First-day phone setup

Step 1 of 3 · Sign-in and copying

Choose your account and bring across important information

Connect to a trusted Wi-Fi network and keep both phones charged. During the new phone's welcome screens, read the choices for account sign-in and copying information before moving past them. Use the Google Account that holds the contacts, calendar entries and other Google information you want on this phone. If you have several accounts, confirm the full email address rather than relying on a familiar profile picture. A work or school account can have restrictions set by its administrator, so it may not behave like a personal account.

Protect continuity before changing anything else

Signing in lets supported Google services show information already associated with your account. Copying from another phone or restoring a backup is a separate process, and it does not guarantee that every app, file or account session will move. Some apps require their own transfer or recovery procedure. Treat the first sign-in as the beginning of a review: confirm that essential contacts appear, open an important calendar, and make sure you can access your usual email. Keep the previous phone intact while you resolve anything missing.

The three taps

Google Account. Follow the sign-in prompts during setup and verify the email address before continuing. Have your password and a usable second verification method available. If approval normally arrives on the old phone, keep that phone connected and accessible. Follow the prompts to create a screen lock as well, choosing a PIN or password you can remember without sharing it. Fingerprint or face access, where offered, does not remove the need to know the underlying screen lock.
Copy apps & data. If this choice appears, follow the on-screen instructions for the connection or backup options offered. A suitable cable may be an option, but use the connection method the setup screens support. Read the categories before accepting the selection instead of assuming everything is included. Give copying time to finish, and avoid erasing the source phone. Afterward, open important apps individually; messaging history, financial apps and verification tools may need separate attention.
Settings. After setup, look for accounts and account synchronization controls. Select the intended Google Account and review the available categories, such as contacts or calendar. Names and locations vary, so use Settings search if the account section is not obvious. Then open the relevant apps and confirm that expected information is visible. Synchronization is not a substitute for checking local files or an app's own backup process, and an empty app does not necessarily mean copying is still running.

Keep account recovery within reach: do not erase, sell or trade in the previous phone until essential information, account access and verification methods work on the new one. Review recovery contact details through your Google Account. If you use an authenticator or another sign-in approval app, follow that service's own transfer instructions before retiring the old device. Never give another person your password or verification codes to complete setup.

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