The Dumbphones Blog

This blog is about about reclaiming your time, focus and attention. It's about deliberately using limited technology to preserve your most precious resources.

Reject the doomscrolling, the endless notifications, the information overload, and enjoy something simpler.

Recent articles —

Use different iPhone wallpapers for light and dark mode (with Shortcuts) ↗

May 25, 2024

A short guide on how to use different wallpapers for light and dark mode on your iPhone, which can be handy when using a minimal iPhone launcher. This uses the iOS shortcuts app to automatically trigger light & dark mode and switch wallpapers.

Turn your iPhone into a dumb phone. ↗

May 14, 2024

This article shows you how to turn your iPhone into a dumb phone, using a handful of simple apps and settings. You don't have to purchase a new device just to simplify your screen time — you can dumb-down your existing iPhone, and enjoy many of the same benefits.

FAQ

What is a 'dumb phone'? Loosely, I take it to mean a phone that is considerably more limited that a typical modern-day smartphone.
Why should I care? Excessive smartphone usage is an addiction and has been linked to rising mental health concerns. Deliberately limiting your phone usage is as much a health choice as a lifestyle one, and dumb phones help with both.
But wait — I like my phone! That's fine! The idea of 'dumb phones' is as much about digital minimalism + limiting your phone usage as it is about the phones themselves. There's plenty of options for tweaking your existing phone.

Who am I?

The Dumbphones Blog is written by me, Harrison. I'm a software engineer by day, and like you, I'm someone who values my time and energy, and wants to make intentional choices about the technology I use.