How to Set Up a New Android Phone Step by Step

Setting up a new Android phone takes about 30 to 45 minutes the first time. "Android" is the software that runs on phones made by Samsung, Google, Motorola, and many others — so the exact look of the screens depends on who made your phone, but the questions are almost the same on every brand.

Before you begin, have your home Wi-Fi password nearby and know your Google account email and password (the one you use for Gmail or the Play Store). If you do not have a Google account yet, the phone will offer to make you a free one during setup. Your Google account is what holds onto your contacts, photos, and apps. So it is important to pick a password you will remember.

If you are moving from another Android phone or an iPhone, the new phone can copy your stuff over using a feature Google calls "Copy your data." You can use a cable that comes in the box, or do it over Wi-Fi. Photos, contacts, text messages, and most apps transfer. Plan on 20 to 40 minutes for the transfer itself — keep both phones plugged in the whole time.

One thing to watch for: during setup, the phone will ask a lot of yes-or-no questions about things like location, personalized ads, and sending usage data to Google. It is fine to say "no" or "skip" to any of these you are not sure about. None of them are required to use the phone.

If your carrier (Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile) already transferred your phone number, you should see signal bars within a few minutes of finishing setup. If not, call the carrier's customer service. They can usually fix it over the phone in under 10 minutes.