What’s the Best Phone for Elderly Parents in 2025?

A few months ago, I realized my mum had stopped replying to my texts. Not all of them, just enough to worry me.

Sometimes the phone was off. Other times she couldn’t hear it ringing. And then there were the texts that went unanswered, even when I knew she was home.

When I finally sat down with her, it became clear: her smartphone had turned into a brick of confusion. Tiny icons, constant pop-ups, battery always dead. She didn’t want to admit it, but it was stressing her out. And frankly, it stressed me out too; because it wasn’t just about convenience anymore. It was about safety, independence, and peace of mind on both sides.

So I went on a mission: find the best phone for elderly parents in 2025 (and just as importantly the setups). 

Here’s what I learned.

1. There’s no one-size-fits-all “elderly phone”

Let’s get this out of the way: your parent isn’t “old” in the generic sense. They’re them. Some are sharp as ever but hate new tech. Some have minor memory issues. Others want WhatsApp and Spotify but need bigger text. So the “best phone” depends on:

• Their tech comfort level

• Any physical or cognitive challenges

• How much oversight or safety monitoring you (gently) need

  
  

2. The Shortlist: Best Phones for Elderly Parents in 2025

Best Overall: Google Pixel 8a

This is the phone I eventually got for my mum. It’s not branded for seniors — but it should be.

• Clean Android interface, no bloatware

• Live Caption and Call Screening (super helpful if they’re hard of hearing or wary of scams)

• Extreme Battery Saver mode

• Guaranteed software/security updates for 7 years

• And — most importantly — I can set it up and manage it easily for her

I turned on the large text, removed all the unused apps, and added a simple “favorites” widget on the home screen. Now she can just tap my face to call me.

Perfect for: relatively independent seniors who just need simplicity and reliability.

Best for Simplicity: Jitterbug Smart4 by Lively

If your parent wants a phone that looks like a phone and nothing more, this is gold.

• Big icons, loud speaker, and emergency button

• No learning curve

• Optional caregiver app and 24/7 emergency response

Downsides? It’s US-based (UK availability is limited), and it’s locked into Lively’s service plans. Also not ideal if your parent wants WhatsApp — it’s more “tool” than “social.”

Perfect for: seniors who are overwhelmed by smartphones but need emergency features.

Best for Apple Families: iPhone SE (3rd Gen)

If your family is all-in on Apple (iMessages, FaceTime, Find My), the iPhone SE is your easiest bet.

• Same chip as the iPhone 13

• Touch ID instead of Face ID (much easier for some)

• You can manage their phone remotely via Family Sharing

I didn’t go this route because my mum was never an iPhone user, and the settings are harder to simplify than Android. But if they already know iOS? This is your safest play.

Perfect for: older adults already in the Apple ecosystem.

3. The most important step: You need to set it up for them

This is the biggest thing I’d tell anyone going through this:

Buy whatever phone you want, but you have to set it up for them.

That’s the real barrier to entry. It’s not the tech - it’s the clutter, the overload, the anxiety of making a “wrong tap.”

But here’s the catch: don’t set it up like you’d set up your own phone.

That was my first mistake. I had all the things I like - Google News, podcasts, voice assistant shortcuts, calendar notifications, Gmail tabs. It made perfect sense to me. To her, it was noise.

Here’s what worked better:

1. Ask them what matters.

Not just what apps they want, but what they actually use the phone for.Do they want to text their sister? Watch the news? See photos of the grandkids? Hear the weather? That’s the entire design brief. If they feel involved in the setup, they take more pride in the phone - and they remember how to use it better.

2. Strip it right back.

No folders. No app drawers. No widgets they didn’t ask for. One screen with five or six buttons max. If the home screen feels calm, the whole phone feels calm.

3. Change the settings you didn’t even know existed.

These made a huge difference:

• Text size (bump it up a couple notches)

• Display size (makes buttons easier to tap)

• Icon size (especially helpful if their vision isn’t perfect)

• Auto-brightness (can be annoying - I turned it off)

• Magnification gestures (surprisingly useful if they like to zoom)

• “Tap to Wake” and “Lift to Wake” (removes extra steps)

• Simple lock screen shortcuts (camera and torch on swipe)

• Limit background data and battery drain

• Scheduled Do Not Disturb for night-time

• Voice assistant shortcuts for basic commands (“Call Lucy”, “What’s the weather?”)

  
  

Once we dialed all of that in, my mum finally felt like the phone wasn’t fighting her.

4. Final thought: You’re not just buying a phone — you’re building confidence

A good phone for your elderly parent isn’t about how modern it is. It’s about how familiar it feels.

You’re not giving them a gadget. You’re giving them independence, peace of mind, and a way to stay connected — not just with the world, but with you. And if they trust the phone, they’re far less likely to be taken in by scams, spam, or manipulative strangers online.

If you're going through this now, take it slow. Sit down beside them. Let them decide what matters. And when you hand them the phone, don’t just say, “Here’s how it works.”

Say, “We made this together.”