Beginners Guide: How to set up and get started with your new iPad
- dec
- 25
Welcome to your new iPad! Here's how to set it up and get started with it!
Whether you just got the new, lower-priced 9.7-inch iPad (5th Generation) or one of the bigger and more powerful iPads Pro, the first thing you want to do is get it set up so you can get started using it!
That includes going through the initial "Hello!" set up, adding any additional accounts you might have like Google or Microsoft, making sure iMessage and FaceTime are up and running so you can connect to your friends and family, Siri and Touch ID are working so everything is as convenient as possible, your apps and games are downloaded so you can get you social and your gaming — and your social gaming! — on.
If this is your first time, and all of that sounds like a bunch of technobabble, don't worry. We'll walk you through all of it and get you up and enjoying your new iPad in no time!
Even if you've never owned an iPad — or iPhone! — before, don't worry. Apple's made it really easy to get started, and we're here to walk you through all of it!
- How to set up your new iPad
- How to transfer data from your old iPad to your new iPad
- How to set up mail, contacts, and calendars on iPad
- Ultimate guide to using iMessage for iPad
- Ultimate guide to using FaceTime on your iPad
- Ultimate guide to using Camera on iPad
- Ultimate guide to using Notes for iPad
- How to download apps and games onto your new iPad
How to set up and transfer data to your new iPad
The minute you turn on your new iPad, you'll see a screen that says "Hello" in many different languages. That's your own, personal setup buddy, and it's here to help you make sure everything is configured and working just exactly the way you want!
How to add iCloud, Google, Microsoft, and other accounts to your new iPad
Whether you use Apple's iCloud, Google's Gmail, Microsoft's Outlook or Exchange, or something else, it's easy to set up all your mail, contacts, and calendar accounts to sync to your iPad. You can enable iCloud when you first set up your new iPad, or enable any service at any time in Settings. Here's how!
How to use iMessage on your new iPad
iMessage is Apple's built-in instant messaging (IM) service. It lets you send text, picture, video, sound, and location quickly and easily to anyone else using iMessage on iPad, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch. It makes for an incredibly powerful, unified experience, and is a great way to connect to anyone and everyone in your life.
If you sign in with iCloud when you set up your iPad, you should be set up with iMessage as well. If not, you can set it up and sign in at any time, and there are a whole lot of really cool features you can start using right away.
How to make FaceTime video and audio calls on your new iPad
FaceTime is Apple's video and audio calling service, and it's even bigger and more lifelike on iPad. Think of it as a phone that uses your Wi-Fi or cellular data connection instead of traditional phone lines. You can use it from any iPad, iPad, iPod touch or Mac, to call anyone else using any one of those devices.
That's what makes FaceTime perfect for seeing and hearing family when you're on the road, keeping grandparents connected to grandkids, making international calls when you have no long-distance plan, getting a second opinion on that jacket while you're out shopping, and much, much more.
How to use the Camera on your new iPad
While not everyone has embraced iPad photography — yet! — it remains the best camera many people have with them. Maybe even you! With it, you can capture those magic moments with your family and friends, at work or at play, at home or on vacation, in your backyard or atop a mountain halfway around the world. From front- to rear-facing, still photos regular, square, or panoramic, to video and slow motion video, with built in high dynamic range (HDR), burst mode, filters, and more, the Camera app has a ton of functionality and options.
How to use Notes on your new iPad
With the new Notes app for iPad, you can not only type whatever you like, but can add hand-drawn sketches as well, so your visual ideas get saved right alongside your text. You can format with common styles, use bulleted or numbered lists, and even create checklists to keep track of items right inside your note. In addition to photos, you can now embed video, audio, locations, web links, and documents so you can collect everything you want to keep together all in one place.
With Apple Pencil on iPad Pro, it's also a great way to sketch out hand-written notes, diagrams, drawings, and more!
How to download apps and games onto your new iPad
Getting your first iPad is just the beginning. Thousands of developers have made over a million apps and games that can totally transform the device your holding in your hands. With each new app it can become your constant Facebook friend, your gateway to Snapchat, a tool to learn new languages, a way to brush up on math or science, your ticket to car services, a personal scanner, a way to edit documents on the go and, of course, an incredible portable gaming console. All you need to do is get started!
Need more help with your new iPad?
All of this only scratches the surface of what you can do with your new iPad. We have plenty more help and how-to articles for you, and we have the iPad forums where you can go to ask questions and get help from our community of experts.
Seriously, if you need anything at all, just ask!
