Congratulations on your new iPhone. Now you’re probably wondering how to set up your iPhone.
If you have never owned an iPhone before, it can be overwhelming what to do when you get a new iPhone. But don’t panic, this step-by-step guide will walk you through the steps to set up your new iPhone the right way.
Of course, these tips won’t make you an iPhone pro, but they’re essential to getting started with your new iPhone.
Setting Up Your New iPhone
Manage Apple ID Settings on iPhone
It can be confusing about what to do when you get a new iPhone. Setting up your Apple ID should be the first thing to do after powering your phone.
If you’ve never owned an Apple product before, you probably don’t have an Apple ID. Then, go ahead and create one here.
You can do so by going to your iPhone Settings > iCloud > Create a new Apple ID. You must provide a valid email address to create an Apple ID.
If you had an Apple product before, then connect your account and sync it to iCloud to restore your data from your old iOS device to the new one.
You need an Apple ID in order to access Apple services such as the App Store, the iTunes Store, Apple Books, Apple Music, FaceTime, iCloud, iMessage, and more
Move from Android to iPhone
You’re ready to switch to iOS, now what? If you want to switch from your Android device to an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, download the Move to iOS app.
Previous Android users can easily switch from their devices to iPhones using the Move to iOS app.
First-time iPhone users should take advantage of this transition since they will be able to have all their contacts, photos, and calendars on their new phone without the hassle of having to deal with third-party apps.
Use Built-in Security and Privacy Protections of Your iPhone
It’s likely your iPhone will store some of your most confidential information, so losing your information is certainly not something you would wish to happen.
You don’t have to worry about your data as your iPhone comes with built-in security and privacy protections. Apple is serious about privacy, so you’re in good hands to keep your data safe.
While your iPhone comes with built-in security and privacy protections, these security tips will help you protect your phone from hackers.
Set a Passcode on Your iPhone
If you own an iPhone model 5S and up, besides the passcode, you have a fingerprint scanner built into the Home button to lock your phone.
If you own an iPhone X, Face ID will be the new way to unlock and lock your phone since it lacks the home button. So setting up Touch ID/Face ID will keep your iPhone secure.
It’s easy to set up and use, and some apps also use them for authentication. It’s really in your best interests to set them up once you get your iPhone.
In case, you’ve skipped this step during the setup process, here’s how to set up a passcode on your new iPhone.
- Go to the Settings app:
- On an iPhone with Face ID: Tap Face ID & Passcode.
- On an iPhone with a Home button: Tap Touch ID & Passcode.
- Tap Turn Passcode On or Change Passcode.
After you set a passcode, you can use Face ID or Touch ID to unlock your iPhone (depending on your model).
To set up Face ID, go to Settings > Face ID & Passcode > Set up Face ID, then follow the onscreen instructions.
To set up Touch ID, go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode > tap Add a Fingerprint. Then, follow the onscreen instructions.
Set Up Email Account on Your New iPhone
Once you have your Apple ID set up, the next thing to do is to set up your email account. Just go over Settings > Mail > Accounts > Add account and you’ll be able to set up the email of your choice.
If you don’t see your email provider on the list, then you can select the “other” option to manually enter your email service provider information.
Add Your Info on Your New iPhone
Another important thing you must do is to add your personal information to your new iPhone.
Go to the Contacts App and then the “+” sign in the upper right corner to create a new contact. That will come in very handy for Siri to recognize you.
If you’d like to use the feature to type home on the maps or to ask Siri to take you home, this is where you can put that information. Keep scrolling a little further down, you’ll see a spot to add your address.
Feel free to add as many as you want, so you can have a more casual conversation when using Siri.
Use iCloud on Your New iPhone
This is one of the great tips for first-time users. One of the reasons why you should use Apple’s iCloud is it allows you to back up your iPhone and share them across all your iOS devices.
To get access to your iCloud, just head over to Settings > iCloud, and you’ll see a list of all the Apps that you can synchronize across all your iOS devices. Just toggle the button on the right to turn it on and off.
When it’s green, it means that the app in question is sharing content across all your iOS devices that use the same iCloud account.
Here’s a list of some information that you’d want to store in iCloud to keep up to date across your iPhone and other Apple devices:
- Photos and videos; photos not uploading on your new iPhone? See How to fix photos not uploading on iPhone.
- Files and documents; see How to access iCloud Drive on iPhone
- Contacts, Calendars, Notes, and Reminders
- iCloud Mail
- Data from compatible third-party apps and games
- Messages threads; see How to fix iMessage not syncing with iCloud
- Passwords and payment methods; see How to set up and use Apple Pay
- Safari bookmarks and open tabs
- Home and Health data
- News, Stocks, and Weather preferences
- Map favorites
- Voice memos
While iCloud provides 5GB of free storage, there are many better free alternatives out there for your storage needs.
You can use iCloud to back up important information, for all other backups like photos, and videos, we suggest you take a look at other backup storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, etc.
Set Up Your Medical ID in the Health App on Your iPhone
Setting up your Medical ID is one of the most important things to do when you set up your new iPhone.
The Medical ID feature allows emergency responders to access your critical medical information without having to enter your passcode.
Information such as allergies and medical conditions are available, along with contact information in case of emergency.
To do so, follow the steps below: you just tap on the Health App > Summary tab > Medical ID > Create Medical ID. You’ll have to provide different types of health information.
- Open the Health app and tap the Summary tab.
- Tap your profile picture in the top right-hand corner.
- Under your profile picture, tap Medical ID.
- Tap Edit in the top right-hand corner.
Next, enter your health information, such as your date of birth, allergies, and blood type.
It’s important to make your Medical ID available on the lock screen, so first responders can access your information in case of an emergency.
You can turn on Share During Emergency Call to share your Medical ID with emergency responders. Emergency services will receive your Medical ID when you call or send a text to them using an iPhone or Apple Watch
Bonus: Regardless of how cautious you’re with your new iPhone, at some point you’ll drop it. To avoid that, invest in a durable case. Sure, your phone will look less stylish with the case, but if you care about it, it’s the right move to get it a case.
If you have any feedback or questions, then please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below.
