Powering on your iPhone for the first time

To turn on a new iPhone, press and hold the power button on the right side of the device (on older models, it may be on the top or bottom edge). You'll see the Apple logo appear after a few seconds — this is normal. Keep holding until you see "Hello" displayed on the screen, which means the device is starting up. This takes about 30 seconds total.

If your iPhone doesn't respond after 30 seconds of holding the power button, it may have arrived with a completely drained battery. Plug it into the USB-C or Lightning cable that came in the box, connect that to a power adapter, and wait five minutes before trying again. iPhones sometimes need a small charge before they'll power on for the first time.

Key Takeaways

  • Press and hold the power button on the right edge until you see the Apple logo, which takes about 30 seconds.
  • The iPhone will walk you through setup step by step — you don't need to know what comes next, just follow the on-screen prompts.
  • You'll need a Wi-Fi network name and password to complete setup, so have that information ready before you start.
  • If you have an old iPhone, you can transfer your photos, messages, and apps during setup rather than starting from scratch.
  • If setup gets stuck or you need to start over, you can restart the iPhone by turning it off and back on again.

What happens after the power button

Once the iPhone finishes starting up, you'll see the "Hello" screen in your language. Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to begin setup. The iPhone will ask you a series of questions one at a time — which language you speak, which country you're in, whether you want to use Wi-Fi, and whether you have a backup from an old device.

You don't need to memorize anything or make decisions ahead of time. Each screen tells you what it needs, and you can read it before answering. If you're not sure what a question is asking, tap the small "i" icon in the corner — it explains the choice in simpler terms.

Connecting to Wi-Fi during setup

When the iPhone asks "Select a Wi-Fi Network," you'll see a list of networks in range. Tap the name of your home or office Wi-Fi network. The iPhone will then ask for the password — type it exactly as it is, including capital letters and numbers, because Wi-Fi passwords are case-sensitive.

If you don't have Wi-Fi available, you can use a mobile hotspot from another phone instead. On that other phone, go to Settings, find the Personal Hotspot or Tethering option, turn it on, and note the network name and password it shows. Then select that network on your iPhone and enter the password.

If you skip Wi-Fi by mistake, you can add it later. The iPhone will let you continue setup, but some features won't work until you connect to Wi-Fi — so it's better to do it now if you can.

Transferring data from an old iPhone

When setup asks "Restore from backup or set up as new," you have two paths. If you have an old iPhone and want to keep your photos, messages, and apps, choose "Restore from backup." The new iPhone will ask you to sign in with your Apple ID — this is the email address you used on your old device.

Once you sign in, the iPhone shows you backups it has stored in iCloud (Apple's cloud storage). Select the most recent backup, and the new iPhone will read your data. This can take 10 to 30 minutes depending on how much you have and how fast your Wi-Fi is. Don't turn off the iPhone or disconnect from Wi-Fi during this time.

If you don't have an old iPhone, or you want to start fresh, choose "Set up as new iPhone." You'll still need to sign in with an Apple ID later, but you'll start with an empty device and add apps one at a time.

Creating or signing in to your Apple ID

An Apple ID is an email address and password that unlocks features on your iPhone — it's how you read apps, back up your data, and use services like iCloud Photos. During setup, the iPhone will ask you to sign in with an existing Apple ID or create a new one.

If you already have an Apple ID (you may have created one years ago without realizing it), enter that email and password. If you don't have one, choose "Create a new Apple ID" and follow the prompts. You'll need to provide an email address, create a password, and answer a security question. This takes about two minutes.

If you're not sure whether you have an Apple ID, use the email address you think you might have used. The iPhone will tell you whether an account exists. You can also skip this step during setup and add an Apple ID later from Settings — it won't break anything.

Setting up Face ID or Touch ID

After you sign in to your Apple ID, the iPhone will ask whether you want to set up Face ID (which recognizes your face) or Touch ID (which recognizes your fingerprint). This is optional, but it's the easiest way to unlock your phone and approve purchases later.

For Face ID, hold the iPhone about 12 inches from your face and follow the on-screen instructions — you'll move your head in a circle so the camera can map your face. For Touch ID, place your finger on the home button (the circular button at the bottom) and lift it repeatedly as the iPhone scans your fingerprint.

You can set up both Face ID and Touch ID, or just one, or skip both entirely. If you skip, you'll unlock your iPhone by typing a passcode (a four or six-digit number) every time instead.

Finishing setup and using your iPhone

After Face ID or Touch ID, the iPhone will ask a few final questions about Siri (the voice assistant), analytics, and whether you want to enable certain features. You can say yes or no to all of these — none of them are required, and you can change them later in Settings if you change your mind.

Once you tap "Continue" on the last screen, setup is complete. You'll see the home screen with a grid of app icons. Your iPhone is now ready to use. If you transferred data from an old device, your apps and photos may still be downloading in the background — you'll see a small cloud icon next to apps that aren't finished yet.

If something goes wrong during setup — the screen freezes, you enter the wrong Wi-Fi password, or you want to start over — turn off the iPhone by pressing and holding the power button, then swiping to power off. Wait 10 seconds, then press the power button again to restart. You'll go back to the setup screen and can try again.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I don't know my Apple ID password?

During setup, tap "Forgot password or don't have an Apple ID?" and follow the prompts. Apple will send a recovery link to the email address associated with your account. Click that link, create a new password, and return to setup to sign in again.

Can I set up my iPhone without Wi-Fi?

You can start setup without Wi-Fi, but you'll need to connect eventually — most features won't work without it. If you have a mobile hotspot from another phone, use that instead. Cellular data from your phone plan won't work until after setup is complete.

What if I already have an iPhone and want to transfer everything?

During setup, when asked about restoring a backup, choose "Restore from backup" and sign in with your Apple ID. The new iPhone will show you backups from your old device and read the one you choose. Make sure both phones are on the same Wi-Fi network and plugged in during this process.

Do I have to set up Face ID right now?

No. You can skip Face ID during setup and add it later from Settings. If you skip it, you'll unlock your iPhone with a passcode until you set up Face ID or Touch ID.

Why is my iPhone asking for a SIM card?

Some iPhones use a physical SIM card from your phone carrier, while newer models use eSIM (digital SIM). If you see this question, you either need to insert a SIM card into the slot on the side of the phone, or contact your carrier to set up eSIM. You can skip this during setup and do it later if you don't have the SIM card yet.