So you have bought your new favorite android phone and are excited to use it every day. There are a few things you need to take into consideration before you fully make this phone yours. Google does a good job of walking you through all the important steps, many android phone brands do that as well, and if you are very new to the android system, these guides would help you get started. But if you want to use your new phone to its full potential, here is a list of some important things a user should do when using their phone.
After powering your phone, you will see that the battery is partially charged. Juice up your phone’s battery so it doesn’t die in the middle of the phone setup process.
Login to Your Google Account
The first step is to sign in to your Google account. You can skip this step, but we recommend that you don’t. Signing in to your Gmail account will help you set up your device according to your preferences. By signing in, not only you will be able to use Google Play Store to install new applications, but also your email, contact list, calendar, and other google apps data will be synchronized across all your android devices.
Moreover, you will able to use Google Assistant, Auto Fill Password, and more google features by signing in. If your old device is an Android device, after signing in to your Google account, Play Store will try to download all the old apps and your synced data will be updated on your new device.
Get Rid Of Bloatware
There may be some apps pre-installed by the manufacturer or carrier in your new android phone. These applications take up your phone storage and you may not find them useful. You can uninstall them from the phone’s settings in the Apps menu. There may be some apps that you cannot uninstall, then you can disable them, and they will no longer appear in the app drawer.
Once your phone is up and running, go to the “Apps” menu in Settings and find all the apps you’ve installed. You won’t be able to delete them, but you can turn them off and delete new ones to free up more space. After you disable an app, it will no longer appear in the app folder.
Check For Updates
A new OS update may be available on your new phone. Sometimes it will be small fixes or enhancements, and sometimes next big update with a completely new version of android be available. You’ll see the update in your notification tray and be prompted to install it. If you don’t get notified about it, you can always check for an update in About Phone.
Secure Your New Android Phone
Next important thing is to secure your phone. Your phone stores a lot of important information, like banking apps, personal photos and videos, and social media. It is necessary to protect your information by taking strong security measures. Most Android devices offer PIN, pattern, and face lock, and if your device supports fingerprint unlock, you’ll see that as well in security options.
Monitor Your Data
If you don’t have unlimited data, then turn on the data limit. You can set your daily and monthly data limit. Once you hit your limit, you’ll be notified and mobile data will be turned off. Setting up a mobile data limit is easy. Go to your device settings and search for “data usage”. Some Android phones have a separate app called “Phone Manager or Security” that lets you manage your data. You can also restrict individual apps from using data.
These are a few quick things you can do to get started on your new phone.