Most of the time, doing so is a straightforward process. Sometimes, however, you might run into a couple of issues. In this article, you’ll find out how to activate your iPhone.
We’ll also give you some solutions if you run into any related challenges.
How to Activate an iPhone If You’re New to Apple
To activate your iPhone, you’ll first need to switch it on. Once you’ve done that, follow the steps listed below.
Following on from the Hello screen, choose Set Up Manually if this is your first iPhone. The next page will prompt you to activate your device. Either pick a Wi-Fi network or select Use Cellular Connection to use your phone’s internet. If you choose the latter, you’ll need to insert a SIM card. After connecting to the internet, the following steps for activating your iPhone will require you to set up Face or Touch ID. You’ll also need to sign in with or create an Apple ID and set up various other apps.
You can create a new Apple ID account on any device, and the process is straightforward regardless of where you do this.
How to Activate a New iPhone If You’ve Used Apple Before
If you’re already an Apple customer, the process is a little more streamlined. Instead of following the steps above, you can automatically transfer over the content from your old phone and your new iPhone will activate in the process.
After turning on your device and picking your spoken language, hold your older iPhone or iPad next to your new device. Then, follow the instructions we’ve listed beneath this paragraph.
If the Apple ID that shows up on the screen is correct, press Continue. Authenticate your phone, either manually or automatically. Enter the passcode on your existing iPhone or iPad before setting up your Face ID or Touch ID. Type in your Apple ID password and choose whether you’d like to transfer data from another device, a backup on your computer, or your iCloud account.
What Problems Might You Run Into When Activating Your iPhone?
While you shouldn’t have any issues activating an iPhone, the process doesn’t always go to plan. To help you prepare for the worst, we’ve put together the most common problems you might run into during activation.
1. SIM Card Not Inserted Correctly
If you choose to complete the sign-up process on your iPhone using cellular data, you need to insert your SIM card correctly.
Take the SIM card out and put it back in if it wasn’t working before; try turning it around if you suspect that you put the card in the wrong way round.
You should also check to make sure you’ve activated your SIM card. If problems persist, try using Wi-Fi instead or call your network provider.
2. Wi-Fi Not Working
When activating your iPhone, you might also find that the Wi-Fi won’t connect. If this is because of an incorrect password, make sure that you’ve put everything in correctly. If the password is right, turn your router on and off again.
If it still doesn’t connect, try going closer to the router or contacting your internet service provider.
3. Forgetting Apple ID or Password
One of the most common barriers to activating a new iPhone is forgetting your Apple ID or password. Fortunately, this is easy to fix.
When asked to sign in with your Apple ID, tap the button titled Forgot password or don’t have an Apple ID?. After this, you’ll need to follow the next steps to recover your account and set a new password.
4. Information Not Transferring
If your apps, contacts, and so on aren’t transferring to your new iPhone, you can try activating your device from your computer.
To do this:
Plug your iPhone into your computer; make sure that your Mac has the latest version of macOS, or your iTunes is up-to-date if you’re activating from a Windows device. If your computer activates your phone, which it should do after finding it, you’ll see two options: Set up as New and Restore from Backup. Pick whichever option works best for you.
Activating Your iPhone Should Be Easy, But It Is Sometimes Complicated
So, there we go. Now you know how to activate an iPhone, regardless of whether you’re a seasoned Apple user or a newbie.
Activating your new device shouldn’t take long, and more often than not, you won’t need to use any of the additional tips we’ve listed. But if that isn’t the case, you know what your backup options are.
