How to Set Up and Start Using Your New iPhone

Congratulations on your new iPhone! We believe you’ll love it as much as we do. At Readdle, our story has started with the release of the first 2007 iPhone. We were so excited that instantly decided to build an app for this new device, and iPhones keep fascinating us ever since.

Don’t worry if you haven’t used an iPhone before; it’s a breeze to get started. Setting up a new Apple device is pretty straightforward, and our iPhone user guide will walk you step by step.

Selecting the setup options

There are three different ways to set up your new iPhone depending on whether you want to transfer some data from your previous device. We’ll cover all these options in our iPhone tutorial:

Set up your iPhone as brand-new — if you’re an Apple newbie, you can set up your iPhone from scratch. Fret no more, it’s easier than it sounds!
Move from your old iPhone — if you’re familiar with the Apple ecosystem and just upgrading your device, you can move all data, settings, and apps from your previous iPhone to a new one. It feels like you’ve got the same iPhone, but a faster and more powerful one.
Transfer data from your Android device — If you’re switching to iPhone from Android, you can also move some data from your old smartphone. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to keep some of your favorite apps, but there’s lots of great software to discover on the App Store.

Set up your iPhone as brand-new

It’s time to pull your shiny new iPhone from the box and make it really yours.

How to start using your new iPhone:

Turn on your device. Depending on the model of your iPhone, press and hold the side button or Sleep/Wake button until the Apple logo appears.
You’ll see “Hello” in different languages. Swipe on the screen or press the Home button to start setup.
Pick your language and country.

The "Hello" screen you see after turning on your iPhone

On the next screen, your iPhone offers the Quick Start option to move all data from your old device. We’ll cover this option in the next section of this iPhone tutorial. Now, as you start using your iPhone as brand-new, tap Set Up Manually.
Connect to a Wi-Fi network. You can also use a cellular connection, but you may need to insert a SIM-card.
Wait until your iPhone activates; it may take a few minutes.
Set up Touch ID to unlock your iPhone with your fingerprint. If you’re a lucky iPhone X or later owner, you can set up Face ID instead. This option lets you unlock your device just holding it in front of you. You can also configure Touch ID or Face ID later in settings, and we strongly encourage you to use this security option.
Create a six-digit passcode to protect your iPhone. It’s used to unlock your device, make purchases, and change some important settings.

Creating Face ID and a passcode for your new iPhone is an essential security option

Next, your iPhone offers you an opportunity to restore data from a backup or an Android device. If you don’t want to use this option, just tap Set Up as New iPhone.
Sign in with your Apple ID. If you don’t have one, tap Forgot password or don't have an Apple ID? Here, you can create an Apple ID or decide to configure it later in settings. Apple ID is an account used with all Apple services so you’ll definitely need one.
Next, you’ll be asked to set up different services and features depending on the model of your iPhone. They include Siri, Apple Pay, Screen Time, etc. If you don’t wish to play around with them right now, you can always tap Set Up Later in Settings.
Now, your iPhone is ready to use!

Move from your old to new iPhone with Quick Start

While upgrading your iPhone to a newer model, you can take all your files, contacts, apps, and settings with you. Apple offers a couple of ways to transfer data from your old iOS device to a new one. Here, we’ll cover the easiest method to do it called Quick Start. All you’ll need is to place both iPhones close to each other and let the magic happen!

Here’s what to check before you begin:

Make sure your old iPhone runs iOS 11 or later.
Check if your old iPhone is backed up. Open Settings > [your name] > iCloud and make sure the iCloud Backup option is on.
Move your SIM-card to your new iPhone. If your devices use different types of SIM-cards, you may need to contact your carrier.

How to transfer your data between iPhones with Quick Start:

Bring both devices close to each other. Make sure Bluetooth is on.
Turn on your new iPhone.
On your old iPhone, you’ll see the Quick Start screen offering you to set up a new device. Tap Continue.

With Quick Start, you can connect two iPhones by placing the, close to each other

An animation will appear on your new iPhone. Hold your old device over the new one to place the animation in the viewfinder.
Now, both your iPhones are connected. Wait till the data and settings transfer between devices. Keep both iPhones close to each other.
When prompted, you’ll need to enter the passcode from your old iPhone on your new one as well as your Apple ID password.
Set up Touch ID or Face ID on your new iPhone.
Your new device will ask if you’d like to restore data from the most recent iCloud backup or backup your old device now and then restore information.
Next, you can change your preferences related to location, Apple Pay, Siri, etc. By default, these settings are the same as on your old device. You’ll also be able to adjust them later in the Settings app.
That’s it! Now, all your settings, data, and favorite apps have moved to your new iPhone.

Transfer data from your Android device to your new iPhone

Have you decided to switch from Android to iPhone? There’s a whole new world waiting for you, but it doesn’t mean you have to start from scratch. It’s possible to move some data from your Android device to your new smartphone. You can transfer your contacts, message history, photos and videos, bookmarks, mail accounts, and calendars.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to transfer your Android apps to iOS. However, many apps have both the Android and iOS versions, so you can just search for your favorite software on the Apps Store. For example, if you used our email client Spark for Android, you can also download it on your iPhone. We also encourage you to dig into the App Store to discover some new exciting apps.

Before migrating to your iPhone, download the Move to iOS app on your Android smartphone. Also, make sure Wi-Fi is turned on your device.

How to move from Android to your new iPhone:

Turn on your iPhone and follow the setup steps on the screen.
Once you get to the Apps & Data screen, tap Move Data from Android.
Now, pick your Android device and open the Move to iOS app, tap Continue and agree with the terms and conditions.

You'll need the Move to iOS app to migrate from Android to iPhone

On the Find My Code screen, tap Next in the top right corner.
Take your iPhone and tap Continue on the Move from Android screen. Wait until you see a six-digit or ten-digit code.
Enter this code on your Android device. Then wait for the Transfer Data screen to appear.
On your Android smartphone, choose what content do you wish to transfer to your new iPhone and tap Next.
Put both devices close to each other and wait until your data is moved. It may take a while.
After the loading bar completes on your iPhone, tap Continue. Then, follow the steps to finish setting up your iPhone.

We hope your new iPhone will become your best friend, helping you work, study, and create better than ever! Hopefully, you can find a stellar app for any task you might want to accomplish.

At Readdle, we’ve been working hard for more than 10 years to help iPhone users win back their time and become more productive. We’ve built PDF Expert for reading and editing PDFs, Scanner Pro for scanning documents, Spark to get email superpowers, Calendars 5 to manage a busy schedule, Documents as a central hub for all your files, and more. Feel free to explore them to get the most out of your new iPhone!