phone! I just started using the Astirna New Tab extension, and it really helps me stay focused and organized while I'm browsing. Definitely worth checking out!

[@isimaotech]

Actually, might give it a try on this method! As I am an artist/entrepreneur, sometimes I need to use the social media to share some content, so I need to find a new way to manage that.

[@kristinagoodwin805]

Huh. Glad to know I’m not alone: you did everything I’ve done. Definitely going to dumb down my phone. Thanks for letting me know I’m not just some old fogey alone in the universe! 😊

[@darsyluna6824]

Con este video me dio un arranque de locura y quise que mi iPhone también fuera minimalista y el “tonto teléfono” y quité todas las aplicaciones de mi pantalla de inicio a excepción de las más importantes 😂😂😂

[@SomeOrthoBro]

I'm doing the same currently. The only thing that really causes the most screen usage for me is youtube lol Either it's for daily devotionals on channels I follow or for news on what's going on in the world. Learning things and etc. So that's my current dilemma.

[@heidifris4880]

Yes!!! This is the exact same for me. I know I have an issue because the thought of removing it makes me nervous. So sad, but true.

[@em13108]

same youtube is like the boss fight for me

[@damndaniel5192]

I’ve gotten rid of most things on my phone including KZbin. But, I kept KZbin on my iPad. It’s too big to keep in my pocket of course but also has a larger screen to make the experience of when I do want to be on KZbin more intentional and enjoyable.

[@uwetrenkner9716]

Thanks for sharing your personal experiences. Our kids deserve our full attention. Wise choice to get rid of meaningless distractions. DOes your relation to your kids changed because of this measures?

[@MrMochalkoO]

Thank you for the inspiration. I too have already tried many methods, but they only help partially. Just removed almost everything, let's see how it works this time

[@Kasino80]

I've found that while I commute I will download videos on KZbin app or albums on Spotify and then go off line while commuting. That actually helps with the feeling of relaxation.

[@DriMarqangel]

Thanks for sharing Amanda! I’ve been in this process for a time… I also tried dumb phones and it did not work. Now I am in the same journey of turning my iPhone into a more or less dumb phone…

[@zedzafran]

It's not the phone. It's the social media.

[@sanyolo504]

Not necessarily. I removed all my social media from my phone and my screentime stayed the same... I just find other ways to waste my time on my phone

[@luckystone2293]

And KZbin.

[@JocieFire]

I love this! I am in the exact same boat. Just disabled Chrome (android- won't let me delete it) but now it is not visable.

[@amandachaulk]

Oh wow! I did not know that android won't let you delete it. That's crazy lol

[@BBunch9]

@@amandachaulk iPhone won’t let you delete safari

[@wbeard358]

I left social media but my phone didn't get dumbed down. I find my phone and mind to be more useful without social media. I can stay better organized withoit the distractions which in the end saves time for family and other things i was missing in the real world

[@EricBateman0]

Very helpful. Thank you ma'am.

[@riro7170]

I keep reinstalling my browser, spotify, youtube, etc, so I tried parental controls, but then I'd disable them 😭 It's been easy to keep off spotify though! I started scrolling my weather and translation apps when I got bored, so I deleted those too. I wanna delete my Ring camera app but keep it for the safety of my family. The only thing is when I tried a point and shoot camera, the one I got is kind of a pain to use. I find phone cameras more convienient for speed and sharing pics with others, especially at concerts which I love going to, but maybe in the future i'll switch to another point and shoot camera!

[@bankruptsee]

The easiest transition for people is to turn off notifications for all social media apps. That will keep you from checking your phone every time it lights up.

[@limotgirl9863]

tbh, this made me check up my phone more often to see if someone send me something or liked my pictures lol

[@ThisMichaelBrown]

All screens....my computer is my weakness. Thanks for the video...some great ideas.

[@wizzle-]

Very nice video. Cheers everyone.

[@ritty300]

Wow, I never even thought about doing that

[@aslbeceren6678]

It's a really successful and useful video, thank you.

