Supported phones

You do not need a new senior phone. You need the right Android phone.

Two Android phones standing side by side on a light table

CallByFace works on most Android phones from 2019 or later. You do not need a new phone — a used one, or the one already in the drawer, is usually enough.

Android 9 or later, with a SIM card and calling.
iPhone is not supported — Apple does not allow locked mode this way.
A screen of 5.5 inches or more keeps the faces large.
One licence covers one phone, and can be moved if the phone breaks.

Requirements

Android 10 or later

The phone must be resettable (no lock from a previous owner)

At least 2 GB RAM for a smooth experience

Any plan or prepaid SIM with voice calling

Models we have tested

The list is not exhaustive — most Android phones from 2020 onwards work. Ask us about your model.

Samsung Galaxy A14 / A15

Large screen, low cost, our most common recommendation

Samsung Galaxy A54

Bright screen, good for reduced vision

Google Pixel 6a and later

Long update window

Motorola Moto G series

Affordable, easy to reset

Xiaomi Redmi Note series

Works. The vendor launcher needs to be disabled during setup

iPhone

Not supported — iOS does not allow this kind of locked mode

How to choose a phone in practice

The most common question we get is whether a new phone is needed. Almost never. An Android sitting unused in a drawer, or a second-hand model for the price of a dinner, is plenty — CallByFace places light demands on the hardware because the screen only shows six faces and places calls. What actually matters is screen size and brightness, battery condition, and whether the phone can be factory reset.

Screen size decides how large the faces are. Below about 5.5 inches each button shrinks enough to be harder to hit reliably, particularly for someone with reduced vision or holding the phone in their lap. Brightness matters just as much: a cheap panel that looks fine indoors can be unreadable next to a window in the morning. Given a choice between a newer phone with a small screen and a slightly older one with a large, bright screen, take the latter.

The battery is the most common reason a second-hand phone does not work out. A 2019 handset that has sat in a drawer may last a few hours rather than a day, and a phone that is flat when it is needed is useless however good the screen is. Charge it a day in advance and watch how it behaves before deciding. A battery replacement often costs less than a new phone.

Finally, check the phone is not account-locked. If a previous owner did not remove their Google account, the phone locks itself after the factory reset and cannot be set up at all. This is especially common with phones bought through online marketplaces. Ask the seller to reset the phone and sign out of their account before you collect it, and the problem disappears entirely.