Privacy

How to Make Android Easier and Safer for Parents and Older Adults

Changing the volume, finding an app, or adjusting a setting may feel simple if you use a smartphone every day. For parents, grandparents, and older adults who did not grow up with smartphones, however, small difficulties can turn basic tasks into a frustrating experience.

The good news is that they may not need a new phone or dozens of additional apps. A few Android settings can make a phone easier to read, simpler to navigate, and safer to use.

Most importantly, make these changes together. The goal is not to take control of someone else’s phone, but to make it easier to use while preserving their independence.

1. Make text and screen elements larger

Small text can make messages, contact names, notifications, and settings unnecessarily difficult to read.

On Android, open Settings > Accessibility or search Settings for “Font size.” Depending on the device, you can also increase the display size so buttons and other elements appear larger.

Google provides instructions for changing text and display settings on Android.

Do not automatically move everything to the largest setting. Adjust it together and let the person decide what feels most comfortable.

2. Simplify the Home screen

A screen filled with apps, folders, and widgets can make finding the right option harder.

Consider keeping only frequently used apps on the first Home screen, such as Phone, Messages, Camera, Photos, Maps, and other everyday apps.

Remove duplicate shortcuts and organize less frequently used apps away from the main screen.

A simpler Home screen reduces unnecessary taps and makes important functions easier to find.

3. Turn on useful Android accessibility features

Android includes several tools designed to make devices easier to control.

The Accessibility Menu, for example, provides a large on-screen menu for common actions such as adjusting volume and brightness, opening notifications, navigating the phone, and locking the screen.

Google explains how to enable and use Android’s Accessibility Menu.

Depending on the person’s needs, you can also explore magnification, bold text, contrast settings, or screen-reading tools.

There is no need to enable every accessibility feature. Use the ones that genuinely make the phone easier to operate.

4. Add emergency contacts

A smartphone can also be an important safety tool during an emergency.

On supported Android devices, users can add emergency contacts and important information that may be accessible from the lock screen.

Google provides a guide to emergency information, contacts, and Emergency SOS on Android.

Set these features up together and make sure the person knows how to use them. A safety feature is much more useful when the owner understands where it is and what it does.

5. Set up a secure but practical screen lock

Leaving a phone unlocked can expose messages, photos, email, financial apps, and other personal information.

Choose a PIN, password, fingerprint, or facial recognition option that the person can comfortably use.

Biometrics can be especially convenient on compatible devices because they reduce how often someone needs to type a password.

Avoid overly simple PINs such as “1234” or easily guessed personal dates.

6. Review apps and permissions

Phones tend to accumulate apps over time. Some are no longer used but may still have permission to access contacts, location, the microphone, camera, or other information.

Periodically review installed apps and remove those that are no longer necessary.

Before approving a new permission, encourage one simple question: Does this app really need this information to work?

For more context, read PSafe’s guide to what happens when you tap “Allow” on an Android app.

7. Teach them to recognize urgency as a warning sign

Making a phone easier to use should also include making scams easier to recognize.

Teach one straightforward habit: be suspicious when an unexpected message or call urgently asks for money, passwords, verification codes, or personal information.

Instead of immediately responding, stop and verify the request through a phone number, website, or person you already know.

This matters because scammers frequently use urgency and impersonation to push people into acting before they have time to verify a story. The FTC has also highlighted the significant impact of scams on older adults.

8. Keep Android updated

Updates are not only about getting new features. They can also fix vulnerabilities, strengthen security controls, and improve how the operating system handles apps and permissions.

Check periodically for Android updates and updates to frequently used apps.

The best phone is one they can use confidently

There is no single perfect setup for every older adult.

For one person, larger text may make the biggest difference. For another, simplifying the Home screen, making contacts easier to find, or learning how to recognize suspicious messages may be more important.

Make changes gradually and together. Then ask the person to try common tasks independently: make a call, open a messaging app, find a photo, and return to the Home screen.

The goal is not to do everything for your parents or grandparents. It is to make their phone simple and safe enough that they can confidently do more on their own.