Convert an iPhone or Android Smartphone into a Dumb Phone

There have been several times in my life that I've seriously considered getting rid of my smartphone entirely and swapping it for a "dumb phone" like a flip phone. 

But it's difficult to function in the modern world without a Maps/GPS app and the modern smartphone camera.

So why are so many people looking to downgrade their phones?

The mainstream explanation of this is that minimalist phones are "trendy" again or that people want to limit their screen time.

I don't think so.

In my experience running a website dedicated to helping people restrict themselves from their own technology, people are choosing to switch to a "dumb phone" as a way to limit their exposure to the addictive and harmful aspects of the internet, which can be difficult to block out on a smartphone.

Dumb Phone vs converting to a Healthy Smartphone

Rather than giving up your smartphone for a 'dumb phone,' another option is to customize your device and create a 'Healthy Smartphone.' 

A healthy smartphone is a standard iPhone or Android smartphone customized to remove certain features, such as web browsing and downloading unapproved apps. Alternatively, web browsing can be enabled but severely limited by blocking images everywhere or using the allowlist-only mode, which restricts access to approved websites only.

Here's how to convert your Smartphone.

Android

To create a 'Healthy Android Smartphone,' one effective approach is to use a Mobile Device Manager (MDM) to customize the device's settings and features.

A Mobile Device Manager is a software application that allows users to remotely manage and control devices, including smartphones and tablets.

Device Restrictions

The following MDM policy settings can be enabled or disabled to achieve the ideal healthy smartphone setup. 

Users can install unapproved apps

By enforcing this option, you can block all downloadable apps by default and only enable downloading apps that you have explicitly approved.

This means that you don't have to create a large list of blocked apps , you only have to focus on the apps you want to allow.

Android Browser

Disabling the Android browser effectively removes the ability to use any web-browser app on your smartphone. The default android browser app will be removed and your device won't allow you to install browsers like Google Chrome or Firefox.

Web Content Filter Allow-only Mode

An alternative to disabling Android Browser is web content filtering with allow-only mode. This allows you to block all websites by default while only allowing access to specific websites that you have explicitly approved. 

Web content filter settings apply to web browsers downloaded on the device and shouldn't impact other apps that use the internet.

Kiosk Mode

Kiosk mode allows you to enable the most restrictive mode where you can further customize the features available on the device.

You can enforce Kiosk mode with your MDM. Here's my phone running in kiosk mode in Multi App Mode:

Notice that it looks like a standard Android phone, but I'm not able to access device settings or load a web browser or the Google play store.

Here are the features to consider when creating a dumb phone using Kiosk mode:

Block Task Manager (Samsung phones only)

This removes the Force Stop function used to quit apps from the app's settings page. This is useful when combined with a filtering app.

Restrict access to unapproved WiFi networks

You can prevent connecting to WiFi networks that weren't configured by the Mobile Device Manager. 

Allowed apps

Specify the apps (including system apps) that can be accessed. Apps that aren't specified on this list can't be accessed while Kiosk mode is running. 

Consider blocking access to the following Android features by not including them in the Allowed Apps list:

1. General Settings app
2. Web Browsers
3. Google Play store or Android App Store

If Google Play store is enabled and you download a new app, it will only be accessible if you update your Kiosk mode settings to add that app to the Allowed Apps list. 

Hidden apps

Specify apps that should run on the device but not be visible to the user. This is useful if you are using a filtering app and you haven't blocked web browsers. In this case, you can run a filtering app in the background and prevent it from being disabled by blocking access to General Settings (see allowed apps section). 

iPhone / iOS

Creating a 'Healthy iPhone' requires the use of a Mobile Device Manager or a Macbook running Apple Configurator, which is an app used to set up a supervised device. 

A Mobile Device Manager is a software application that allows users to remotely manage and control devices, including smartphones and tablets.

Device Restrictions

When an iPhone is set up as a supervised or managed device, you can enforce some device restrictions that limit certain features.

Allow installing apps

When this feature is disabled, you won't be able to install any apps from the App Store.

You can install the apps you want access to before disabling this feature. You can also install apps using Apple Configurator, which is used to set up the supervised device. This is a more comprehensive approach to creating a list of blocked apps . 

Restrict access to unapproved WiFi networks

Block access to WiFi networks that aren't specifically approved in the supervised/managed device profile.

Content Filter Allow Only Mode

Enabling the built-in content filter with allow-only mode blocks visiting all websites on all browsers unless they are added to the allow list

Managed Device Kiosk Mode

Fully managed iOS devices that are configured with a Mobile Device Manager can enforce Kiosk mode, which provides access to even more device restrictions.

Combine Kiosk mode with the previously mentioned device restrictions to create your ideal Healthy Phone.

Here is my iPhone running in Kiosk Multi App Mode:

It's indistinguishable from a normal iPhone, but I've removed certain features (like web browsing).

Allowed Apps

In Kiosk Multi App Mode you will specify the apps (including system apps) that you want to allow access to. Anything not specified on this list will be hidden.

Consider blocking access to the following iOS features by not including them in the Allowed Apps list:

1. General Settings app
2. Web Browsers
3. App Store