How To Use An Iphone - An Easy Guide For Beginners

5/12/23, 2:46 PM How to Use an iPhone: An Easy Guide for Beginners
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How to Use an iPhone: Getting Started

An easy-to-follow beginner's guide to using an iPhone
Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA
Last Updated: January 20, 2023 Tested
Turning it Off and On | Setting Up a New iPhone | Sleep and Wake | Learning the Home Screen | Multi-
touch Gestures | Phone Calls | Texting | Turn Wi-Fi On and Off | Using Apps | Show more
Do you know the basics of using an iPhone? It can be complicated to pick up an iPhone for
the first time and understand how to use it, especially if you're used to using an Android or
a standard feature cell phone. This wikiHow article will introduce you to the basics of using
an iPhone, from turning it on or off, to making calls, sending texts, and using apps.
Things You Should Know
Older iPhones (including iPhone 6 and older) have a Home button while newer
iPhones (like iPhone X and newer) don't.
Most things like the apps on your iPhone are easy to learn and use.
Set up your iPhone with your old apps and data by transferring the information from
your old phone.
Turning it Off and On
1. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button until you see a slider.
This button is on the side or top of your iPhone.
2. Drag the slider to turn it off.
You'll usually drag the slider to the right to turn off your iPhone.
3. Press and hold the Sleep/Wake button to restart it.
Press and hold the Side button or the button at the top of your iPhone until you
see the Apple logo.
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Setting Up a New iPhone
1. Transfer your data.

Whether you had an Android or an iPhone, switch your data to your new phone.
Through the first time you use your iPhone, you will be prompted for each of
these steps.
2. Make sure you have cellular service or use Wi-Fi.
Activate your iPhone with your carrier if you have a contract. If not, connect to a
Wi-Fi network for the rest of the setup process.
3. Sign in with your Apple ID.
Enter your Apple ID username and password to continue. If you don't have one
yet, you can create one.
4. Set up Face ID or Touch ID.
Only iPhones 5s-8 Plus and iPhone SE models can use Touch ID. If you have a
newer iPhone than an 8 Plus (and not an iPhone SE) you'll need to use Face ID.
5. Turn on Find My iPhone.
You never want to lose your iPhone, so take preventative measures now. In
Settings > Your Name > Find My iPhone tap to turn the toggle on.
6. Back up your data to iCloud.
Aside from losing your iPhone, you don't want to lose all your information. To
avoid this, turn on iCloud. To change your iCloud settings, go to Settings > Your
Name > iCloud.[1]
Sleep and Wake
1. Pick it up if you have a newer iPhone.

If your iPhone does not have a Home button, simply picking up your phone will
wake it from sleep.
2. Press the Home button if you have an iPhone 6 or older.
The Home button looks like a round circular button that's centered near the
bottom of your screen.
3. Unlock your iPhone.
This is a code that you created when you first set up your phone. If you know your
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code, you can always change it to something else. There are multiple methods for
unlocking your iPhone:

Passcode: Your screen displays a keypad so you can enter a numeric code to
unlock it.
Touch ID: As long as you have an iPhone 5s-8 Plus, you have this option. You
can touch the Home button to capture your fingerprint and unlock your phone.
Face ID: The front camera can only be used on iPhone X and later models.
This feature unlocks your phone by using the camera to scan your face.
4. Press the Sleep/Wake button.
It's the button on the right side or top of your phone. Pressing this will turn off the
display screen and save battery life.
Learning the Home Screen
1. Review your iPhone's Home Screen.

