First 15 issues to do or attempt first if you get a brand new iPhone

Apple proclaims new iPhones yearly, and I usually surprise if that is really mandatory. A launch each two years appears extra affordable, particularly because the new iPhones are sometimes solely marginally higher than those launched the 12 months earlier than. This has been the case because the iPhone 12. 

Nevertheless, in 2024, Apple launched a variety of fascinating options with the iPhone 16. Whereas these options don’t essentially justify an improve should you already personal the iPhone 15 and even the iPhone 14, they make the iPhone 16 a worthy buy should you’re utilizing an older mannequin or an Android cellphone.

If you happen to’ve already made the acquisition, or should you’ve purchased one other iPhone, listed here are the primary issues it is best to do and check out if you fireplace up your new cellphone. (First things to do if you got a new Android)

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1) How one can replace your software program to iOS 18.2 or later

First issues first, let’s replace your software program to iOS 18.2 or later:

• Open Settings
• Faucet Common
• Choose Software program Replace
• Faucet Replace Now
• Enter your passcode and conform to phrases
• Anticipate the set up to finish

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2) How one can add a passcode or biometric authentication

So as to add a passcode or biometric authentication to your new iPhone after updating to iOS 18.2 or later, observe these steps:

Establishing a passcode

• Open Settings in your iPhone
• Faucet on Face ID & Passcode (for iPhone X and later) or Contact ID & Passcode (for earlier fashions)
• Faucet Flip Passcode On
• Enter a six-digit passcode. If you happen to choose, faucet Passcode Choices to decide on a four-digit numeric code, a customized numeric code or a customized alphanumeric code.
• Re-enter your passcode to substantiate it and activate it

Establishing biometric authentication

For Face ID:

• Go to Settings
• Faucet on Face ID & Passcode
• Enter your passcode, if prompted
• Faucet on Set Up Face ID
• Maintain your system in portrait orientation and place your face in entrance of the system, then faucet Get Began.
• Comply with the on-screen directions to finish the setup

Face ID & Passcode on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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3) Establishing Apple ID and iCloud

Create or sign up to Apple ID:

• Open the Settings app
• Faucet on Check in to your iPhone on the prime
• If you happen to don’t have an Apple ID, choose Don’t have an Apple ID or forgot it? and observe the prompts to create one.
• When you’ve got an Apple ID, enter your credentials and sign up.

Allow iCloud:

• After signing in, return to Settings
• Faucet in your identify on the prime, then choose iCloud
• Select which companies you need to allow (e.g., Pictures, Contacts, Calendars)
• Faucet iCloud Backup and toggle it on to robotically again up your knowledge.

Create a Free Apple Account on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MUST TURN-OFF PRIVACY SETTINGS ON YOUR IPHONE

4) Personalizing settings on iPhone

Customise Show:

• Open Settings
• Then go to Show & Brightness
• Faucet Gentle or Darkish for the background you want
• You possibly can faucet on Textual content Measurement to regulate textual content measurement
• Then use the slider to regulate the brightness you like.

How one can personalize your iPhone’s show and brightness (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Customise sound preferences:

• Faucet on Sounds & Haptics
• Alter the slider the place it says Ringtone and alerts to customise from quieter to louder.
• Scroll down and faucet the next to regulate the sounds for every: Ringtone, Textual content Tone, New Voicemail, New Mail, Despatched Mail, Calendar Alerts and Reminder Alerts.

Steps to vary your iPhone’s sounds and haptics (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

5) Configuring privateness settings

Handle Privateness Settings:

• Go to Settings 
• Scroll down and click on apps
• Choose the app you need to overview the privateness settings for
• Alter the permissions as wanted for location companies, digicam, microphone, permit monitoring and different settings. Alter as mandatory for particular person apps.

6) Decide your personal lock display shortcuts

By default in iOS 18, you get flashlight and digicam shortcuts on the lock display, however now you may lastly customise them. 

