You’ve just lifted your new Android device
from its packaging, and you’re beaming. Maybe your hands are shivering
with anticipation. Your mouth is dry and pupils are dilated.
Okay, maybe you’re not that excited, but a new phone is certainly cause for celebration. What comes next, though?
The customization that makes Android so adaptable and powerful is
the same thing that can make it a little intimidating at the beginning.
It can be hard to know where to start!
Here are some of the first things every Android owner should do
with their phone when they take it out of the box. These little
exercises will ensure that you are getting the most out of your device
from day one.
Check out your device
First of all, take a moment to really appreciate what you’re
holding in your hands. You are now the owner of a portable device so
staggeringly futuristic that no science fiction writers saw it coming.
Touch its screen in the right places, pizza will arrive at your front
door. Or a man in Morocco will start talking to you. Or it will play videos of cats jumping into cardboard boxes. You are the all-powerful God of this tiny screen.
Don’t let all this power go to your head. You need to keep your
composure long enough to make sure your device came with all the correct
parts.
Go through all of your phone’s packaging and take stock of
everything. Review any warranty information, and take note of any
extras. Some Android phones come with a disassembly tool, so be sure not
to throw that out in case you ever want to change the battery (if you
have one of the few phones with a removable one) or install a new SIM
card. You probably also got a charger and maybe even a nifty set of earbuds.
Prep for data downloading
Plug the phone in to get that battery charging. You’re going to
be playing with your new toy for the next couple of hours, and you don’t
want it dying on you right in the middle of a crucial process.
Also, you’ll probably want to connect to a wireless network if
one is available. Not all of us have unlimited data, and you’re almost
certainly going to be downloading a lot in your first day with your
phone. It might not be a good idea to start eating into monthly limit
right away.
Log into Google and let the magic flow
When you turn on your device for the first time, a walkthrough
will guide you through the setup process. One of the first things it
will ask you to do is log into your Google account.
You can skip this step if you want, but we seriously don’t
recommend it. Logging into Google connects your device with a ton of
other services, and it’s the first step toward personalizing your phone.
Activating this account will set up your email, calendar,
and contacts list automatically, and it will prepare your phone to
synchronize your identity across devices. It’s also required for the
Play store.
If you’ve owned an Android device before, then you’re about to
witness some magic. After logging into your Google account, your phone
will connect with the Google Play Store and attempt to download all your
old apps. Before your very eyes, this stock device will transform into a
faster, sleeker version of your old phone.
Disable bloatware
Your phone likely came with a few apps pre-installed by the
manufacturer or carrier that you didn’t ask for and can’t get rid of (unless you decide to root).
These apps take up space and can slow your phone down. To maximize your
phone’s capabilities, you may want to ditch this stuff.
When going through your device’s initial setup, it may ask you to
register for additional malware protection or other extra services.
Feel free to skip these offers; you really shouldn’t have to sign up for
anything beyond your Google account during setup.
Once your phone is up and running, go to the Apps menu uin your
Settings and locate any apps that came pre-loaded on your phone. You
might not be able to uninstall them, but you can disable them and
uninstall any updates, which will keep the space they occupy to a
minimum. Disabling an app also means you won’t see it in the app drawer
anymore.
A word of caution. If this is your very first Android device, you
may want to keep the pre-installed apps around until you are sure you
won’t need them, they won’t break a key part of your phone’s experience,
or until you’ve found suitable alternatives in the Play store.
Set up your space
Just because your phone is installing all your old apps doesn’t
mean you have to keep doing things the same way. Getting a new device is
an excellent opportunity to kick some bad habits and start making
better life decisions—or at least some better app decisions.
Visit the Play Store and check out alternatives to some of the apps you’re using. You can make the switch from Chrome to the Samsung Internet browser, which is packed with great features. You can also try out a different launcher, download a few new games, or opt for a new music player.
If you’re not a big fan of the keyboard installed on your device, grab a new one like Swiftkey, Chrooma, or Minuum. These pay attention to your typing habits and make texting a breeze.
It’s also important to remember you’ll still need to sign into
Facebook, WhatsApp, Netflix, and whatever other services you have.
Once all the apps are installed, you can start customizing the
device to your liking. You can set new wallpapers and ringtones, as well
as customize the home screen with app shortcuts and widgets. Don’t
forget to organize the quick toggles in the notification panel, adjust
the screen brightness, and enable gestures as well as other useful
features your device might offer.
Secure your device
Your phone contains a lot of sensitive information, especially if
you use it for banking or shopping or pizza delivery. It’s important to
set up some solid security measures to protect your privacy and
identity.
A PIN and a pattern lock are two security options available on
the majority of Android phones. Many of them also come with a
fingerprint scanner, which is a faster and more secure option. If you
happen to own a high-end device like the Galaxy Note 8, you can also unlock it with the help of the iris scanner. Some flagships like the Galaxy S8 and OnePlus 5T even offer facial recognition, although the feature isn’t the safest.
You can also check if your device has Smart Lock capabilities.
Smart Lock is a pretty cool feature that lets your phone bypass the lock
screen in certain situations. For instance, you can set up your phone
to remain unlocked if it’s in the vicinity of a particular Bluetooth
device, like your car stereo. It may also be able to sense whether it
has been set down or passed to a new user since the last time it was
unlocked.
Make sure everything is up to date!
There’s a pretty big chance that your device might have a few
updates waiting for you. Sometimes they will be minor fixes or speed
improvements. Sometimes whole new versions of Android are waiting —
especially if your new phone has been on the market for a little while.
You can check for the latest software updates by going to Settings >
About Phone > System Updates.
In addition to the operating system, you can also update the
pre-installed apps by visiting the Play Store, selecting “My apps &
games” from the menu, and tapping the “Update all” button on top, if
available.
Set up mobile data tracking
If you don’t have an unlimited plan, monitoring how much data you
have used in a given billing cycle is a must. Going over the limit
because of all those cat videos you’re watching on YouTube can get
expensive.
Setting up mobile data tracking is a breeze. Head into the
settings of your device, tap on “Data usage”, and then set the billing
cycle and the amount of data your plan offers.
The next and final step is to enable a data warning and data
limit. The former will notify you when you have used a predefined amount
of data, while the latter will turn off cellular data once it reaches
the limit you’ve set.
If you don’t find the data tracking feature on your Android
device, fear not my friend. There are plenty of dedicated apps available
on the Play Store like My Data Manager, which you download via the
button below.
Get to know your device
Take the time to investigate your phone’s settings. Sift through
the menus and submenus, and make mental notes about where various
features reside. This can save a lot of time later on, and you might
even discover some new things about your device.
The Ancient Greeks (and also the Oracle from the Matrix) had a
saying: “Know thyself.” You put a lot of personal information on your
phone, and you will probably use it for so much of your interpersonal
communications, so your phone is a little bit like an extension of
yourself. Don’t let it be a stranger!
Think of setting up a new phone like you would moving into a new
place. Don’t just leave those rooms empty. Move in your old familiar
furniture and hang a few new pictures. Spruce the place up. Give it a
thorough cleaning. After all, you’re going to be living here for a
while.
Setting up an Android device might seem overwhelming, but it can be nice to settle in and enjoy the process.
What’s the first thing you do when you get a new phone? Let us know in the comments!
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