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Practical

Practical articles

The first article in this section is about video calls with children and grandchildren. We do not tie it to a particular app: different families use different ones, and menus change after updates. Instead of tap-by-tap instructions, we explain the general order that works on almost any smartphone. The result: you confidently answer and start video calls, your family can see and hear you, and unexpected calls from strangers do not catch you off guard.

Make your first video call not when you are longing to see the grandchildren, but on a calm day, with someone from the family beside you or on the phone.

— From the editors

Before you start

  • The smartphone is at least half charged, with the charger nearby
  • The phone is connected to your home internet, or your plan has enough mobile data
  • Someone in the family is ready to help — in person or on an ordinary phone call
  • A sheet of paper to write down, in your own words, which icon to tap

  1. Agree on one way to call with your family

    Many apps can make video calls. It is easier when the whole family uses the same one — then you do not have to remember where to find whom. Let the people who will call most often make the choice.

    Hypothetical example: a daughter and grandson already message each other in one app. Grandma installs the same one, and all calls go through one place.

  2. Install the app from the official store

    Only install apps from your phone's built-in app store. Do not follow links in messages from strangers, even if they promise "video calls with your family". If in doubt, ask your family to install the app together with you.

    Hypothetical example: the grandson visits at the weekend, and together with his grandma he finds the app in the store on her phone rather than through a link in a message.

  3. Allow access to the camera and microphone

    The first time you open the app, the phone will ask whether it may use the camera and microphone. For video calls, answer "allow". Without this, the other person will not see or hear you.

    Hypothetical example: the first time, Grandad can be seen but not heard. It turns out he had refused microphone access — the permission was switched on in settings and the sound came back.

  4. Add your family to favourites

    Find your children's and grandchildren's numbers in the app and mark them as favourites or pin them to the top. Then you will not have to scroll through a long list: the people you need will always be close at hand. Name the contacts the way you call them — "My daughter", "Grandson Misha".

    Hypothetical example: instead of "Mikhail Sergeyevich", the contact list says "Grandson Misha", and his card is pinned first.

  5. Make a test call

    Call a family member who knows the call is a test. Check whether they can see you, hear you, and whether the volume is loud enough. Try ending the call and calling back. A test call takes away almost all the nerves before the real one.

    Hypothetical example: a daughter asks her mum to call her at five in the evening. They talk for two minutes, then Mum ends the call herself and calls back herself.

  6. Set up the light and the phone

    Sit facing a window or lamp, not with your back to it — otherwise the other person will only see a silhouette. It is easier to put the phone in a stand or lean it against something steady, so your arm does not get tired and the picture does not shake.

    Hypothetical example: Grandad stands his phone on a pile of books on the table by the window, and the grandchildren finally see his face rather than the ceiling.

  7. Learn how to answer a call

    An incoming video call is usually answered with a green button or by swiping a finger across the screen. Look together with your family at how it appears on your particular phone, and write it down in your own words on a sheet of paper.

    Hypothetical example: the sheet of paper next to the phone says: "Video call — slide the green circle to the right with your finger".

  8. Be careful with unknown callers

    Do not answer video calls from unknown numbers or accounts. If a "relative" calls and urgently asks for money, hang up and call them back yourself on the number that has long been saved in your contacts. Scammers can fake both a voice and a picture.

    Hypothetical example: a "grandson" calls from an unknown account and asks for a money transfer. Grandma ends the call and rings her grandson on his saved number — he is calmly sitting at work.

Common mistakes

  • Trying it for the first time when you are very anxious or in a hurry
  • Installing the app from a link in a message instead of the built-in store
  • Refusing access to the camera and microphone, then wondering why nobody can see you
  • Sitting with your back to the window: the other person only sees a dark silhouette
  • Answering video calls from strangers and believing urgent requests for money
  • Being shy about asking your family again how it works — staying in touch with you matters more to them

Alternatives

  • If video calls are not working yet, start with voice messages: they are easier to record and listen to
  • If the internet is poor, agree on an ordinary phone call, and your family can send photos by message
  • If holding the phone is hard or the screen is difficult to see, a tablet with a large screen and a stand will do

Result checklist

  • The family has agreed on one way to make video calls
  • The app is installed from the built-in app store
  • Access to the camera and microphone is allowed
  • Family members are added to favourites with clear names
  • A test call has been made, and sound and picture are fine
  • A spot by a window or lamp and a phone stand have been found
  • A note on how to answer a call is next to the phone
  • You know that if someone asks for money, you call them back yourself

Article catalogue for English-language readers

This section will publish standalone practical articles written for English-language readers: on setting up a smartphone, keeping in touch with family, money and online safety. Each article explains the general principle rather than taps in a particular app.

Topics the editors are planning

  • Sharing family photos with relatives and keeping them safely backed up
  • Booking a doctor's appointment online: what you need and how to check the website is genuine
  • Online banking without fear: signing in, alerts and what to do if your phone is lost
  • How to help your parents with technology without falling out

Editorial rules

  • Articles in this catalogue are written separately for each language version and are not translations.
  • Some articles link to third-party websites, including gaming services; we do not control their content, prices or terms.
  • We do not publish advertising for phones, apps or services, rankings, prices or reviews.
  • Questions

    Short answers: smartphone settings, calls and photos, money, documents and scams.

  • Reference

    A glossary of plain-language definitions: the smartphone, internet and connections, safety.

  • Collections

    Reading paths: your first week with a smartphone, tips for children and grandchildren, keeping money safe.

Sources

  • Bank of Russia — financial literacy materials
  • Smartphone manufacturers' accessibility guides

Information is current as of the preparation date. Smartphone menus and settings change with system updates, so the names of options on your device may differ. Look for exact steps in your phone manufacturer's guide, and for the rules of your bank and the Gosuslugi portal on their official websites.