Got your hands on a brand-new iPhone 14? Here are a few essential things to do with it once you take it out of the box.
You’ve just lifted your new iPhone 14 from its packaging, and you’re beaming. Maybe your hands are shivering with anticipation. Your mouth is dry, and your pupils are dilated. Okay, perhaps you’re not that excited, but a new phone is certainly a cause for celebration. What comes next, though? Here are some of the first things every iPhone 14 owner should do with their phone when taking it out of the box. These little exercises will ensure that you get the most out of your phone from day one.
Check out your device
The very first thing you should do is to 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 pocketable screen.
Don’t let all this power go to your head. You need to keep your composure long enough to ensure your device came with all the correct parts.
Go through all of your iPhone’s packaging and take stock of everything. Review any warranty information, and take note of any extras. Some iPhone 14 come with a SIM ejector tool, so be sure not to throw that out if you ever want to install a new SIM card. You definitely also got a charging cable. One extra you might want to think about, however, is phone insurance. It’s a good way to ensure that you have this warm, fuzzy feeling again, even if the worst happens to your phone.
Prep for data downloading
Plug your iPhone 14 in to get that battery charging. While many iPhones will come partially charged, they typically don’t come fully topped off. 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 on your first day with your phone. It might not be a good idea to start eating into your monthly limit right away.
Set up an Apple ID
When you take your iPhone 14 out of the box and turn it on, one of the first things that will pop up is to create or log in to your Apple ID.
You can skip this step if you want, but we seriously don’t recommend it. Logging into iCloud connects your device with many other Apple services, including iMessage, FaceTime, iCloud, Find My iPhone, Apple Music, apps and games, and so much more. Activating this account will prepare your iPhone to synchronize your data across devices. It’s also required for the App store. So if you don’t already have an Apple ID, it’s highly recommended to create one.
If you’ve owned an iPhone before, then you’re about to witness some magic. After logging into your iCloud account, your iPhone will connect with the App 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.
Also, make sure you keep a record of your Apple ID credentials, as it can be tricky to get back into your account if you get locked out from too many failed login attempts.
Secure your iPhone
Your iPhone contains a lot of sensitive information, especially if you use it for banking, shopping, or pizza delivery. It’s essential to set up solid security measures to protect your privacy and identity.
A Passcode and Face Id are two security options available on iPhone 14.
Again, an Apple ID is critical because it’s required to use Find My iPhone. This is a security feature that lets you track where your iPhone 14 is in case it’s lost or stolen. Better yet, you can remotely wipe the device and even leave a message on the device for whoever is in possession of it to contact you to return it.n
When you set up an Apple ID, turning on Find My iPhone should be a part of the setup process. But you can also manually turn it on if you want to set it up later. Either way, don’t forget to set up Find My iPhone! Better safe than sorry.
Fill out your Medical ID
No one wants to be in an emergency situation, but life throws curveballs sometimes, and stuff happens. That’s why it is extremely important to make sure that you fill out your Medical ID details on your iPhone 14.
With Medical ID, first responders will be able to find out useful information regarding your health when you’re in a medical emergency. This includes medical conditions, blood types, allergies, whether you’re an organ donor or not, and more. It’s also where you can list emergency contacts.
To do this, go to Settings > Health > Medical ID. Alternatively, you can do this from the Health app as well.
Personalize your Control Center
One of the most important features of iOS is Control Center. It’s a panel of commonly and frequently used settings and app shortcuts — such as Wi-Fi and cellular, brightness, volume, rotation lock, flashlight, camera, Low Power Mode, and more. You can access the Control Center from anywhere, even when you’re in other apps, though there’s a setting to just make it accessible only on the home screen.
I usually use the Control Center a ton of times in a day. It’s an incredibly handy feature to have, and you can tweak it to your liking with various controls. To do this, just go to Settings > Control Center. Want to add a shortcut for Shazam? Maybe a button to quickly start a stopwatch? Apple’s customization tools let you do that.
Prevent autocorrect from twisting your words
Autocorrect can come in handy if you’re in a hurry, but more often than not, it tends to mess up your words and twist them into something completely different. The text replacement feature is great when you know you want to type a certain word that autocorrect always changes to “ducking” instead.
To add all the text replacements your heart desires, go to Settings > General > Keyboards > Text Replacement.
Get haptic feedback as you type
I often have my iPhone 14 on silent all day because I’d rather not disturb my colleagues, especially during meetings. I also just don’t like hearing ringtones going off all the time. But having my iPhone on silent means no more audible feedback when typing, which I also don’t like.
iPhone 14 offers you the ability to enable haptic feedback for the onscreen keyboard. This means you get a little tactile response each time you tap a character on the keyboard, which is something that Android devices have been able to do for a long time. So even if you have your iPhone on silent, you’ll still know that the on-screen keyboard is actually working.
To turn on the haptic keyboard feedback, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics > Keyboard Feedback.
Make sure everything is up to date
There’s a pretty big chance that your iPhone 14 might have a few updates waiting for you. Sometimes they will be minor fixes or speed improvements. Sometimes whole new versions of iOS 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 > General > Software Updates,
In addition to the operating system, you can also update the pre-installed apps by visiting the App Store, selecting your profile at the top of the screen, and tapping the “Update all” button under the available updates section.
Get to know your device
Take the time to investigate your iPhone’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 phone.
As the Ancient Greeks (and the Oracle from the Matrix) said: “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 iPhone is a little bit like an extension of yourself. Don’t let it be a stranger!
Think of setting up a new iPhone as you would moving into a new place. Don’t just leave those rooms empty. Move your old familiar furniture in 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 iPhone 14 might seem overwhelming, but it can be nice to settle in and enjoy the process.