How do you set up a phone

If you just bought a new Android phone, congratulations! You're about to experience the world's most popular mobile operating system. Android lets you customize nearly any aspect of your device, has a beautiful aesthetic, and gives you access to millions of awesome apps.

But if you're new to Android or haven't set up a new phone in a while, you might be a bit lost on how to set it up correctly. We'll walk you through the setup process, along with a few other tips you should consider when you're getting your new device ready.

Backing Up Your Old Device

It's a good practice to regularly back up your device to prevent data loss if your phone is damaged or when you get a new device. A backup will help you smoothly transition to your new device. If you've previously backed up your old device, or don't currently have access to it, you can skip this step.

However, if you still have your old device, but don't have a backup, you'll need to back it up in order to seamlessly move your data to your new Android phone.

Depending on the brand of your old smartphone, there are different routes you'll have to take to back up your device. If you're not sure how to locate the inbuilt backup feature on your Android device, searching for "backup" on your device settings menu almost always does the job.

For more help, we've got a detailed guide on how to back up your Android phone. If you're a Samsung user, we have a more specific guide on how to back up your Samsung phone, in which case we'll also advise you to read our Samsung-specific walkthrough of how to set up your new Samsung device.

Switching From iPhone to Android

If you previously used an iPhone, you might be thinking: "where do I fit in all of this?" Fortunately, Google built the Switch to Android app for iPhone users who have found the light and want to switch to Android. Alternatively, you can install the Google Drive app on your iPhone, launch it and go to Settings > Backup. Select and back up every item you want to move over to your new Android device.

Whether on Android or iOS, backing up your data might take some time. Once you're done, it's time to get going with the setup process. Here's an eight-step process you need to follow.

Step 1: Insert Your SIM and Memory Card(s)

You'll typically find a small pin inside your smartphone box alongside the other accessories. Locate your phone's user manual in the box, and read it up to find where your phone's SIM and memory card slot is located.

1. Use the small pin as instructed to open the slot and insert your SIM and, optionally, your memory card.
2. Once your SIM (and memory card) is inserted, long press your power button to turn on your new Android device.

Step 2: Select a Language and Connect to the Internet

1. Once your device is powered up, you'll be prompted to select a language. Click on the drop-down menu icon next to the default language to select your preferred language.
2. Click on Get Started, Start, Begin or any variation of it displayed on your screen to proceed to the next phase of the setup process.
3. Next, you'll be prompted to insert your SIM if you didn't do so already. You don't necessarily need your SIM card to set up your device, so you can choose to skip this step.
4. If you choose to insert your SIM or had already done so in step 1, you'll be prompted to set it up. If you're using a dual-SIM smartphone, you might be prompted to select a preferred SIM for calls, SMS, and data.
5. Up next is a prompt to set up your data connection. You can do this by connecting to Wi-Fi, or using your phone's data connection via your data SIM. If you prefer using Wi-Fi, select a Wi-Fi network and connect to it.

Step 3: Sign In and Restore Your Backed Up Data

Once you have a working internet connection, you'll be redirected to a data restoration page. You can transfer your data from your old phone using a data cable or wirelessly if you want to. Or you can pull a backup from your Google account backups.

1. For this setup, we'll restore data from the cloud, so select the A backup from the cloud option.
2. Once you've chosen the cloud backup option, you'll be prompted to sign in to your Google account. Once you're signed in, you should see an option to restore a backup from your old phone.
3. Tap on the name of your old phone, and provide the security pattern, pin, or password of your old phone to proceed.
4. Up next, you'll be prompted to select the data you want to restore. For a complete restoration of all the data backed up from your old phone, select all the available options and tap Restore.

Step 4: Set Up Google Services

Once you've initiated the backup process, everything happens in the background while you'll be redirected to set up your Google services. You'll be asked to turn on or off various Google services like Google Drive backups, Google location service, and automatic diagnostics.

1. Toggle on and off the various services based on your preference. It's recommended to keep the Back up to Google Drive option toggled on.
2. Once you've turned on the services you need, tap Accept to proceed.

Step 5: Read and Accept Google's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy

It is a great idea to read Google's terms of service and privacy policies to learn about how Google will serve you and how it'll manage your data. If you're coming from iOS, you should know how Google treats your personal data differently from Apple. If you're not up for it, we don't judge, you can simply tap the Accept button.

Step 6: Set Up Your Screen Lock

Depending on your device, you'll get different screen lock options like PIN, Face Unlock, Pattern, or Fingerprint. Follow the on-screen instructions to set up the ones you want to use. Also, set a security question for when you forget your password.

Step 7: Set Up Google Assistant

After your screen lock is set, tap through the instructions on your screen to set up Google Assistant, if it's available for your device.

Step 8: Update Your Apps

This isn't tied to the setup process, but it's a good idea to update your apps once you're done with the rest. The default apps on your phone have probably been sitting there for months, which means they could be outdated. To update your default apps:

1. Locate and launch the Play Store app on your new Android device.
2. Tap on your Google account profile image in the top right corner of your app screen.
3. Tap Manage apps and devices.
4. Tap Update all to automatically update all outdated apps or tap See details to update apps individually.

The key to a successful setup process is prudently following the on-screen instructions. The instructions we've listed here may not be worded the same way on your device depending on your smartphone brand. However, the steps and processes, are at its core, the same. Once you're done with the last setup step, here are some things you should do on your new Android device after setting it up.

Explore and Customize Your Android Phone

One of the allures of Android is the enormous room for customization it offers. You can customize almost anything if you're up for it. If you're a little underwhelmed by the user interface that comes with your smartphone brand, don't panic. There are apps that let you change almost anything about your phone's appearance.

If you've ever fallen for the "heresy" that Android is boring, here are some apps that will change how you use your smartphone. If you can't find an app that works for you on that list, here's how to automate your Android phone to do just about anything.

Also, your smartphone will likely hold a lot of personal data, to keep it safe, we recommend taking a few minutes to tweak the in-built Android security settings.

Android Has a Lot to Offer

It's impossible to cover everything Android has to offer in a single article. To make the best use of your new Android device, you'll have to experiment with your smartphone features and try out new apps on the Play Store. Android has a lot to offer, we invite you to explore.