• Lengthy-press on the Lock Display
• Faucet Customise
• Then select Lock Display
• You possibly can faucet on the current shortcuts to vary them to your most popular apps or options by deciding on the desired app or characteristic from the checklist that seems.
• If you happen to choose, you may take away them fully to maintain your lock display clear and easy by tapping the delete or take away choice subsequent to the shortcut.

Steps to customise your iPhone’s lock display (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

7) Establishing Household Sharing

Here is the right way to allow Household Sharing in your iPhone:

• Open your Settings app
• Faucet your identify
• Go to Household Sharing 
• Set Up Your Household
• Press Proceed
• Choose relations that you simply need to invite
• To create an account for a kid, choose Create Youngster Account on the backside and supply their identify and birthday.

8) Obtain some helpful apps

There are thousands and thousands of apps accessible, reminiscent of Apple Maps, Google Maps and even apps to plan a party within the App Retailer. To obtain helpful apps in your new iPhone, observe these simple steps:

• Find the App Retailer icon on your private home display and faucet to open it.
• You possibly can discover numerous classes by tapping on Apps on the backside of the display or utilizing the Search tab to seek out particular apps.
• As soon as you discover an app you need, faucet on it to view extra particulars, together with descriptions, rankings and screenshots.
• Faucet the Get button (or the value if it is a paid app) subsequent to the app you want to obtain.
• If prompted, authenticate your obtain utilizing Face ID, Contact ID or your Apple ID password.
• The app will start downloading and putting in robotically. You possibly can monitor its progress on your private home display.
• As soon as put in, the app will seem on your private home display.
• Faucet its icon to open and begin utilizing it.
• You possibly can press and maintain any app icon till they begin wiggling, permitting you to pull them into folders or rearrange their positions.

Picture of the App Retailer icon on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

9) Activate spam filters for textual content messages

Having a powerful spam filter in your iPhone is useful to guard your self from undesirable textual content messages and scams. However beware that this may occasionally additionally filter out some professional messages from people who find themselves not in your contacts checklist.

• Open Settings 
• Scroll down and faucet on Apps
• Then, scroll down and faucet on Messages 
• Toggle on Filter Unknown Senders to filter textual content messages from unknown contacts right into a separate checklist

Steps to activate filters for textual content messages (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

10) Use visible intelligence

On all iPhone 16 fashions, you should utilize Digital camera Management with visible intelligence to rapidly study extra concerning the stuff round you. Simply press and maintain the Digital camera Management, which is a brand new button on the precise facet of the system, and you are able to do issues like search for information a couple of restaurant or enterprise, translate textual content, get a abstract, have it learn out loud and extra.

You possibly can even use it to seek out particulars a couple of enterprise, like its hours, companies and get in touch with information. Relying on the place, you may additionally have the ability to test evaluations, make a reservation or order for supply.

To make use of this characteristic, level your iPhone digicam on the enterprise in entrance of you, then press and maintain the Digital camera Management. Subsequent, both faucet the Digital camera Management once more or choose the enterprise identify on the prime of the display. Relying on the enterprise, you may:

• View the hours of operation by tapping Schedule
• Place a supply order by tapping Order
• Browse the menu or accessible companies by tapping Menu
• Make a reservation by tapping Reserve
• To name the enterprise, go to its web site or entry different choices, faucet the Extra button.

iPhone utilizing visible intelligence (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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11) Log the way you’re feeling

Apple made a number of modifications to the iPhones with its iOS 18 replace, together with updates to the Journal app. You don’t want the newest iPhone 16 to attempt the app’s mindfulness choice for journal entries; any iPhone with iOS 18 will do. If you open the Journal app, faucet the icon that appears like a tiny tree, and also you’ll have the ability to log your temper for every day and see the way it modifications over time.

