How to Switch to a Dumb Phone (Without Losing Your Group Chats)

Step 1: Which dumb phone should you pick?

Pick the phone that covers the smartphone jobs you can't drop, and confirm it works on your carrier before you buy.

• Want maps, music and a good camera? The Light Phone III (about $899) has all three.
• Want days of battery? The Mudita Kompakt (about $399) has an E Ink screen.
• Want it cheap and simple, with directions? The Sunbeam F1 Pro (about $359) is a flip phone with Waze.

Then check the maker's compatibility list. Sunbeam's, for example, lists Verizon, T-Mobile and AT&T retail service as supported, but lists Visible, Spectrum and US Cellular as not whitelisted. Light has a checker on its site. See our best dumb phones roundup for the full comparison.

Step 2: How do you move your number to a dumb phone?

If you're staying with your carrier, move your SIM or ask the carrier to transfer your line to the new phone. If you're changing carriers, port your number.

• Same carrier, physical SIM: power off both phones and move the SIM card. Make sure it's the right size for the new phone.
• Same carrier, eSIM: contact your carrier or use its app to move the line. If your new phone doesn't support eSIM, ask for a physical SIM.
• New carrier: start the port with the new carrier, not the old one. Have your account number, your port-out PIN and the phone number ready.

The FCC says you can usually keep your number when you change providers if you stay in the same area, and its rules require simple ports to be finished within one business day. Don't cancel your old service yourself. The port closes it for you, and canceling first can mean losing the number.

Step 3: How do you stop iMessage from eating your texts?

Turn off iMessage and FaceTime on your iPhone before you move the SIM, or use Apple's online deregistration form if you've already switched.

Apple's steps: with your SIM in the iPhone and cellular data on, go to Settings, then Apps, then Messages, and turn off iMessage. Go back to Settings, then Apps, then FaceTime, and turn off FaceTime. If you no longer have the iPhone, Apple's Deregister iMessage page (linked in our sources below) sends a code to your number. Enter it and your number is removed from iMessage.

Apple says texts should start arriving right away, but some Apple devices may take a few hours to notice. Messages sent to your Apple Account email can still land on any iPad or Mac you're signed into.

What happens to group chats when you get a dumb phone?

Group texts still work over MMS, but iMessage group threads usually need to be restarted so they include you as a regular texter.

Ask one iPhone friend to start a fresh group thread once your number is off iMessage. Reactions, read receipts and some long videos won't come through the same way, and some carriers handle group MMS better than others. Sunbeam's compatibility table, for one, notes which carriers support MMS on its phones. If a chat lives in WhatsApp, Discord or Instagram DMs, you'll need another plan for it, like checking it on a laptop at set times.

Step 4: What about two-factor codes and banking?

Before you switch, make sure every important account can reach you by text message or another method that doesn't need your smartphone.

1. Make a list of accounts that use an authenticator app: email, bank, work, cloud storage, social media.
2. For each one, add SMS codes, a hardware security key or printed backup codes. Many services offer at least one of these in their security settings.
3. Save backup codes on paper or in a password manager you can reach from a computer.
4. Check your bank. Some banks only let you approve logins or deposits in their app. If yours does, keep the old phone on Wi-Fi at home for those jobs, or use online banking from a laptop.

Do this step while you still have the smartphone. It's the one that causes real lockouts if you skip it.

Step 5: How will you handle maps and music?

Use your dumb phone's built-in navigation if it has one, and carry a separate music player if it doesn't.

The Light Phone III has built-in maps and a music and podcast player. The Sunbeam F1 Pro Hickory has Waze. The Mudita Kompakt has offline maps. For music, a small player like the Innioasis Y1 (about $66) or the Snowsky Echo Mini (about $50) holds your library offline. Some people also keep a paper map in the car, which is worth doing anyway.

Step 6: How do you tell friends you got a dumb phone?

Send one short message to your main group chats and close friends before the switch.

Something like: "Switching to a basic phone next week. Texts and calls still work, but I'm off iMessage and Instagram. If you start a group chat, start a new one with me as a regular text." Tell work, your landlord and anyone who sends codes or schedules too. Most people only need to know how to reach you.

Step 7: How do you run a dumb phone trial week?

Use the dumb phone as your only phone for seven days, keep the smartphone off and in a drawer, and write down every time you miss it.

• Day 1 to 2: expect to reach for your pocket constantly. Note what you were reaching for.
• Day 3 to 5: fix the real gaps. A missing boarding pass becomes a printout. A missing alarm becomes a bedside alarm clock.
• Day 6 to 7: decide what stays. Some people go all in. Others keep the smartphone at home on Wi-Fi for banking and travel.

Not ready for a full week? Try a Brick (about $59) on your current phone first. It blocks the apps you choose until you tap the puck again.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• Apple Support: Deregister iMessage on your iPhone or online
• Apple: Deregister iMessage
• FCC: Porting, keeping your phone number when you change providers
• Sunbeam Wireless: Carrier compatibility
• Engadget: The minimalist Light Phone III is officially available for purchase