Following our series Android for Beginners, start the tutorials with the basics, that is, how to configure and change the settings of your Android, either the first time or after a factory reset. Check out how to perform this process.
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When starting a new device, or after a factory reset, the device itself follows a set pattern. However, after a while of use, if you want to change these specifications will have to follow some steps. These tips are valid for both smartphones, as Android tablets.
Remember that each phone is different and that each manufacturer adds little extras to their devices in order to make them different from other competitors. But as we all run with the OS from Google, the settings are quite similar.
Go straight to the point you
- Set the SIM card Set date and time
- Setting the language of your device and keyboard
- Download the Google Play store
- Setting up a Wi-Fi network
- Personalizing Your Android
- Set up or log in with a Google account
- Set up notifications and sounds
- Check for updates
- Transfer data from an old device to the new
Set up your SIM card
The first step to configure a device is to insert the SIM card on your Android smartphone. It is important to consider that some devices use different size cards: SIM card, micro-SIM and nano-SIM. So often an adapter is needed (micro-SIM to SIM) or a smaller chip (SIM to micro-SIM).
After insert SIM card, connect the unit. At this time, the system prompts you for your PIN number to unlock it.
You can change the PIN on your SIM card once you have installed it. To do this, go to Settings> Security> Set up SIM lock> Change SIM card PIN.
Setting the language of your device and keyboard
You can choose the device language from the input screen, the first settings of your Android. Go to Settings> Language & input> Language. This process will change the language of the system on your smartphone automatically.
Unlike the language of your device, the default keyboard can be configured in multiple languages. This is especially helpful if you have friends or professional contacts from other countries.
To set the keypad of your phone, go to Settings> Language & input> Keyboard Input and methods (eg Google or LG Keyboard)> click on the chosen keyboard> Language> select the languages you want to have.
Some devices have a limit of languages that can be active at the same time.
Setting up a Wi-Fi network
If you are within range of a wireless network, connect to it. Simply click on the Settings Menu> Wi-Fi> Activate> Select your network> Enter the password, if required> Connect.
This step goes for every time you want to connect your device with a new network. The closed networks, namely that need password appear with a lock signal side. Open networks appear with nothing.
The signal strength is easily identified by the number of bars in "bold" in the Wi-Fi signal, next to the name of the network.
Set up or log in with a Google account
To use Google applications and services, you need to have a Google account. For example, if you want to download from the Google Play store. If you already have a Google account, you can login and enter your data right on the settings input stage. Then you will be asked to agree or disagree with Google services, such as location data sharing and backup option of your information.
If you do not have a Google account, just follow the system requests and choose a username and password. Be sure to save your password in a safe place so that you can come to use in the future. That is to say that you do not necessarily need to have a Google account to use the phone, the only issue is that you will have much less resources available.
To add or change the Google accounts on your device, just go to Settings> Google and change what you want in your profile.
Set up your Google account also allows you to change functions such as backup photos, location apps connected to an account, Google searches and more.
Some manufacturers, such as Samsung, ask for the registration of an extra account, linked to the company. This is only necessary if you want to use some special services like download from manufacturer Store apps. If you are not interested, just skip this step.
Check for system updates available
Whenever possible, make sure the manufacturer of your device has already released an update of the same software. How many devices hit the market running versions of Android prior to the present - which today is Android 7.0 Nougat. You can check if your device has received a system update by going to Settings> General> About Phone> Update Center> Software Update.
These updates provide new features to the system of your device, and arruman failures of previous systems. However, the new OS updates also bring bugs and flaws can, and in some cases, in older devices, the upgrade is not worth it. Check the news about each update on our website.
Set date and time in Android
Set the date and time on your device is very easy. Go to Settings> System> Date and Time> Set Date and logo, set time. For more comfort, you can trigger the automatic date and time option, ideal for those who travel a lot, and also auto time zone, thus avoiding confusion with daylight saving time.
Download the Google Play store
After the initial setup of your smartphone is already complete, it's time to check what are the applications that come pre-installed on your phone or tablet.
To get an overview of the apps present in your phone, take a look at the apps drawer, or in the application menu that appears when you press the icon with several comics on the home screen of your device. In some devices this drawer is no more, but you can view the pre-installed applications on your device on the home page or by scrolling the pages right and left. In it, you can see a list of icons for all applications present on your phone.
If you have not found the application you want from the native apps of the system, access the Google Play Store, find the apps you want and download them to your Android device. We'll talk more on how to download, update, and remove applications, in an exclusive article series.
Customize your Android
The coolest thing to have an Android, are the customization possibilities of it. As mentioned in the first article of the series, the Android is an open source system and therefore can be changed almost completely.
For example, if you do not enjoy the background image from your mobile phone, do not despair - all smartphones offer a selection with different possibilities. These options change according to the manufacturer, just go to Settings> Display> Home Screen> Wallpaper.
If you wanted to use a shortcut, commonly, long pressing the home screen, a menu opens with options to enter New screens, Applications, Widgets and Wallpapers. Here it is worth remembering that live wallpapers or wallpapers that move, consume more battery. Also, you can add photos from your gallery of images as wallpaper.
On some devices, you can still change the font style and symbols. If you are not satisfied with your smartphone interface, you can still flirt with applications that add a new launcher alternative applications to the device, as the New Launcher, the Aviate and Google Now Launcher.
Configuring notifications and sounds
In this step you will be able to configure all of the sounds and notifications on your device. The part of this, each application has its own sound settings and notifications.
To change the general settings for calls, messages and other sounds and notifications on your device, go to Settings> Sound & notification. On this screen you will find several changes you can make in your handset as ring volume, ring tone, alarm volume, media volume, enabling and disabling vibration.
The Do Not Disturb feature allows that only the applications you authorize sending notifications while the feature is enabled.
On the phone Touch, you can choose between the standard device sounds, or search for a song that you have passed previously to your device.
You will find many other functions that can be changed to your liking.
Transfer data from an old device to the new
The transfer of data from one device to another can be very complicated, especially among different operating systems. To make your life easier, we have prepared tutorials with step by step, and the best ways to transfer your data from an old to a new Android, you find here. And a tutorial on how to transfer data from an iPhone to an Android here.
But before you start any process to transfer data from your old device to the new, back up all of your device.
So, could set everything you needed on your Android? Or have any questions?