The old trope that old people are hopelessly illiterate when it comes to technology is somewhat unwarranted. The home computer revolution is decades old at this point, and smartphones have been around for over 16 years. Seniors may not operate their smartphones as adroitly as their grandkids, but they aren’t just sitting around pining for the days of rotary dial phones.
Seniors need iPhones, too, but they may have unique needs. They’re often on fixed incomes and may have difficulty reading small text, suffer from arthritis, or have other accessibility needs. The best iPhone for seniors is one that won’t cost an arm and a leg and will continue to be updated for at least a few years. Beyond that, we’re going to make two recommendations: a small iPhone for seniors who find large phones difficult to carry and manipulate, and a large iPhone for those who need larger text and images.
Right now buying an iPhone for an older person is a little less simple than usual. We previously recommended the iPhone SE because it has a Home button, which simplifies the iPhone interface for the less tech-minded and is cheaper. However, Apple discontinued the iPhone SE in February 2025 and no longer offers iPhones with Touch ID and a Home button. If that’s what you want, check third-party retailers and see if they have any in stock.
Also note that Apple Intelligence features are only supported by Apple’s newest phones, the iPhone 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, 16 Pro Max, and 16e. Apple sells the iPhone 15 and 15 Plus for $699 and $799, respectively, but they don’t support Apple Intelligence, so if you want those features, you need to get an iPhone 16.
We also look at the iPhone 16e vs iPhone 16 and the iPhone 16e vs the iPhone 15 to see if it’s worth saving money or spending more, plus you might be interested to read about the whether to upgrade from iPhone 14 and the iPhone 16e and you might want to consider the differences between the iPhone SE vs iPhone 16e. Alternatively, read: iPhone 16 vs iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 15 vs iPhone 16.
1. Apple iPhone 16: Best for seniors
Pros
- Excellent battery life
- Great processing and graphics performance
- Camera Control is a boon for users who frequently shoot photos
Cons
- No always-on display
- May not be small enough for those who prefer small phones
We recommend the iPhone 16 as the top choice here primarily because it offers a dual camera system with the additional of a wide-view lens, ideal for landscapes. It also features a Camera Control button on the side, which gives easy access to photography features and may make photography easier.
The A18 processor is more than fast enough for email, checking social media apps, taking pictures, making FaceTime calls, and everything else a senior wants an iPhone for. And it’ll still get several years of iOS software updates and it supports Apple Intelligence, which will no doubt lead to some useful features in the future.
The iPhone 16 offers Emergency SOS via satellite, Crash Detection, Roadside Assistance via satellite, and Messages via satellite, which may be a bonus for older iPhone users, but those features are available on all modern iPhones.
Face ID might take a little getting used to if the user is used to Touch ID and the Home button, but could prove to be an easier way to secure an iPhone for those with arthritis.
Read our full Apple iPhone 16 review
2. Apple iPhone 16e: New $599 option
Pros
- Small size
- Support for Apple Intelligence
- Long battery life
Cons
- No MagSafe support
- Old set of Photographic Styles
The iPhone 16e is Apple’s newest affordable option. Starting at $599/£599, you get an iPhone with the same A18 processor as the iPhone 16, but with fewer GPU cores (4 vs 5).
It has a single 48MP camera, rather than the dual camera set up of the iPhone 16, but as we’ve seen on other iPhones it’s quite good with features like Deep Fusion for better low-light photography. Apple calls it a “2-in-1” camera since its high-resolution photos allow it to zoom at 2X without any noticeable degradation.
Apple no longer offers the Home button and Touch ID, which was a feature of the discontinued iPhone SE. The iPhone 16e uses Face ID, and you swipe up from the bottom of the screen to get to the Home screen. Some seniors will find Touch ID easier to deal with than Face ID (especially if their previous smartphone was an older iPhone).
The iPhone 16e is not as small as the iPhone SE it replaced, but it is among Apple’s smallest phones in the current lineup. Despite its size, battery life is rated by Apple to last 26 hours, which is the longest ever for a 6.1-inch iPhone.
The iPhone 16e supports 5G and comes in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB capacities. If you decide on the 128GB model, you can opt for an iCloud subscription plan if you find yourself needing additional storage. We’ll update this with our full review but if you can’t wait, the iPhone 16e should be a solid option for users looking to spend a little less.
Read our full Apple iPhone 16e review
3. Apple iPhone 16 Plus: Big-screen iPhone
Pros
- Large 6.7-inch screen
- Lightest large-screened iPhone
Cons
- Bulky and heavier than smaller iPhones
The large display of one of the Plus-sized iPhones will be much easier for old eyes to see clearly. Excluding the iPhone 16 Pro Max, there are two choices with a 6.7-inch screen here: the iPhone 16 Plus, and iPhone 15 Plus. Again, you can save $100/£100 by buying the iPhone 15 Plus (at $799/£799) instead of the newer iPhone 16 Plus (at $899/£899). This time we recommend spending the extra money if there is a budget available because the iPhone 16 generation is a leap ahead of the iPhone 15 in terms of processor and camera.
Another reason to choose the iPhone 16 Plus: it supports Apple Intelligence. The iPhone 15 Plus does not. The Apple Intelligence features may not appeal to you now, but they turn out to be useful in the future. If you want Apple Intelligence and a larger iPhone then the best option is the iPhone 16 Plus.
For more advice about accessories for your Mac, iPad or iPhone see all our Best Picks.
We compare battery life, capacity, mah and watt hours for every iPhone separately.
Author: Karen Haslam, Managing Editor, Macworld
Karen has worked on both sides of the Apple divide, clocking up a number of years at Apple's PR agency prior to joining Macworld more than two decades ago. Karen's career highlights include interviewing Apple's Steve Wozniak and discussing Steve Jobs’ legacy on the BBC. Having edited the U.K. print and online editions of Macworld for many years, more recently her focus has been on SEO and evergreen content as well as product recommendations and buying advice.