So, you decided to go all out and fork over the dough for a shiny, new Apple iPhone 15. Now what? It’s time to set up that device. If you watch the show And Just Like That… you might have laughed at the Season 2 scene when Charlotte and Harry frustratingly tried to figure out how to set up her new iPhone without their kids’ help (she tossed her old one into a pitcher of margaritas in anger). It’s actually not that difficult. Setting up an iPhone 15 involves the same process as setting up any iPhone. Here’s a rundown of what to do.

How to set up iPhone 15

1. After charging the device to full battery (if it isn’t already charged), turn it on by pressing and holding the side button until you see the Apple logo appear. You’ll see the word “hello” in cursive in English followed by other languages. Swipe up to open the device.
2. You will be presented with two options: Quick Start or Set Up Manually. Use Quick Start if you already have an iPhone and you’re upgrading. If this is your first phone, you’ll want to choose Set Up Manually.
3. Connect the phone to your Wi-Fi network (or a cellular network) to continue setup.
4. Set up Face ID (you can skip this step if desired, but it’s recommended for security and ease of use).
5. Choose and enter a six-digit passcode. Make sure it’s secure (not your birthday, for example, or another easily guessed number) and keep it logged in memory. If necessary, write it down somewhere to prevent yourself from being locked out of the device if you forget. You can select Passcode Options to use a four-digit code instead, set a custom passcode, or bypass the passcode altogether (it’s recommended to set one up for security and privacy purposes).
6. Now, choose the way you want to transfer apps and data to the phone. You can restore from iCloud backup, Mac or PC, transfer directly from iPhone, move data from Android (if you’re switching from that OS), or choose not to transfer apps and data at all.
7. Next, sign in with your Apple ID using your e-mail address and password. If you don’t have one, choose Forgot password? or Don’t have an Apple ID? and set one up. If you are upgrading from another iPhone, you will receive a verification code on the previous device to confirm, so make sure you keep it nearby for the setup process.
8. Go through the guided process of turning on automatic updates (recommended for security purposes) and setting up features like iMessage, FaceTime, Location Services, and more.
9. The next step you'll be presented with is how to set up and/or enable features like Siri. You will be asked to say a few phrases to help Siri learn your voice. With an Apple ID, you’ll also be prompted to set up Apple Pay and iCloud Keychain for remembering passwords. (You can always set up these features after if preferred.)
10. Next will be the option to follow the instructions for Screen Time setup. This is worth setting up, even if you decide to skip and do it later. It gives you an idea of how much time you spend on the device and set daily limits if desired. Other setup features you will be given the option to follow guided instructions to set up now may include True Tone and Display Zoom if you want to adjust the size of how the icons appear on the Home Screen. You can, as with the others, skip them if desired.
11. Once you have the phone set up, you will need to activate cellular connectivity through an eSIM, which means setting up a new one or transferring an eSIM from a previous iPhone. We cover how to do this in our handy guide.

More tips for setting up an iPhone 15

To make the transfer quicker and avoid transferring junk from your old phone, do a clean-out of your previous iPhone (if you have one) before setting up the new one. See our guide on how to free up space on your iPhone to learn how to do things like remove apps you no longer use, delete large attachments that are unnecessarily taking up space, and more.

You can also remove duplicate photos from your iCloud and iPhone. This will not only make your data transfer go faster since there will be less to transfer over, it will also give you a nice, clean experience on your fancy new phone without content and apps you don’t need.

The Apple iPhone 15 is poised to be named among the best phones thanks to features like the titanium finish in the Pro and Pro Max models, new side Action button, Dynamic Island, and USB-C charging. Before you take it out and about with you, don’t forget to protect that hefty investment with one of the best iPhone 15 cases as well. While you’re at it, opt for a screen protector, too.