congratulation ! You ’re now the majestic owner of a newiPhone 12 mini , iPhone 12,iPhone 12 Pro , oriPhone 12 Pro Max . You in all probability want to dive right into the telephone set the mo you get the boxful in your hands , but seek to contain your excitation and do a picayune prep first !
We have a little frame-up advice you ’re croak to desire to give tending to . for sure , it seems like an unneeded retarding force , but this clobber is going to really save you a batch of time and thwarting afterwards .
While you wait for backups and update , check out ourguide to iOS 14to get up to speed with the in vogue iPhone operating system .
In macOS Catalina, you can access your iPhone through the Finder.
Updated 03/17/21 : Added tie to all our iPhone 12 reviews , as well as our iOS 14 guide .
1. Back up and restore
That ’s right-hand , you ’re going to desire to back up your old iPhoneafteryou have your newfangled iPhone 12 in hand , so the backup is as up - to - escort as it can maybe be . you’re able to back up via iCloud , in iTunes , or in the Finder .
For a Mac backup ( macOS Catalina):Connect your old iPhone to your Mac , open a new Finder window , and select your iPhone in the left column in the Locations section . You ’ll see a window that looks like the iPhone management windowpane that used to be in iTunes . In the Backups section , choose , Back up all of the data on your iPhone to this Mac . CheckingEncrypt local backupis a good idea , so your account countersign and Health data gets indorse up too — just prefer a password you wo n’t forget . Click the button toBack up now .
In macOS Catalina , you may access your iPhone through the Finder .
In macOS Catalina, you can access your iPhone through the Finder.
When the backup is done , connect your novel iPhone 12 , then separate your Mac you require to restore from the backup you just made . Later , you’re able to switch back to iCloud backup if you favor , inSettings > iCloud > Backup . But it never hurts to run a backup on your own Mac every now and then .
For a Mac backup ( macOS Mojave or older):The backup process is standardized to that identify above for Catalina , but instead , you utilize the iTunes app . After you back up your old iPhone , connect your new one . iTunes will take you through the step for set up .
practice iTunes if you ’re using a Mac with an operating system of rules older than macOS Catalina .
Use iTunes if you’re using a Mac with an operating system older than macOS Catalina.
For an iCloud relief : No need to connect your old iPhone to your Mac . Just found scope and tap on your Apple ID visibility list at the top , then go toiCloud > iCloud Backupand selectBack up now .
When setting up your new iPhone 12 , you may restore your iPhone from this musical accompaniment once you ’ve log into your raw twist with your Apple ID .
If you come about to be come from an Android phone ( hey , welcome to the garden ! ) , there ’s an AndroidMove to iOS appthat can aid you with puzzle all of your your Google news report data point in Mail , Calendars , and Contacts , moving your television camera roll over , even transferring your Chrome bookmarks to Safari .
Quick Start
2. Update your old iPhone, then use Quick Start
Io has a feature film called Quick Start . It ’s practically magic . You just hold in your newfangled phone next to your old sound , and a small card down up take if you want to transfer all your stuff to the Modern twist . You ’ll then point your old sound ’s photographic camera at your new phone ( which displays a swarm of little loony toons ) and enter your old phone ’s 6 - digit passcode .
Quick Start
You ’ll go through the ease of the frame-up process , like enabling Face ID , and then your earphone will be ready to go , correct up just like your old iPhone . It ’ll even prompt you to upgrade your old iPhone ’s computer backup if it has n’t been backed up in awhile .
Setting up Face ID is a lot faster than Touch ID.
Setting up your telephone set this style transfers over most of your circumstance , the organisation of your dwelling house cover , and more . It ’s ahugetime saver . But it require iOS 11 or new , so if for some reason you ’ve move years without updating your iPhone to at leastiOS 11(or to the current edition , iOS14 ) for some reasonableness , you might want to update mightily away . You do n’t desire to have to wait through a big update process once you have your iPhone 12 in hand .
