Everything you need to know about Phone Friend — the free smartphone help app for older adults.
Phone Friend is a free UK app designed specifically for adults aged 65 and over. It provides plain English, step-by-step guides tailored to your exact phone model — whether you have an iPhone or Android. No jargon, no confusion — just clear, friendly instructions.
Yes — Phone Friend is free to download from the App Store or Google Play. It walks older adults through common tasks in plain English with no jargon — from making calls and using WhatsApp to staying safe from scams.
Phone Friend is a UK-based app available on both iPhone and Android. It detects your exact phone model and personalises every guide to match your specific device, so the instructions always match what you actually see on screen.
Yes, Phone Friend is completely free to download and all guides are free to use. The app is ad-supported to keep it free for everyone. An optional Phone Friend+ subscription (£4.99/month with a 7-day free trial) removes ads and adds unlimited AI question answering.
Yes. Phone Friend detects your exact iPhone model and adjusts every guide accordingly. Older iPhones with a Home button get specific instructions — for example, "swipe up from the bottom" for Control Centre rather than "swipe down from the top right" which only applies to newer iPhones.
Yes. Phone Friend fully supports Samsung Galaxy phones with Samsung-specific instructions throughout — including how to use two-finger swipe for Quick Settings, the palm swipe screenshot shortcut, and the correct Settings menu paths for Samsung's One UI software.
Phone Friend supports iPhone 6 and newer (iOS 15+), and all major Android brands including Samsung Galaxy, Google Pixel, Motorola, OPPO and Honor. Guides are personalised to your specific model with brand-specific step-by-step instructions.
Phone Friend has a dedicated WhatsApp section covering sending messages, making free calls anywhere in the world, using group chats, and backing up your messages so you never lose them. All written in plain English with simple steps.
Phone Friend includes a scam awareness section with interactive real-world scenarios — fake bank calls, parcel delivery texts, prize scams, Microsoft support scams, and online romance scams. It helps older adults practise recognising and avoiding scams in a safe environment.
Yes. There is a dedicated banking section covering how to download your bank's app safely, how to set up fingerprint login, and how security codes work. It also explains clearly what your bank will never ask you to do — helping protect against fraud.
Yes. Phone Friend has detailed setup guides for new iPhones and Android phones, switching from Android to iPhone, moving from iPhone to Android, and transferring data from an old phone to a new one — all written in plain English with every step explained.
Available on iPhone and Android. Free to download — all guides included.