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How to practice using a smartphone without risking your real phone

Many beginners don't practice because they are afraid: of calling someone by mistake, deleting the photos of the grandkids, or "breaking" the phone. That fear is the real obstacle, not the phone. Here are five safe ways to practice, what each one is good for, and a short routine that works.

First, what can actually go wrong?

Tapping the screen does not damage a phone. The real risks are smaller and easy to name:

• Calling or texting someone by mistake. Embarrassing, not dangerous. Hang up and send "sorry, wrong button".
• Deleting something. Most phones keep deleted photos for a while: see how to delete a photo and get it back.
• Getting lost in a screen. There is always a way out: go back one screen, or go back to the Home screen.
• Tapping a scam link. This is the one that matters. Practice spotting a scam text and remember to never share a code.

Knowing this list already makes practice less scary. Now pick a way to practice.

5 safe ways to practice

1An old phone with no SIM card

If the family has a retired smartphone in a drawer, charge it, connect it to the home Wi-Fi and use it to practice. Without a SIM card it cannot make normal calls or send texts, so the camera, the photos, the settings and the apps are free to explore. The downsides: it may be a different model from the real phone, and anything on Wi-Fi (email, websites) is still real.

2A class or a helper beside you

Many public libraries and senior centers run free phone classes or drop-in tech help, and a patient family member works too. A person can answer "why did that happen?", which nothing else can. The downside is time: a class is once a week, and a skill needs practice in between. If someone in the family is teaching, our guide on how to teach a parent to use a smartphone has tips and a first-week plan.

3Read the steps first, then do them

Reading the steps before touching the phone takes away the surprise. Every TryTechSafe lesson has its steps written out in plain words on a free page, for example answer a call, send a text or take a photo. You can print them and keep them next to the phone. All phone lessons are free to read.

4A pretend phone in the web browser

This is what we make. SafePhone is a pretend smartphone (Android style or iPhone style) that runs in the web browser on a computer, tablet or phone. Each lesson shows what to do in plain English, and on the Beginner level a red ring shows where to tap. Nothing in it is real: no real calls, texts or payments, and it never touches your real phone, contacts or money. So you can press anything, make every mistake, and start the lesson again. It also has practice scam texts and fake websites, so the warning signs are familiar before a real one arrives. You can try a lesson now without an account; the first 5 lessons are free with no card, and the full set is on the plans page.

5Your real phone, with a few safety habits

Sooner or later, practice on the real phone. A few habits make it safe: start with skills that can't go wrong, like making the text bigger or turning on the flashlight; put the phone in airplane mode while you explore if a mistaken call worries you (and remember to turn it off after); and never tap a link in a text you weren't expecting.

Which way is right for you?

Way to practice	Good for	Watch out for
Old phone, no SIM	Camera, photos, settings, apps	Different model; email and websites are still real
Class or helper	Questions, encouragement	Not every day; practice in between
Written steps	Knowing what comes next	Reading is not doing: try it after
Pretend phone (SafePhone)	Calls, texts, scams: pressing anything safely, any time	Your real phone may look a little different: try each skill there once
Real phone, safe habits	The final step for every skill	Scam links: never tap one to "see"

Most people mix them: read the steps, practice where mistakes are free, then do it once on the real phone.

A 15-minute practice routine

1. Repeat yesterday's skill once, from memory (3 minutes).
2. Read today's new skill on its lesson page (2 minutes).
3. Practice it where mistakes are free, two or three times (7 minutes).
4. Do it once on the real phone, then stop on a success (3 minutes).

A good order for the first skills: unlock the phone, answer a call, call a contact, read a text, send a text, take a photo, then spot a scam text. Learning a computer too? The same idea works there: see computer basics for seniors and the free computer lessons.

Questions people ask