Minimal Phone 2 Review: A Keyboard Phone on Full Android

The Minimal Phone 2 is a keyboard phone on full Android, a calmer smartphone rather than a dumbphone. It suits typists who want fewer pulls on their attention, but the Play Store ships on it, so the boundary is software.

Its strict settings are firmer than a launcher but softer than a phone with no app store. If you need a harder stop, see best dumbphones.

Who the Minimal Phone 2 is for

The Minimal Phone 2 fits two buyers. One types a lot and misses physical keys. The other needs a few real apps, such as banking or maps, and wants the home screen to push everything else away.

Skip it if you want the apps gone. Skip it too if you need a phone you can use right away.

Price and availability

Minimal sells the Minimal Phone 2 from its own store, unlocked and as a one-time purchase. The ship date on its shop is an estimate, not a delivery date, and you can cancel for a full refund until the phone ships.

Phones ordered in the preorder window get 12 GB of RAM, and the 256 GB model drops to 8 GB afterward. US shipping is a flat $10, and international shipping is $29 per shipment.

What matters

The keyboard

The keyboard is a backlit physical QWERTY with metal dome switches. The keys are also touch-sensitive, so you can scroll and move the cursor from the keys.

It comes in five laser-etched layouts: English QWERTY, French AZERTY, German QWERTZ, Korean, and Arabic. There is also a programmable switch, plus long-press shortcuts.

Minimal OS and the boundary

Minimal OS is built on Android. The home screen shows the time, your next event, and a few quick actions, and you type to act: a hyphen adds a to-do, and an asterisk adds an event. Swiping right opens the Hub, one place for texts, calls, email, voicemail, and calendar.

Setup offers grayscale, a wait before opening apps, limits on social apps, and a daily screen-time limit. The stricter settings hold until you reset the phone, and they come in three modes: Monk, Focus, and Unrestricted.

Apps and the Play Store

The phone will ship with Google services, so the Play Store should be there from the first day. That build covers banking apps and payments, and Minimal sells it as “Full Android.”

Still, compatibility depends on each app and on how it handles the screen and keyboard. So confirm any essential banking, work, messaging, or accessibility app with Minimal first. An official de-Googled ROM is also planned, and you flash it yourself.

The AMOLED screen after E Ink

The screen is AMOLED at 90 Hz, so there are no refresh flashes or ghosting. Minimal dropped E Ink because, in its view, E Ink slowed the things you need as much as the things you avoid. So the friction moved into software.

We read that as the cost of the switch: a good screen on a Play Store phone invites scrolling. Grayscale is one of the setup options if you want a plainer display.

Battery and charging

Minimal promises no fixed number of days between charges, because runtime depends on usage, network, and settings. Charging runs up to 27 W by cable and 15 W on a Qi pad.

With no stated runtime, we would not assume E Ink-style endurance from an AMOLED screen.

Activation on US carriers

Minimal sells it unlocked, with one physical SIM and an eSIM. Its US band list covers LTE bands 2, 4, 5, 12, 13, 66, and 71 and 5G bands n41, n71, and n77.

No US carrier is named as supported, and matching bands alone do not guarantee activation. So ask Minimal about VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling on your carrier before you order.

Updates, warranty, and returns

Minimal has published no Android version and no update period. By contrast, Clicks, which makes a rival Android keyboard phone, promises four years of Android updates and five years of security updates.

The warranty covers defects for one year from delivery, but flashing firmware or rooting the phone voids it. Return a working phone in the US within 14 days of shipping, and you pay a restocking fee of 20%, according to Minimal’s policy.

Limitations

The boundary is software. Its strict settings hold until a factory reset, but the phone ships with the Play Store, a launcher can replace Minimal’s home screen, and the bootloader unlocks. If you need the phone to say no for you, it will not.

It has not shipped, and Minimal has published no runtime, no Android version, and no update period. The first batch of any new phone is a bet on the maker.

The keyboard is the reason to choose it. If you do not type much, a cheaper Android with a launcher gets you most of the way.

Alternatives

Read our Light Phone III review if you want fewer apps, because Light has ruled out a browser or social media on that phone. Read our Keyphone Hybrid review if you want a keyboard without an app store.

If you already own an Android phone, our minimalist launchers guide is the lighter step, and a phone with no open app store is the stronger one.

Common questions

Is the Minimal Phone 2 E Ink?

No. It has an AMOLED touchscreen at 90 Hz and is a different product from the E Ink original. Minimal OS offers a grayscale option.

Does the Minimal Phone 2 have the Google Play Store?

Yes, it will ship with Google services, and that build covers banking apps and payments. Still, confirm any essential messaging app with Minimal before you order. An official de-Googled Minimal OS ROM is planned, and you flash it yourself.

When does the Minimal Phone 2 ship?

Not yet. The ship date on Minimal’s store is an estimate, not a delivery date, so check the store before you order. You can cancel for a full refund until the phone ships.

How long does the Minimal Phone 2 battery last?

Minimal gives no figure. Runtime depends on your usage, network, and settings, so there is no promise of a fixed number of days.

Is the original Minimal Phone still sold?

Not by Minimal. It announced in September 2026 that it is ending sales and production of the original, though it will keep supporting that phone with software updates. For an E Ink phone you can order, see our Mudita Kompakt review.

Does the Minimal Phone 2 work with US carriers?

No carrier is confirmed. The phone has US bands for LTE and 5G, so contact Minimal about VoLTE and Wi-Fi Calling before ordering.

Fewer pulls, not none

The Minimal Phone 2 is a good choice for a typist who wants fewer pulls on their attention, not none. Its strict settings are firmer than a launcher, and its keyboard is the best reason to pick it over a plain Android phone.

If you need a harder stop, choose a phone with no app store. The Finder sorts phones by how much each one lets in.