Phone Help for Seniors: Repairs and Set-Up at Home

Repairs without the trip

For many older adults, getting a phone repaired is harder than it should be. It can mean a drive, a busy mall, a counter where everything is rushed, and then days without the phone they rely on to reach family. With an at-home repair, the technician comes to the house, sets up at the kitchen table and works at a pace that suits the person whose phone it is.

Woman Wireless On The Go sends a certified woman technician to your home, condo lobby or parked car. For some people, and their families, it is reassuring to have a woman come to the door. She explains what's wrong in plain language, gives a free quote before any work starts, and tests the phone with you when the repair is done.

Common repairs for seniors' phones

• Cracked screens that make text hard to read or cut fingertips.
• Batteries that won't last the day, which matters when the phone is a lifeline.
• Charging ports that have become loose or full of lint, so the phone doesn't charge overnight.
• Tablets and iPads used for video calls with grandchildren.

Before the visit, write down the phone's passcode somewhere safe, and keep the phone charged if you can.

Settings that make a phone easier to use

A few changes can make an everyday phone much easier on the eyes and hands. Family members can set these up in a few minutes, or you can work through them together.

Bigger text and icons

• iPhone: go to Settings › Display & Brightness › Text Size and drag the slider. For even larger text, go to Settings › Accessibility › Display & Text Size › Larger Text. Display Zoom, in Display & Brightness, makes icons and buttons bigger too.
• Samsung Galaxy: go to Settings › Display › Font size and style. Easy mode, also under Display, gives a simpler layout with larger icons.
• Google Pixel: go to Settings › Display › Display size and text.

For someone who finds the full iPhone overwhelming, Assistive Access (in Settings › Accessibility) offers a simplified home screen with large buttons for just the apps they need, such as Calls, Messages and Photos.

Emergency contacts and medical information

• iPhone: open the Health app, tap the profile picture and choose Medical ID. Add emergency contacts, medications and allergies, and turn on Show When Locked so first responders can see it.
• Android: look for Safety & emergency in Settings to add emergency contacts and medical information.

Make sure the person knows how to call 911 from a locked phone, and that their key family numbers are saved as favourites.

Photo backups

Phones often hold years of family photos that exist nowhere else. Turn on iCloud Photos on an iPhone, or backup in Google Photos on Android, and check that it's actually finished backing up. A shared family album is a simple way for grandparents to see new photos without anyone emailing files.

Do this before any repair. See how to back up an iPhone before a repair.

Scam awareness: a quick checklist

Older adults are often targeted by phone and text scams. Go over these rules together and keep them somewhere visible:

1. Your bank, the CRA and the police will never ask for gift cards, cryptocurrency or a wire transfer.
2. Hang up and call back using the number on your bank card or an official website, never a number given by the caller.
3. Be wary of urgent calls from "a grandchild" in trouble. Call the grandchild or their parents directly before doing anything.
4. Don't tap links in unexpected texts about parcels, refunds or account problems.
5. Never give anyone your passcode or verification codes, even someone who claims to be from tech support.
6. Report scams to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre and your local police.

On iPhone, the Silence Unknown Callers option in the Phone settings sends calls from numbers that aren't in Contacts to voicemail. Android phones offer caller ID and spam protection in the Phone app settings.

Family can book for parents

If you're helping a parent or grandparent, you can arrange the whole visit for them. Call or WhatsApp with their phone model, the problem and their address. You can be at the visit in person, or available by phone, while the technician works. If there's a setting you'd like help with while she's there, mention it when you book so she can tell you what's possible.

Our at-home phone repair guide explains how visits work from start to finish.

When to call a technician

If a parent's phone is cracked, slow to charge or dying by lunchtime, Woman Wireless On The Go can come to them with no rush and no pressure. You'll get a free quote first, and the repair is tested with them before she leaves. See our cell phone repair service and the communities we serve, then call or WhatsApp (365) 351-4247.

Frequently asked questions

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