You'll see several square icons here; these are your iPhone's applications, or
"apps" for short. All of your iPhone's "stock" apps, meaning apps that come pre-
installed on the phone, are listed here.
As you add apps to your phone, the Home Screen will gain additional pages.
You can scroll through these pages by swiping from the right side of the
screen to the left side of the screen.
2. Familiarize yourself with the native apps.
Some of the crucial apps that come installed on a standard iPhone include the
following:
Settings - This is a grey app with gears on it. If you want to change anything
from your ringtone, to your wireless network settings, you'll find the options to
do so in this app.
Phone - It's a green app with a white phone icon. You can make calls
manually (by dialing) or by tapping a contact's name and then tapping the
phone icon below their name at the top of the screen. You can also access
your voicemail using the Phone app.
Contacts - This app has a grey silhouette of a person's head on it. Tapping it
will bring up a list of your contacts--the store from which you bought your
iPhone should have synchronized your last phone's contacts with your
iPhone, but if they didn't, you may want to import your old contacts to your
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Settings
FaceTime - A green app with a white video camera icon on it. You can make
face-to-face calls with your contacts using FaceTime.
Messages - A green app with a white speech bubble. This is where you'll send
and receive text messages.
Mail - The blue app with a white envelope icon on it. You can check your Apple
ID email here (it will be called your iCloud account), or you can add an email
account to this app.
Calendar - This app will display an up-to-date calendar. You can also set
events for specific dates and times by tapping the pertinent date and filling in
the information fields.
Camera - A grey app with a camera icon on it. You can take photos, videos,
and different types of visual media (e.g., slow-motion videos) with the Camera
app.
Photos - This multicolored pinwheel app is where all of your iPhone's photos
are stored. Any time you take a picture, the photo will appear here. Share
photos via AirDrop or iCloud to all your friends and family.
Safari - Safari is a blue app with a compass icon on it. You'll use Safari to
browse the web.
Clock - The clock-shaped app. You can change or manage your iPhone's
saved time zones, set alarms, set a timer, or use a stopwatch with this app.
Notes - The yellow and white notepad-shaped icon on the Home Screen. This
app is useful for writing down quick notes or making a list, though the
Reminders app is also a good choice for lists.
Maps - The Maps app allows you to plan trips and will give you step-by-step
directions like a GPS if you enter a starting point and a destination.
Wallet - You can add credit or debit cards and gift cards to your iPhone's
Wallet. Doing so will allow you to use your iPhone to pay for online items as
well as at supported retail stores.
App Store - This blue app with a white "A" on it is where you'll download new
apps.
Music - A white app with a musical note on it. This app is where you'll find your
iPhone's music library.
Tips - This yellow app with a light bulb will provide you with insights that can
help you get the most out of your time with your iPhone.
3. Swipe across the screen from left to right.
Doing so will open your iPhone's widget page, where you can see things like the
current weather forecast, any alarms you have set, and relevant news.
Swipe up from anywhere on the screen to scroll down this page.
If you want to search for something specific on your phone, you can tap the
"Search" bar at the top of the page and then type in what you want to see.
Swipe left to return to the Home Screen. You can also press the Home button
if you have it to return to the Home Screen. If you don't have a Home button,
simply swipe up from the bottom of your phone's screen.
4. Swipe down from the top of the screen.
This will pull down your iPhone's Notifications center, where you can see all recent
notifications (e.g., missed calls, incoming text messages, etc.).
You can press the Home button to close the Notifications center or you can
swipe up from the very bottom of your screen.
5. Swipe down from the middle of the screen.
This action will bring up a search bar at the top of the screen as well as a list of
your frequently used apps. You can tap Cancel in the top-right corner of the
screen or simply press the Home button to return to the Home Screen.
Searching for an app is the easiest way to find what you're looking for. You
may have accidentally hidden the apps and need to unhide them.
6. Swipe the very bottom of the screen up (iPhone SE, 8, and earlier)
or swipe down from the top right corner (iPhone X and later).
Doing so will bring up the Control Center, which houses the following options:
Airplane Mode - The airplane icon at the top of the Control Center window.
Tapping it will enable Airplane Mode, which prevents any cellular or wireless
internet emissions from your iPhone. Tap it (or anything else on this list) again
to disable it.
Brightness- Drag the slider to the right if you want your phone's screen to
display brighter. Drag it to the left if you want it darker. The brightness will
automatically dim if you don't use your iPhone in a certain amount of time.
That's a feature used to save battery.
Wi-Fi - The rippling arcs icon. Tapping this will enable wireless internet (if it's
blue, Wi-Fi is already enabled) and connect you to the nearest recognized
network.
Bluetooth - The center icon at the top of the Control Center window. Tap this
to turn on your iPhone's Bluetooth, which will allow you to connect your
iPhone to speakers or other Bluetooth devices.
Do Not Disturb - The moon-shaped icon. Tap this to prevent calls, text
messages, and other notifications from causing your phone to ring.
Rotation Lock - The padlock icon with a circle around it. Tapping it while it's
red Cookie
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Settings
screen lock, meaning you'll be able to rotate your iPhone 90
degrees to view photos and other media in landscape mode.