After you finish setting up your phone this way of life , you ’ll want to give it a small while to re - download all your apps . ab initio , your phone will show placeholders for your apps , all arranged and stuffed into folders exactly as on your previous iPhone . But your novel telephone set has to actually re - download apps , because every clip you download an app from the App Store , your phone actually grab a singular variation specifically optimize for that iPhone mannequin . But your substance abuser data and place setting get transferred over , and that ’s the of import part .
As fast and easy as this is , we still urge endorse up your earpiece as described in telephone number 1 above . If anything goes really faulty during your apparatus process , you ’ll be glad you did !
3. Set up Face ID and Apple Pay
Yes , you should useFace IDfor maximal security — it ’s the quickest way to unlock your iPhone 12 , and will make it less painful to use a complicated passcode , since you do n’t have to typewrite it in every time . Setting up cheek ID is much faster than Touch ID , too — the apparatus screenland will prompt you and ask you to tardily look around in a lap a span times . It ’s a lot quicker than tapping the dwelling button dozens of clock time to register a fingermark .
Setting up Face ID is a lot faster than Touch ID .
Worried about your privacy with Face ID ? Do n’t be . No picture of your typeface nor any other biometric data ever get out your phone — Apple does n’t getanyof that . And it is n’t approachable by other apps , just as other apps were n’t able to access your fingerprints with Touch ID . you could learn all about it in ourFace ID FAQ .
If the iPhone 12 is your first TrueDepth camera-enabled iPhone, it’s time to make your Memoji!
Since you necessitate to have Face ID enabled for use Apple Pay , this would be a unspoilt clip to jump into Apple ’s Wallet app to coif that up . If you ’re new to Apple Pay , just follow the program line within Wallet to lend a credit card or two . If you already had Apple Pay on your older iPhone , you ’ll mark that your credit cards have disappeared on your new iPhone . Why ? For your security , of course . Your Wallet history will still be there , but you ’ll have to re - enter any payment card game you ’d like to utilize with Apple Pay . ( For more on Apple Pay , check out ourcomplete templet . )
4. Update your apps
Great , now you should be on your dwelling house screen door on your fresh iPhone , at last . Hit up the App Store first — you’ll need the a la mode reading of all of your apps . To check for app update , establish the App Store app , then tap your account ikon in the upper right . You ’ll find an update section beneath all your account info , and you may get the update here . If you used Quick Setup , most of your apps should be up to particular date already , so this will be , er , quick .
Do n’t leave you’re able to have your apps auto - update by flip-flop the Updates change over inSettings > App Store > App Updates . Or , you could manually refresh your apps and just check out the “ What ’s New ” release notes to see what changed .
5. Pair your Apple Watch
If you use an Apple Watch ( or mayhap you just bought a brand newApple Watchto go with your new phone ) you ’ll need to pair it to your new iPhone to keep the Activity data course to your Health database , and keep your new phone ’s notification flow to your picket . First you have to unpair your watch from your previous iPhone , either in the Apple Watch app on your old iPhone ( knock your ticker , then the “ i ” icon , thenUnpair Apple Watch , then enter your iCloud password when prompted ) , or on the watch itself ( preferences > General > Reset ) .
Then , launch the Watch app on your new iPhone 12 , which will walk you through the pairing process including set a passcode , unlocking conduct , and Apple Pay .
If your Apple Watch is n’t already running watchOS 7 , you ’ll need to update it . To upgrade , your Apple Watch require to be connected to its courser , in range of your iPhone , and at least 50 percent charge . Then appear for the Software Update option in the iPhone Watch app . Updating your Apple Watch can be a dim process , so it ’s a respectable mind to get started early .
Your Medical ID info is accessible from the lock screen.
6. Learn the new gestures and commands
As you may have noticed , your iPhone 12 has no home clitoris . Where the base push button used to be , you now have an redundant half - column inch or so of splendid OLED video display !
If you ’re occur from an iPhone X , XS , or 11 , it will be totally familiar , of line . But if you ’re upgrade from an older iPhone or an iPhone SE , you ’ve get some new gestures to learn .
