6 issues I at all times do when organising a brand new cellphone

I arrange a brand new cellphone pretty typically — whether or not it’s shifting to a brand new day by day driver or secondary cellphone, or organising one of many new greatest Android telephones to evaluation. Since I’m a creature of behavior, I like to make sure that switching gadgets isn’t too jarring, so I’ve created a little bit of a routine relating to organising a brand new machine.

Whereas I’ll tweak my strategy relying on whether or not I plan to make use of the cellphone as my new day by day driver or as a secondary machine (corresponding to a digicam smartphone), these are the important steps I take with each cellphone.

Many Android producers provide a cellphone clone utility that copies the info instantly out of your earlier machine. Nonetheless, I choose utilizing my Google account to revive a backup from my foremost machine for quite a lot of causes. Firstly, the cloning utilities on smartphones typically require the brand new and outdated cellphone to be linked or close to one another for a while. Because of this I typically really feel like I can’t use both cellphone in the course of the switch, which cuts me off from issues like my chats and notifications. A minor situation, however nonetheless.

Secondly, when restoring apps from my authentic cellphone, I’m able to choose which of them to put in. It is a nice characteristic, since I typically accrue apps that I check for work that I don’t essentially use anymore however overlook to uninstall.

Moreover, restoring a backup from a Google account consists of most of the useful options of cloning your cellphone, corresponding to copying over SMS messages, contacts, machine settings, and name historical past. And since I exploit Google Password Supervisor, syncing my Google account with the brand new cellphone additionally provides me entry to the login particulars I exploit for varied apps. Nonetheless, I’ve discovered that my mileage could differ relying on which producers I’m switching between. In circumstances the place my login particulars haven’t transferred, I exploit the Chrome app to entry the password supervisor.

There was a time that Android skins felt very related, however over time I’ve observed extra fragmentation relating to the default person interface (UI). So at any time when I arrange a brand new smartphone, I be sure to regulate the UI’s settings to my ideally suited setup.

This consists of three-button navigation, everlasting darkish mode, switching to Eye Consolation mode, selecting an app drawer for my residence display if it’s not on by default, and switching my management panel shortcuts to these I exploit probably the most. Many of the adjustments I make are to stop my smartphone from triggering my migraines, however a few of them are additionally on account of habits I’ve constructed up after over a decade of utilizing Android telephones.

A latest annoyance I’ve discovered with some Android cellphone manufacturers is the try to modify customers to a cut up notification panel by default. On some Android skins, there’s no method to change again to a mixed notification and management panel, which actually frustrates me. However when the choice is there, I change to the mixed view. For instance, once I just lately arrange the Samsung Galaxy S25 Extremely, I switched again to the mixed notification view in One UI 7.

Regardless that I’ve tried to maneuver away from Google Pictures by self-hosting Immich as a substitute, I nonetheless haven’t made the transition totally. That is partially on account of how Google Pictures incorporates into my workflow, since I typically take photographs on my cellphone after which entry them by the net to obtain and add them to a submit I’m engaged on, for instance.

So, at the very least for now, Google Pictures stays a necessary utility for me. I again up photographs throughout all my gadgets, even when I’m simply utilizing the cellphone for a two-week evaluation interval — particularly since I typically use evaluation gadgets to take photos of scenic areas and my pets. This additionally implies that the photographs I take with these gadgets are added to my Reminiscences, which is certainly one of my favourite Google Pictures options.

When you’ve used Android, you’ll be very conversant in bloatware — the non-essential, pre-installed apps that OEMs embody on their gadgets. I discover that this step is especially wanted relating to mid-range and finances smartphones, which are likely to pack in much more bloat.

Typically these apps are OEM instruments that I by no means use on account of preferring cross-platform apps as a substitute. However I’ve additionally discovered loads of social media apps, video games, and workplace software program come pre-installed on gadgets whether or not you employ them or not.

The place doable, I uninstall any app or recreation that I don’t use. After all, some bloatware can’t be uninstalled. On this case, I attempt to see if I can archive or disable the app in order that I don’t obtain prompts to make use of it as a substitute of my most popular software program.

To guarantee that I begin receiving vital notifications on my new machine, I signal into my most-used apps as quickly as doable. These are often my Gmail, Asana, and Slack accounts. Nonetheless, if the cellphone is my new day by day driver, I be sure to log into WhatsApp and restore my chat backup.

If an app isn’t integral to getting work notifications or communications from my contacts, I’ll take my time signing into it once I really use it. For instance, I don’t rush relating to signing into my social media apps, particularly since I am going weeks with out utilizing some platforms.

However lacking a Slack notification or an vital e mail to my secondary Gmail account (which is totally different to my backup account) implies that I might miss vital details about work or assignments. So I be sure to signal into these as quickly as doable.

Whereas two-factor authentication (2FA) undoubtedly has its advantages, I at all times fear about switching gadgets and now not getting access to my authenticator app. Whereas I initially solely used Microsoft Authenticator for my Microsoft account, over time, I started including another apps and web sites to the software.

However I quickly realized that the app doesn’t routinely sync with the linked Microsoft account, which means the totally different built-in companies don’t transfer over whenever you sign up on a brand new machine. I ultimately found out that I first wanted to create a backup on my outdated machine, then restore that account backup on the brand new machine.

Now, at any time when I arrange a brand new smartphone, I be sure to revive the account backup in order that I can entry my linked companies. When you use a 2FA or multi-factor authentication (MFA) app, ensure you switch your credentials so that you simply don’t lose entry.

I’m typically juggling multiple smartphone at a time, however I be sure to comply with sure steps when setting them up. This makes switching between gadgets simpler for me, whereas additionally offering me with the very best expertise once I change my foremost machine. Too many instances I’ve been caught out by not having the suitable settings or knowledge on the smartphone I’m utilizing, which may grow to be a problem when my different gadgets aren’t round.

Most individuals solely have one smartphone to cope with, however these steps are useful no matter what number of gadgets you’re utilizing. Simply be sure to manufacturing unit reset your outdated cellphone should you plan to promote it or give it away, when you’re sure you could have all the required data you want from it.