The bottom row of options from left to right include a flashlight, a timer, a
calculator, and a shortcut to your iPhone's Camera app.
Multi-touch Gestures
Tap.
This is one of the gestures that your iPhone recognizes and is defined by a click
or touch on the screen.
Note that you can tap and hold to access more options, like a right-click on a
computer.
Using more than 1 finger may often trigger a different tap than only 1 finger.
Drag.
Leave your finger on the screen and move your finger to drag it. This may be in
reference to dragging an app, dragging a slider, or dragging your finger.
Swipe left or right.
This is very similar to flipping through the pages in an e-book. You'll use this
movement to navigate through your Home screen as well as other places.
Double-tap.
Doing this in some places will zoom in or out on websites, pictures, and apps.
Pinch and pull apart.
If you pinch the screen, you will zoom out. Pull your fingers apart from a pinching
motion in order to zoom in.
3D Touch.
If you have a 6S or later, you probably have run into 3D Touch features. This
means that the phone will respond to different touch commands depending on the
pressure. For example, a hard tap on an app icon will open the list of quick
actions whereas a soft tap on the icon will open the app.
Phone Calls
1. Tap the Phone app.

It's the green app with a white phone icon on it, most likely located on the Home
Screen.
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You'll see this option at the bottom of the screen, to the right of the "Contacts" tab.
Alternatively, you can tap the "Contacts" tab, tap a contact's name, and then
tap the "call" icon (a white phone on a blue background) below their name at
the top of the screen.
3. Type in a phone number.
You'll do this by lightly tapping the corresponding numbers on this page.
4. Tap the green and white "Call" button.
It's below the last row of numbers on the screen. Doing so will initiate your call.
When your contact picks up their phone, you can speak normally with the phone
up to your ear, or you can use one of the following buttons to change the nature of
the call:
Speaker - Changes your phone's audio output from the earpiece at the top of
the screen to your iPhone's speakers. This way, you can speak without
holding the phone up to your ear. Remember to turn that feature off when
you're done with it!
FaceTime - Changes the phone call to a FaceTime call wherein you'll be able
to see your recipient's face and vice versa. This will only work if your contact
also has an iPhone.
Texting
1. Open the Messages app.

Tap the app icon that looks like a speech bubble on a bright green background.
2.
Tap .
It's the icon that looks like a pencil on a pad of paper in the top right of your
screen.
If you are responding to a text that you received, tap the conversation instead.
Any conversations with a blue dot indicate that there's a message you haven't
read.
3. Enter the phone number, contact name, or Apple ID you want to
send a text to.
If the person is in your Contacts, you can instead tap + and tap their name when
you find it.
If you have a dual SIM setup, then you need to choose which number you're
sending the text from.
4. Tap the text field and enter your message.
It's the box at the bottom of your screen. Tapping it will prompt your keyboard to
open.
5. Send the text.
This icon looks like an arrow pointing up. The color of this arrow will change based
on the delivery method.
A blue arrow means that the text will be sent via iMessage, which is internet-
based and requires both the text sender and receiver to have an Apple device,
like an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. iMessage will not work with Android devices.
A green arrow indicates that the text will be sent via SMS/MMS, which is a
cellular service.
An exclamation mark inside a circle means the text wasn't sent. Tap the alert
to try sending the message again.[2]
For more advanced texting, you can use Siri to text or send an audio
message.
Turn Wi-Fi On and Off
1. Open Settings to manage your Wi-Fi.