Here are a few basic commands you ’ll call for to re - get word now that your iPhone is “ domicile gratuitous . ”
The iPhone User Guide is an awesome web resource, but you can also download the whole thing in the Books app for free.
give back Home : Just sneak up from the bottom of the screen . slowly !
Jump between apps : Swipe left or flop along the bottom bound of the phone to jump back and forth between apps . you’re able to sort of “ flick ” from the bottom corners , moving your finger’s breadth up and over , to “ bounce ” between the apps , or just slide directly side - to - side along the bottom boundary .
App whipper : abstract up from the bottom edge and pause for a moment with your digit still on the video display . App posting will apace pour down up , and you could lift your fingerbreadth off and swipe around through them .
fold an app : If you want to toss off an app from the app switcher , simply swipe up on it .
Take a screenshot : Simply press the side clitoris and the volume up button at the same time .
There are spate of other newfangled statement and gesture to learn . You ’re in fortune : We have a usher for that !
7. Charge it up, quick!
There ’s a ground your new iPhone 12 has that shiny Methedrine back , and that ’s not because it ’s a throwback to the iPhone 4 . No , that trash back is for wireless charging support . To use this feature , you ’ll need a compatible wireless charge pad that utilizes the Qi criterion ( we ’ve test a bunch , andhere are some of our favorites ) . If you have one of those set around , all you have to do is set your iPhone onto the lodgings and look out it start to power up . Say so long to the jumble of Lightning cables on your bedside mesa !
With iPhone 12 , Apple has inclose a new characteristic called MagSafe . It ’s a young magnetically - attached charging puck that is standardized to other Qi radio courser , only with good magnetic conjunction . The precise alinement and unexampled internal circuitry allows Apple to ramp up the charging speed all the way to 15 watt — doubly as fast as it can go with even Qi battery charger and closely as flying as a Lightning transmission line .
Of course , you could charge your iPhone 12 via Lightning if you desire to . In fact , this is still the fastest way to consign your telephone , provide you employ the correct power transcriber and cable . The iPhone 12 fend for immobile charging using the USB - C Power Delivery ( USB - PD ) criterion . Anything over 15 watts will agitate your iPhone quite rapidly .
8. Make your Memoji
Animoji are cool , but Memoji takes them to the next grade . If you ’re upgrade from an iPhone X or iPhone 11 , you may have already created a Memoji . If the iPhone 12 is your first iPhone with a the TrueDepth front camera system , it ’s your first opportunity to build your cartoon avatar .
If the iPhone 12 is your first TrueDepth camera - enable iPhone , it ’s meter to make your Memoji !
Start by open up the Messages app , and then stating a new content or open up an existing thread . tapdance the Animoji ikon along the bottom , and then the + house at the source of the Animoji list .
We have a measure - by - step Memoji guide to walk you through the process .
9. Set up your Medical ID
Have you ever go under up Medical ID on your iPhone before ? If not , this is a potentially liveliness - save feature you should credibly not leave out .
Your Medical ID info is accessible from the lock screen .
We have a quick and easy guide to set up your Medical ID info , which emergency respondent can get at even while your phone is lock .
10. Check out Apple’s User Guide
Did you bed Apple maintains a very elaborated ( hundreds of pageboy ! ) user guidebook that tells you everything you demand to bang about your iPhone 12 computer hardware and the latest rendering of iOS ?
The iPhone User Guide is an awesome web imagination , but you may also download the whole matter in the Books app for gratuitous .
You canaccess the iPhone User Guide on the entanglement , either browsing or search for what you want to do it . It ’s a ripe site to bookmark . You may rather need to download thefree iBook versionin the Books app . When you need help , you may not be in a place where you have easy internet access .
Even if you ’ve been using iPhones for years , you ’re sure to witness some new fast one of feature in Apple ’s official template . pasture around in it is a expectant way to memorize more about what your newfangled iPhone 12 can do .
