Activating Your iPhone in a Few Simple Steps
Figuring out how to activate your brand new iPhone can be a bit of a challenge. To help relieve some of the stress of activating your device, here are some simple steps to go through.
Start Activation with iTunes
The first step in activation is to set up your iPhone using iTunes. Here’s how to do it:
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Connect your iPhone to your computer using the provided USB or Lightning cable.
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Once your device is connected, iTunes will launch automatically, or you can launch it yourself.
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When you open iTunes, you’ll see a welcome message for your device.
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Click the “Continue” button in the welcome message to begin the setup process.
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On the next screen, you’ll be asked to enter your Apple ID and password to sign in to your iTunes account.
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Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the activation of your device.
Activate the iPhone with the Carrier
The second step in the activation process is to set up your phone with your wireless carrier. This can be done in several ways, depending on your carrier. Here’s how to complete activation with a few of the major carriers:
AT&T
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Launch the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
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Select “Carrier” from the list of options and tap on the “AT&T” tab.
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Tap the “Install Profile” button and then select “Install” when the confirmation dialog appears.
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Enter your AT&T user ID and password when prompted to activate your device.
Sprint
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Launch the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
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Select “Carrier” from the list of options and tap on the “Sprint” tab.
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Tap the “Activate” button and then select “Continue” when the confirmation dialog appears.
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Enter your Sprint user ID and password when prompted to activate your device.
Verizon
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Launch the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
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Select “Carrier” from the list of options and tap on the “Verizon” tab.
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Tap the “Activate” button and then select “Continue” when the confirmation dialog appears.
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Enter your Verizon user ID and password when prompted to activate your device.
T-Mobile
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Launch the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
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Select “Carrier” from the list of options and tap on the “T-Mobile” tab.
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Tap the “Activate” button and then select “Continue” when the confirmation dialog appears.
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Enter your T-Mobile user ID and password when prompted to activate your device.
Activate iCloud
The third step in the activation process is to set up your iCloud account. iCloud stores your photos, videos, documents, contacts, calendar info, and other data in the cloud. This allows you to access your data from any device with an internet connection.
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Launch the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
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Select “iCloud” from the list of settings.
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Tap the “Sign In with Apple ID” button.
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Enter your Apple ID and password when prompted.
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If prompted, select the data types that you wish to sync with iCloud.
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On the next screen, select the “Merge” or “Don’t Merge” option for your contacts and calendars.
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When prompted, enter a four-digit security code to protect your iCloud account.
What to Do After Activating Your iPhone
After going through the steps to activate your iPhone, here are a few things you can do with your newly setup device:
Explore the App Store
The Apple App Store has tens of millions of apps, games, and other pieces of software for you to explore. Have fun discovering the all the different items available, and don’t forget to check out the free items, too!
Personalize Your Home Screen
Your iPhone home screen is where you can place all of your favorite apps, shortcuts, and widgets. To customize your home screen, simply press and hold on any app icon, and then move it around wherever you want it to be.
Set Up Your ID for iTunes & App Store
Your Apple ID is your one-stop shop for purchasing apps and media from the App Store, iTunes Store, and iBooks Store. To set up your Apple ID, go to the “Settings” app and select “iTunes & App Stores.”
Set Up Apple Music
Apple Music allows you to listen to millions of songs from the iTunes Store, as well as your own music library. To set up Apple Music, launch the “Settings” app and select “Music.” Tap “Sign In to Apple Music” to connect your account.
Activate and Set Up Your Voicemail
Voicemail is an invaluable tool for managing your incoming calls when you’re not available to answer. To set up your voicemail, open the “Phone” app and then select “Voicemail.” Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the setup process.
Create Contacts & Sync to iCloud
Your contacts are the lifeblood of your iPhone, so it’s important to keep them accurate and up-to-date. You can do this by creating contacts in the “Contacts” app, and then syncing them with your iCloud account (if you set it up). This allows your contacts to be synced across all of your Apple devices.
Set Up FaceTime
FaceTime allows you to make free voice and video calls to anyone with an Apple device. Setting up FaceTime is easy, simply open the “Settings” app, select “FaceTime,” and then enter your Apple ID.
Now that your new iPhone is activated, you can start to enjoy all the perks of owning an Apple device. With all the features available, your device is almost limitless in terms of what it can do for you. If you ever have any questions or need help with something, don’t forget that Apple has a great customer service team to assist you.