Tap the app icon that looks like gears on a light grey background, then tap Wi-Fi.
If your carrier allows it, or if you pay the extra fee for the feature, go to
Settings > Cellular > Personal Hotspot or Settings > Personal Hotpot to
enable your personal hotspot.[3]
Tap the toggle next to "Wi-Fi" to turn it on or off . From here, you
can tap to connect to a Wi-Fi network as long as you have that network's
name and password.[4]
If another Apple device is already connected to the Wi-Fi (like another iPhone,
iPad, or Mac), they can share the network.
2. Open Control Center to manage your Wi-Fi.
If you have an iPhone X or later, swipe down from the top right corner of your
screen. For iPhones earlier than the iPhone X, swipe up from the bottom of your
screen.[5]
Tap the Wi-Fi icon to turn it on (it will be dark blue) or off (it will be light blue or
grey).
3. Ask Siri to turn the Wi-Fi on or off.
If you have Siri enabled, say "Siri, turn off the Wi-Fi" or "Siri, turn on the Wi-Fi".
Using Apps
1. Tap an app.
Doing so will open it. The way you'll interact with each app will vary depending on
the app itself, but you'll generally be able to tap items to activate them (e.g.,
tapping a text field will bring up your iPhone's keyboard).
You can download new apps from the App Store app.
2. Double-press the Home button or swipe up from the very bottom
of your screen.
Doing so quickly will zoom out of your currently open app and display all running
apps in separate windows.
Swipe up on an app window to close that app.
You can also swipe left or right while in this menu to scroll through your
currently open apps.
3. Move an app icon on the Home screen.
Tap and hold an app. It should begin to wiggle after about a second, along with
the other apps on your iPhone's Home Screen. From here, you can do a few
different things:
Tap and drag the app to move it. If you drag your app all the way to the right
side of the Home Screen, a new screen will appear for you to drop your app
onto. You'll be able to access this page by swiping left on the Home Screen.
Tap and drag the app onto another app to create a folder that contains those
two apps. You'll be able to drag other apps into the folder as well.
Tap the X in the top-left corner of the app's icon to delete the app. You'll need
to tap Delete when prompted to actually delete the app.
4. Customize your iPhone's Home Screen as you please.
You can move, delete, and organize your iPhone's apps according to your
preference.
Care and Protection
It's a good idea to purchase a case and screen protector for your
iPhone.
There are some simple steps you can take to protect your device, like using a
case and screen protector.
If you can't find a case you like through the Apple store, there are plenty of
other retailers that offer iPhone cases and screen protectors, like Walmart and
Amazon.
Buy AppleCare+.
If you're extra worried about keeping your phone safe, purchase the extension of
AppleCare, which comes with every iPhone.
Every iPhone comes with 90 days of tech support as well as a one-year
hardware repair coverage through a limited warranty.
Charging Your Battery
Plug it into your computer or laptop.

Using the USB cable that came with your iPhone, you can plug it directly into your
computer or laptop to let it charge.
Plug it into an adapter and wall outlet.
Use the adapter that came with your iPhone to connect the cable to your wall
plug.
Some surge protectors also offer USB ports so you don't need to use an
adapter.
Set it on a wireless charger.
If you have an iPhone 8 or later, you can take advantage of wireless charging.
Plug a certified wireless charger into your wall socket, then place your phone on
the wireless charger.
Expert Q&A
How do I block a caller?
Darlene Antonelli, MA
wikiHow Technology Writer
Expert Answer
From their caller information, tap "Block Caller". There's a wikiHow for that:
Block-a-Number-on-the-iPhone
How do I remove a text message that I accidentally sent to the wrong person
and place it in a text to the right person?
Darlene Antonelli, MA
wikiHow Technology Writer
Expert Answer
If you're using at least iOS 16, you can tap and hold the message bubble that you
sent then tap "Unsend." As long as the other person has at least iOS 16, the
message will be deleted on their end. If not, they will still see it. Then go to the
conversation with the right person and send your text. Not using iOS 16? Tell the
person you made a mistake and then send the text to the right person.
How do I turn on the flashlight on an iPhone?
Community Answer
Swipe up from the home screen. You should see the control center. Press the
flashlight icon in the bottom left corner.
See more answers
Tips
Don't get discouraged at how complicated the iPhone can be to use--operating

your iPhone will be second-nature before you know it!
You may want to take advantage of more advanced iPhone features such as Siri
or replacing your iPhone's SIM card as well.
Ready for an iPhone upgrade? Check out our coupon site for Walmart promo
codes and Target promo codes for money-saving deals on your next mobile
device.
References
1. https://support.apple.com/en-in/guide/iphone/iph9374b7411/16.0/ios/16.0
2. https://support.apple.com/guide/iphone/send-and-receive-messages-
iph82fb73ba3/ios
3. https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204023

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5/12/23, 2:46 PM How to Use an iPhone: An Easy Guide for Beginners

How to Use an iPhone: Getting Started

Things You Should Know

Turning it Off and On

Setting Up a New iPhone

1. Transfer your data.

Sleep and Wake

1. Pick it up if you have a newer iPhone.

unlocking your iPhone:

Learning the Home Screen

1. Review your iPhone's Home Screen.

degrees to view photos and other media in landscape mode.

1. Tap the Phone app.

1. Open the Messages app.

Turn Wi-Fi On and Off

1. Open Settings to manage your Wi-Fi.

Care and Protection

Charging Your Battery

Plug it into your computer or laptop.

How do I block a caller?

How do I turn on the flashlight on an iPhone?

See more answers

Don't get discouraged at how complicated the iPhone can be to use--operating

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