Backstory:
So I used a Nokia 2780 for all of 2025 and I loved it! I would still be using it today but the group messaging completely stopped working in February, when iPhone & Android started defaulting to RCS chats instead of MMS. I could write an essay on that part alone, but suffice it to say I felt like I had to switch back to my smartphone so I could keep up with my friends.
After I switched, I noticed immediately the effects on my mental health. My screentime skyrocketed and I felt a constant underlying stress. I would go on youtube, click on a video that I wasn't really that interested in, and instantly start looking through recommended videos to look for something better. Same screen addiction that I had successfully gotten past for a year, came back to me like a flood.
After 2 months like this I needed a solution, and at this point I couldn't switch back because although I had fixed the group text problem, I now had to have a smartphone for work purposes. And I really didn't want to go back to the Nokia GPS (It works okay but I have no sense of direction). All I really wanted was the smartphone I already had but with no access to the time wasters. And after doing some digging I found a way to achieve that (without spending any money!!)
My Solution:
Currently I use an android, so not sure if this will totally work on an iPhone.
- Use Before Launcher app to keep layout minimal and filter notifications
- Block distracting websites with a DNS server
- Uninstall built-in apps with debugging (like Google, Youtube, and even Play Store)
This makes it so I have complete control over which apps and websites I want to keep on my phone or get rid of. And if I want to change it, I have to plug my phone in to the computer. My phone screentime has been an average of 30 minutes a day with this method and I feel so much lighter. But it also eliminated the anxiety of having to rely on the crappy Nokia GPS and the other sacrifices I had to make with my dumb phone.
Video Guides:
DNS Server guide: How to Block Websites on Android Phone (Best Method)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4lPvknf0mw
Debugging Guide: How I Turned My Android into a Dumb Phone (and Loved It) | Step by Step
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZZl7_m2tDg&list=WL&index=16
Source: r/dumbphones · by /u/EconomicsOwn678