Journal app on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

12) Give Motion Button a attempt

The Action Button is a part of the iOS 17 working system for the iPhone 15 sequence and continues into iOS 18 for the iPhone 16 sequence. This customizable facet button enables you to select a selected operate to carry out when pressed, reminiscent of turning on silent mode, focus, digicam, flashlight, voice memo, acknowledge music, translate, magnifier, controls, shortcut and accessibility, relying in your settings. Primarily, it acts as a fast entry key for a selected motion. Listed below are the steps to customise the Motion button on supported iPhone fashions:

• Go to Settings
• Faucet Motion Button
• A picture of the facet of the iPhone will seem exhibiting icons representing actions you may assign to the Motion button.
• Swipe left or proper to decide on an motion. The identify of the motion will seem beneath the dots.
• If extra choices can be found for the chosen motion, a button will seem beneath the motion.
• Faucet it to see the checklist of choices.
• For Controls, Shortcut and Accessibility actions, it’s worthwhile to faucet the button beneath the motion and choose a particular choice. In any other case, the Motion button will not do something.

Motion button on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

13) Check out the brand new Passwords app

I all the time stress the significance of utilizing a password supervisor to retailer your passwords. Let’s be sincere, all of us have a ton of apps and companies that require an account and password. If you happen to use the identical password all over the place, you danger having your essential information stolen by cybercriminals. However it’s additionally not possible to provide you with a singular password for each app and bear in mind all of them. 

Password managers make life simpler by storing your passwords and filling them in if you log into apps. However they often cost a month-to-month or yearly payment. That’s the place Apple’s Passwords app is available in. It really works similar to a password supervisor however with out the additional value. Open the app from the App Library, and it’ll preserve your login particulars encrypted and synced throughout all of your gadgets.

Whereas Apple’s new Passwords app in iOS 18 provides a handy and cost-free answer for password administration, it is essential to contemplate its limitations. These embody its exclusivity to the Apple ecosystem, lack of compatibility with Android or Linux gadgets and restricted performance exterior of Safari and Apple apps. For these in search of a extra complete password administration answer that works throughout numerous browsers and apps, try my best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 here.

14) Use ChatGPT and writing instruments

Apple launched Apple Intelligence for iPhone 15 Professional and newer fashions operating iOS 18.2, bringing a variety of AI instruments and ChatGPT assist. ChatGPT is now constructed into numerous components of iOS, and when you have an iPhone 15 Professional or above, you may take full benefit of this integration.

You need to use Apple’s enhanced Writing Instruments to entry ChatGPT immediately in apps like Notes, Mail and some other textual content enter subject. Whether or not you need assistance spicing up your notes or producing complicated programming scripts, ChatGPT is up for the duty. Here is the right way to get began; you’ll have to allow ChatGPT integration. 

• Head to Settings
• Click on Apple Intelligence & Siri
• Faucet ChatGPT and toggle on subsequent to the place it says Use ChatGPT.
• From there, you may scroll down and Signal In to your personal ChatGPT account and even improve to ChatGPT Plus.

ChatGPT and writing instruments on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

15) Set up robust antivirus safety

Antivirus software may also help shield your new iPhone from malware, phishing and different threats. One of the best ways to guard your self from having your knowledge breached is to put in antivirus safety on all of your gadgets. Having robust antivirus software program in your gadgets will provide you with a warning of any identified malware that’s focusing on you, warn you towards clicking on any identified malicious hyperlinks in phishing emails and in the end assist shield you from being hacked. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your iPhone, Mac, Windows and Android devices.

Professional tip: Prioritize common backups to safeguard your knowledge

Making knowledge backups an everyday a part of your iPhone upkeep is essential. This manner, you may shield your self towards uncertainties. Whether or not it is a {hardware} malfunction or a safety breach, having a latest backup will allow you to get well rapidly.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

If you get your new iPhone, there are a number of important steps to take to make sure you’re getting probably the most out of your system. Begin by updating to iOS 18.2 or later to entry the newest options. Subsequent, safety measures like a passcode or biometric authentication ought to be arrange for added safety. Personalize your settings by customizing your show and sound preferences, and don’t neglect to allow Household Sharing if you wish to join with family members. Additionally, discover the App Retailer to obtain helpful apps. Moreover, make sure that to provide the Motion Button a check run for fast entry to your favourite capabilities. With the following pointers, you may be nicely in your option to maximizing your new iPhone’s capabilities.

How do you’re feeling concerning the annual iPhone releases? Do you suppose they supply sufficient worth annually? Tell us by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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