[@melcryarfineart]

great inspiring video. what about calendar? that would be difficult to not have....

[@nerdg2]

Well after going through the same stage, its about control. i was glued to yt. i had a very bad habbit of falling asleep while listening to a docu or something educational, it became a problem and i dumped my smartphone and got a dumb phone. First few days was tricky, i used my laptop heavily which was good because i work with my laptop. Everything became much more seamless. Emails, WA messages, everything was organized with work rather than causing a nuisance. After few months, i got my self an iPhone since i had to work on some software, it's my daily driver now but i don't have any social media apps or anything other than a good web browser. lol, GPS is something i missed allot, but heck it was fun not knowing where to go lol. But now i don't use it except for essential things like GPS, duh! Uber, Bank Transfers, Quick Notes, and Calls. That's it. I believe we all are looking for the same thing trying different methods out!!

[@vmobile890]

Why not just buy a flip phone or order the custom cell dial phone . Then factory set your smart phone and home computer and sell or take to recycler .

[@badeline9967]

How is it going for you two months later? I did the same and so far it's going well, but I'm scared that I might redownload a browser when I'm really inconvinienced by not having one in that moment and then the dams will be open to using my phone as a smartphone again.. I wish there was a way to permanently delete and block all browsers

[@amandapanda316]

I’ve been working on trying to dumb down my iPhone. I got a minimal phone app to help block things… but when it pops up I just go to the app and change the settings so I can use it again. I delete the apps from my phone, but download them again a few days later. The only thing that would work is if there was no possible way for me to redownload the apps. I would need to delete the App Store and I don’t know if you can even do that. But I also can’t get rid of my phone because of gps and banking apps. I need accountability, I’m frustrated.

[@Merryyy203]

Wanna be accountability partners? 😊 I have deleted many things on my phone but here I am on the iPad watching videos, one after the other.

[@A_Z0000]

@Merryyy203

[@Itrik_009]

After using for 14 hours a day i disabled youtube in phone. Now I use youtube sometimes in tablet

[@RanNahum]

thank you

[@butterflybtsot7]

Getting rid of browser is actually great idea. I am on the same journey right now. And went throught almost all steps as You. I will try with your teams. Thanks for inspiration.

[@Semantsen62]

How did you delete the browser? I am curious because on the iPhone one cannot remove Safari. I want to do just that!

[@madbohem]

I straight deleted actual accounts to get down to the nitty gritty. I do enjoy a show on my phone from time to time, and youtube can get me at times, but all that social media was like carrying around highschool in my pocket, it had to go

[@SashayAnn]

I tried just about everything you did already expect the last thing didn’t work…extreme is needed flip phone

[@blained1973]

Chaulk this up to a good idea!!

[@amandachaulk]

Touché ! 😂

[@JohnBrandon]

FWIW the first quote is Seneca

[@lironeshel6291]

I wish I could delete some of the applications built into the phone and I can't delete them

[@thenorthstargirl]

I love this so much. :) Thank you for sharing with the world. I do the same thing - simple as possible. I use cash whenever possible and I have no auto-pay bills. I do my own financing with pen and paper and pay my bills once a month. That helps me so much with my spending. If I don't have the cash to buy something, I don't buy it. I also use a disposable camera instead of my phone to take pictures and people love it. I am currently saving my own pictures too, to either print or keep on USB's. Watching us try to figure out technology is like watching monkeys. We just don't get it, because we don't need it. We're smarter - technology needs us, but we don't need...it.

[@Merryyy203]

I got an analogue camera a few months ago but need to find out what film to use since the pictures did not come out that well. It is a cool idea. Of course you should do whatever you please but, what about a camera that is not disposable in order to be a bit more sustainable? 😊 Thanks for sharing!

[@gabberna]

Hi! Great video. I'd love to see how your computer is set up. I deleted a ton of apps too (weather, Venmo, mail) so only access that about twice a week or when needed on my laptop.

