With more than a billion active iPhone users, Apple has done a solid job in making their iconic smartphone both easy to use and simple to set up. Even without assistance from someone at the Genius Bar, you should be able to get started in using your new iPhone by following the onscreen instructions.
But as popular as the iPhone is, we sometimes forget just how much of a premium we are paying for the iOS experience. Maybe you are paying for the iPhone through your carrier contract or maybe you are just used to paying for flagship phones, but it doesn’t change the fact that you are paying quite a bit even for the “budget” iPhone SE. Knowing your iPhone’s premium nature is key to maximizing the amount you paid for the device and there’s no better way to discovering these features than giving your iPhone a real setup treatment. So, let’s take a walk through setting up an iPhone TechGadgets style!
First, a little disclaimer; the instructions laid out here cover iOS 17.1 which is the latest non-beta version at the time of writing. Future iOS updates may slightly or significantly alter the setup procedure. If you have an older version that doesn’t come with iOS 17.1 out of the box and you are having trouble with any of the steps here, feel free to leave a comment and we’ll gladly help you out!
Initial Setup Tips
Switching on a brand-new iPhone for the first time or performing a factory reset on one will greet you with a basic setup wizard asking you to choose the language and your country. After making your choices, iOS will let you set the overall size of the text and homescreen options. Choose any of the options before tapping “Continue” to get a small glimpse of what they’ll look like.
“Quick Start” Feature
If you own another iPhone or iPad running iOS 11 or later and it’s connected to the Internet, Apple’s Quick Start may detect the device and offer to transfer its data. Quick Start is a useful feature if you want to use your device right away without going through the hassle of searching for the apps and games you use on other iOS devices. But if you are very selective on what goes into your iPhone and want to save as much storage space as possible, I recommend skipping this feature.
Getting to Know Your Apple ID
To unlock your iPhone’s full potential, you must login to your Apple ID. Your Apple ID provides you with 5 GB of free cloud storage space via Apple iCloud which is useful for backing up settings, documents, and photos. It also gives you access to the iOS App Store where you may download free apps or purchase paid ones. You may create an Apple ID right from the iPhone but if you own a Mac or another device, you might have already made one. Try using the email you used to register for the Apple ID account for logging in. If you forgot your password, you can always reset it.
Updating Your iOS Version
As you swipe around your home screen, you might notice a notification indicator on your Settings icon. This could indicate a new iOS update which you should install immediately before tinkering with the rest of your phone to ensure the update installs on a clean operating system. Go to the “Settings” icon, tap “General,” and go to “Software Update” to check the details on the update if any. Tap “Download and Install” to download the update. This process could take time depending on the speed of your Internet connection and could cause your iPhone to reboot.
Once your iPhone reboots and finishes installing the update, go back to “General” in the “Settings” app and scroll down to “Transfer or Reset iPhone.” Tap “Reset” and select “Reset All Settings” to restore all iOS settings to their defaults. You can skip this step if you like, but I recommend doing this after an update as it tends to fix any bugs and other anomalies a new update could introduce.
Choosing Your Charging Adapter
The iPhone 12 and newer models only come with a USB-C charging cable and not a charging adapter thus forcing you to use an existing adapter one if you have. Since you’ll be regularly charging your iPhone, I recommend getting Apple’s own 20W USB-C Power Adapter which you can buy on Amazon or Apple’s official website.
This power adapter can charge your iPhone faster than lower wattage USB-C chargers. If paying $20 for an official Apple accessory isn’t appealing to you, you can pick up some cheaper third-party alternatives. When searching online, use “MFi” or “Made for iPhone” in your search query to ensure you avoid buying incompatible chargers.
Configuring Your iPhone’s Charging Behavior
Since the very first iPhone, replacing its iPhone battery was never a DIY affair for the average consumer. Therefore, battery care is very important as professional battery replacement can be costly. Fortunately, Apple does offer an option to extend the overall lifespan of the battery and it’s enabled by default.
However, this option can affect your iPhone’s overall battery life between charges. If you wish to maximize your battery life, go to “Settings” followed by “Battery” and then “Battery Health & Charging.” You can then switch the “Optimized Battery Charging” option from there. If you are using an iPhone 15 or plan on using newer devices, you also have the option to prevent chargers from charging beyond 80%.
Pairing With Your Apple AirPods Pro
One of the advantages of having both an iPhone and a pair of Apple AirPods Pro wireless earbuds is its quick and simple pairing process. Just switch on your iPhone’s Bluetooth settings from the “Settings” app and open your AirPods charging case with the AirPods inside. Position the AirPods case near your device and follow the rest of the instructions and you’re all set!
Taking these extra steps in setting up your iPhone is a good way to avoid some of the occasional bugs that may occur in iOS. Clear that hurdle and you can finally start opening the App Store and start installing your favorite mobile apps!
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