Your phone can already do most of what you need — the trick is knowing which apps are actually worth the tap. Here are a handful that genuinely earn their place on the home screen, without needing a grandchild on standby to explain them.

Staying in touch

WhatsApp remains the easiest way to keep up with family, especially if anyone has moved abroad — messages, photos and video calls all work over Wi-Fi, so there’s no call charge to worry about. It’s free, and once it’s set up you rarely need to touch the settings again.

Getting around

TFI Go is worth having if you use Bus Éireann, a Local Link rural service, or one of the smaller commercial operators — it lets you buy and store tickets on your phone instead of queuing for cash or exact change. It’s worth knowing what it doesn’t do: it won’t plan a journey for you, and it doesn’t cover Irish Rail or Luas tickets, so for those you’ll still need the relevant operator’s own app or website.

Staying informed

A weather app with a reliable warning system (Met Éireann’s own app is a solid choice) is genuinely useful rather than just a novelty — a heads-up about ice or high winds before you head out the door matters more as the years go on. A banking app, once set up with your bank’s own security step, also saves regular trips to a branch that may not even be your nearest anymore.

Keeping your mind and body occupied

Puzzle and brain-training apps are hit and miss on genuine benefit, but a simple crossword or Sudoku app costs nothing and passes a coffee break pleasantly. For fitness, even a basic step counter — often already built into the phone — can be a quiet nudge to get up and move.

Apps worth trying

  • WhatsApp — free messaging, photos and video calls over Wi-Fi
  • TFI Go — bus ticket purchase for Bus Éireann, Local Link and select commercial operators (not journey planning or rail/Luas)
  • Met Éireann — official Irish weather forecasts and warnings
  • Your bank’s official app — check balances and pay bills without a branch visit
  • A crossword or Sudoku app — a low-stakes way to keep your mind ticking over

None of this needs to happen in one sitting — install one, get comfortable with it, and add the next when you’re ready. If video calls are the one you want to nail down first, our piece on simple tech habits for video calls with family is a good place to start.