[@amandachaulk]

I can see about doing a video sharing my computer setup! (although it is very very minimal as well) lol I have an old macbook air (2013 I think). It is on its way out but I am trying hard to make it last! 😂 We also don't have a family computer, just the laptop and a tablet. So majority of things like email and stuff is all done on my laptop! I'll try and get to making a video about this :)

[@gabberna]

@@amandachaulk Thanks so much! Wait, that's too funny. I also have a 2013 MacBook Air (typing on it right now). I don't keep any files on it so it runs relatively smoothly.

[@randomescu]

I did something similar with my Garmin Fenix 6xPro watch, it last alot more.

[@ilTHfeaa]

i’ve removed a bunch of apps from my homescreen but they’re still in my app library and like i get so fucking bored i straight up have no idea what to do

[@no1weezerfan]

Do you have any hobbies? Try and get a nice hobby, it helps w the boredom and you'll feel more fulfilled yk

[@mvchek]

My average is around 4h a day and at this point Im going insane at how much I'm wasting my my day

[@no1weezerfan]

If it makes you feel better mines 12h+ a day lol.

[@no1weezerfan]

If it makes you feel better mines 12h+ a day lol.

[@mtvdmk]

May I ask you how you turned your screen totally black without that transparant blocks in your app library? I don’t know how to call them. Greetings from the Netherlands

[@mineroblcz]

that deleting of the notes app and weather and those things that is a little extreme but otherwise a great video

[@mindyschiedler1386]

How did you get your apps to look like that when you swiped? 4 large icons grouped together? Thanks

[@dylanwilliams2985]

How do you have your text notifications?

[@MikaelaCecilia]

How do you actually remove the browser from an iPhone? Mine says I can not delete safari 🤔 it can only be hidden in the App Library.

[@dogfondler]

Go to settings> screen time > content and privacy restrictions > allowed apps and features > disable Safari and have someone you know choose the password to re-enable

[@Eric-jb1ym]

But apple won't let you delete safari right?

[@amandachaulk]

I was able to delete it! :)

[@Kharshnv]

@@amandachaulkhow did you do it??

[@BBunch9]

@Nomadrunner I found that it puts safari right back on there if someone send you a link in text and you click it. Safari opens right back up with that link.

[@AlghostUnit]

Btw, I hate to make a simp of myself but honestly, you are very beautifull, I don't know if someone told you this before but you really look like a twin of the actress Claire Forlani in her 20s or 30s years olds which is damn hot...

[@MatildaClothier-fi5yq]

lol 3 hours screen time, mines at 6/7

[@abdaal123]

an apple to stay away

[@Snicker_Nest]

my screen time is 10 hrs a day !! 😭😭😭😭

[@neilmishra1]

What about safari?😂

[@PieroAlfredoDM]

First view xD

[@emperorarasaka]

Honestly could've just bought a low power smartphone instead. It'd save on a ton of battery too.

[@amandachaulk]

What's a low power smartphone? I haven't heard of that?

[@melissaostrihon1781]

The irony of watching this video on You Tube on my phone... *Sigh*

[@bwiths]

If you deactivate or delete social media you’ll be off to a great start.

[@jasonmelo1974]

But I have two tablets and a computer as well 😂

[@dianaray1470]

Girl take a breath 😂

[@entropy_69]

me with 7 hours average 😐

[@TheFelixAlabi]

I like the minimalist phone look. But I don't agree with turning your smart phone to unsmart phone. If you don't want to smart phone don't buy it on the first place

[@joshuaclewes1883]

Booooring

[@lucidmach]

ever used an android? an iphone is a dumb phone...

[@amandachaulk]

lol touché

[@dianaray1470]

Android is an idiot phone

[@gameunboxing.brasil]

I used my iPhone in the pandemic for 12 hours, which is insane. I urgently needed to change my habits, I was decreasing my screen time to 7hrs, 6hrs, 4hs and today I’m at 3.5hrs, even using it at work. I hope I can decrease even more

[@AlghostUnit]

Average? 😅 I'm on my mobile around 9 hours per day 🥲