Hey there, what a lovely new iPhone you have! Whichever one of the many iPhones in Apple's lineup you snagged, the setup experience is nearly identical. Here’s how to set up a new iPhone properly to ensure a three- to five-year lifetime, give or take, of happiness. (Or just one, if you’re an annual upgrader.) Things always go more smoothly when you're prepared, so make sure you have the following ready for the easiest possible setup:
Your old phone (not essential, but it's smart to have it handy)
(not essential, but it's smart to have it handy) Your SIM card (not required for eSIM activation)
(not required for eSIM activation) Your Wi-Fi details
Your Apple account details (you must have an Apple account to use an iPhone)
After you set up your device, check out our guides on cases—the Best iPhone 16 Cases, Best iPhone 15 Cases, Best iPhone 14 Cases, and Best iPhone 13 Cases—to protect your handset, and see our Best MagSafe Accessories guide to kit it out.
Updated September 2025: We've updated this guide to reflect iOS 26 and the iPhone 17 range.
First, Back Up Your Old Phone
1 / 3 Chevron Chevron Screenshot courtesy of Simon Hill
Start by backing up your old phone. If it's an iPhone, this will make copying over your data easier. The simplest method is to back up to iCloud by going to Settings, scrolling down to iCloud, iCloud Backup, and then tapping Back Up Now. You can find alternative methods and more details in our guide on how to back up your iPhone. We also have a guide on how to back up your Android phone for folks switching from Android.
You can take advantage of Apple's Quick Start feature for switching iPhones simply by enabling Bluetooth on your old iPhone and having it nearby when you turn the new one on. We have a guide on how to switch iPhones that goes into more depth and offers some alternative methods, but we also go into it below.
Setting Up Your New iPhone
Photograph: Simon Hill
Use the little metal SIM card tool to open your phone and stick your SIM card into your new iPhone. Skip this step if you are using an eSIM—iPhones in the US have been eSIM-only for several years, and more global iPhone models are ditching the physical SIM card.