Buying a new iPhone is always exciting, especially when it’s your first. If you’re coming from another smartphone, there are some cool tricks you should learn to get the most out of your iPhone, but you should also be aware of some common mistakes among first-time iPhone users so you don’t repeat them.
So before you head over to the App Store to try out some cool apps and games, read this list and learn what not to do with your new iPhone.
Mistake 1: Manually closing apps too often
While Android has a multitasking system that can keep apps running in the background, which can affect battery life and performance, iOS manages multitasking differently. In order to save more battery and also free up hardware resources for other tasks, iOS limits what apps can run in the background. This means that when you switch away to another app, the iPhone saves the state of the previous app and freezes it until you switch back to it.
In other words, apps in the background have a very low battery consumption, so you don’t need to manually close them. Unless an app isn’t working properly and needs to be restarted, you can leave your multitasking carousel filled with apps. In fact, closing and reopening apps all the time can end up draining more battery, as iOS has to reload the entire app each time it opens.
Those app screens might be tempting to swipe away, but don’t do it.
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Mistake 2: Not setting up iCloud properly
If you’re a first-time iPhone user, you may not be familiar with the benefits of using iCloud. Anyone can use iCloud for free, but it’s more than just an Apple email address. Apple’s cloud service lets you not only store files, but also synchronize data between other devices, back up your files, and much more.
For example, you can enable iCloud Photos to back up your entire photo library, so that your photos and videos taken with your iPhone are automatically uploaded to the cloud. You can also sign in to iCloud on another Apple device or even on a Windows PC to access your iCloud data. To check which iCloud features you have enabled on your phone, go to the Settings app and tap on your name at the top of the screen. That will take you to the iCloud menu, where you can manage all your settings.
Most importantly, iCloud will automatically back up all the data on your iPhone every day. Just make sure that iCloud Backup is enabled in the iCloud settings. If something happens to your phone, you won’t have to worry about losing anything—all of your contacts, messages, photos, and apps will be saved in iCloud and you can restore to the exact state it was, Safari tabs and all.
It’s worth noting that Apple only provides 5GB of iCloud storage for free, which may not be enough for most people. You can pay for extra iCloud storage separately.
Mistake 3: Not using Find My
Apple’s Find My app is one of its best features, letting you track Apple devices or anything attached to an AirTag in case you leave them behind, even when they’re offline. More than that, you can also lock down a lost or stolen device so no one can use it.
It’s simple to set up—all you need is your Apple ID. To enable Find My for your iPhone, go to the Settings app, tap on the Apple Account section (at the top of the screen with your name), and look for the Find My menu. Make sure you enable Find My iPhone, Find My Network, and Send Last Location.
Another great feature of the app is the Find My Friends feature, which lets you share your location with friends and family who own an Apple device (and vice versa) so you can keep track of each other’s whereabouts. It’s an invaluable feature for parents of school-aged teens, and in true Apple fashion, it’s as simple as switching off a toggle if you change your mind about sharing your location.
Find My is a fantastic way to keep track of your stuff—but many new iPhone users don’t know it’s there.
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Mistake 4: Skipping software updates
Although some users may be too busy, wary or just lazy about installing software updates, it is extremely important to keep your iPhone’s software up to date. New versions of iOS often come with bug fixes and security patches. For example, iOS 18.4.1, released earlier this month, fixes an exploit that could lead to malicious code being executed without the user knowing.
Some iOS updates also bring new features to your iPhone. With iOS 18.4, Apple has expanded Apple Intelligence features to more languages and added new emojis. And depending on when you buy your iPhone, there may be an important one waiting to be installed right out of the box. They’re all important and shouldn’t be skipped.
To make sure your iPhone is running the latest version of iOS, go to Settings > General > Software Update. Installing an iOS update can take several minutes or much longer, depending on your internet connection, so we recommend doing it overnight so they don’t slow you down.
Mistake 5: Ignoring Privacy and Location settings
If youre buying your first new iPhone, there’s a good chance one of the main reasons why you switched is because of Apple’s stance on privacy. But just because you’re using an iPhone doesn’t mean it’s as locked down as it coiuld be. However, Apple puts a lot of effort into its privacy permissions features as long as you know where to look for them.
For that, go to Settings > Privacy & Security, and you’ll find a slew of options. For instance, you can choose whether an app has access to things like the camera, microphone, and your location. You can disable tracking for individual apps or everything you do. And you can also turn on Stolen Device Protetion and LockDown Mode, which offers extreme protection against cyberattacks.
A couple of recommendations. You should turn on “While Using the App” for Location Access so an app can’t track your whereabouts when you’re not using it. We also like to limit the access apps have to our contacts and photos. But the most important Privacy setting is Precision Location. This is an option for specific apps so they have access to pinpoint your specific location. It might take a while to get through them all, but it’s best to turn this off for any app that doesn’t obviously need it. (You can do that by tapping on an app in the Location Services tab and turning off the Precise Location toggle.)
iPhones have greater privacy protections than other phones, but only if you use them properly.
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Mistake 6: Setting a weak password
All the latest iPhones have Face ID, which uses sensors to identify you user and automatically unlock the phone. It’s incredibly secure—even more than a fingerprint sensor—but there are still times when you’ll need a passcode—like when Face ID fails to recognize you in a dark room or when you restart your phone. A passcode like “1111” or “9876” might be easy to remember, but it could cause major headaches down the line.
For example, if you lose your iPhone, someone might be able to guess your passcode if it’s easy enough. Or someone could watch you input your password and snatch your phone. Once they get in, they can try to change your Apple ID password and gain access to your personal accounts, and make a real mess of your life. That’s why it’s important to set a strong passcode that can’t be easily guessed.
We recommend changing to a password with at least six digits or, even better, an alphanumeric password.
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