How to Set Up New iPhone 6/6s (Plus)

How to Set Up and Activate New iPhone 6/6s (Plus)/SE with Ease

[Last Updated on Sep, 18, 2016]

If you just get an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus, and you are looking for the guide to set up and activate it, you can follow this guide – How to Set Up New iPhone 7/7 Plus to make it. And then check the to-do list when upgrading to new iPhone, like backup old iPhone, transfer data to new iPhone 7, speed it up, battery saving tips, etc.

Congratulations, you got your new iPhone! No matter what device you are holding on your hand, iPhone 6 (Plus), iPhone 6s (Plus) or the latest iPhone SE, now it is time to set up and activate it, and enjoy the sleek new tech.

To be honest, setting up and activating a new iPhone is not a difficult task, but there are a lot of options for you, and you need to make a right choice. Especially, you just switched from Android smartphone, maybe you don’t know these options mean. To help you make a smooth upgrade to new iPhone 6/6s/SE, here we offer you a detailed tutorial about how to activate a new iPhone 6/6s/SE with screenshots.

If you got a new iPad Mini 2/4, iPad Air 2, or the latest 12.9 (or 9.7) –inch iPad Pro, and you are seeking for a guide to activate it, you can move to this iMobie guide: How to Activate and Set Up New iPad >

Part 1: Back Up Your Old iPhone Before Setting Up New iPhone 6/6s/SE

How to Backup iPhone 4s/5/5s/5c

How to Backup iPhone 4s/5/5s/5c

Free Download Free Download

Although backing up old iPhone is not one part of activating iPhone 6/6s (Plus)/SE, it is really a must to transfer data from old iPhone to new iPhone if you are already an iPhone user and you upgraded from an old model of iPhone, such as, iPhone 4, iPhone 4s, iPhone 5, iPhone 5s, or iPhone 5c. Absolutely, if you upgraded from an Android or Blackberry smart phone, you can skip this part and proceed to Part 2.

Tip: If you are upgraded from an Android smartphone, but you also own an iPad or iPod touch, you also can transfer data from old iPod or iPad to new iPhone 6/6s/SE. About how to make it, please visit: How to Clone iOS Contents from One iDevice to Another >

If you are planning to use iTunes or iCloud to restore your new iPhone 6/6s (Plus)/SE during the process of setting up, this part is quite essential and necessary for you. As every iPhone user know, Apple iTunes and iCloud service make it possible to back up your iPhone content freely. Follow the steps to back up your old iPhone via iTunes or iCloud

1. Back up your iPhone with iTunes: Connect your iPhone to computer > Run iTunes if it doesn't open automatically > Click the Device button > Click This Computer on Backups column > Choose Back Up Now.

2. Back up your iPhone with iCloud: On home of your iPhone, tap on Settings > iCloud > Backup > Turn on iCloud Backup > Back Up Now.

3. Back up your old iPhone with AnyTrans

Compared to creating backup with iTunes or iCloud, AnyTrans is a better choice when you just want to back up some iOS contents, like Contacts, Photos, Messages, Ringtones, etc. or you want to backup some data that are not supported by iTunes or iCloud backup, like Apps, My Photo Stream, iCloud Photo Library, songs, and photos, videos, books synced from computer/iTunes, etc.

Launch AnyTrans on your computer, and connect your iPhone to it > Select the content you want to backup > Enter the Manage Page > Choose the content > Click To PC/Mac.

Now download AnyTrans on your computer, and then follow steps below to back up what you want to computer:

Check the pros and cons of the above mentioned three methods, and choose the one you prefer. Get more detailed info, please refer to How to Back Up iPhone 5/5s/4/4s/5c/6 (Plus) before upgrading to iOS 9 or iPhone 6s (Plus)

iTunes iCloud AnyTrans
Pros 1. Do not need to rely on a third party service- iCloud.
2. No need to pay for more storage.
3. Requires no Wi-Fi connection.
1. Very Easy to Use.
2. Back up wirelessly and automatically.
3. No need to own a computer.
1. Manages to selectively back up your iPhone content.
2. Requires no Wi-Fi connection.
3. Back up all your personal info and media files to iTunes/computer/any iOS device, including the non purchased music and movies.
4. Allows you to access the iTunes and iCloud backup, and even download the selected items to the computer.
Cons 1. Not include content synced to your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, such as movies, music, and photos.
2. Need to own a computer and connect your device to this computer.
3. Doesn't support selective backup.
1. You need to have a Wi-Fi connection.
2. Not include your media files (music, movies etc) that you did not purchase from the iTunes Store.
3. Not include your files (podcasts, photos etc) that you originally transferred from your computer.
4. You get 5 GB of free storage for backup, if you need more, you need to pay.
1. Need to own a computer and connect your device to this computer.
2. Not free.

Part 2: How to Set Up and Activate Your New iPhone 6/6s (Plus)/SE

If you purchased your iPhone in the Apple Store, maybe you have already activated it with the help of an Apple Specialist. While if you have received your new device in the mail, or you chose to not activate immediately, here is a guide on how to activate iPhone 6/6s (Plus)/SE, follow this guide and activate your new iPhone in minutes.

How to Set Up an iPhone 6/6s (Plus) – Step 1-3

How to Set Up an iPhone 6/6s (Plus) – Step 1-3

1. Turn on your iPhone and then drag your finger to right to launch Setup Assistance on Welcome Page.

2. Pick up your language and country.

3. Choose a Wi-Fi network.

If you have any problem in connecting your new iPhone 6/6s to Wi-Fi network, please check this most common iPhone iPad Wi-Fi problems and solutions and fix it.

4. Choose to enable Location Services or disable Location Services. This also can be changed in Settings App latter.

5. Set up Touch ID: you can use your fingerprint to unlock your iPhone or purchase or download Apps from App Store.

6. Create a passcode: You need to set up a six or four digit passcode to protect your data. And the passcode also needs to use some features like Touch ID and Apple Pay.

7. Restore your new iDevice with older backups you made or transfer your Apps or data.

When setting up iPhone 6/6s (Plus) or iPhone SE in iOS 9, you have 4 choices: Restore from iCloud Backup, Restore from iTunes backup, Set Up as New iPhone, and Move Data from Android. To help you make a right choice and activate your iPhone smoothly, here we offer detailed information about the 4 choices as below:

Set Up New iPhone – Restore or Transfer Data to New iDevice

Set Up New iPhone – Restore or Transfer Data to New iDevice

1) Restore from iCloud Backup

If you had a previous iDevice and you made an iCloud backup in advance, you can choose to restore your iPhone 6/6s (Plus)/SE from an iCloud backup you created before. Follow us to restore your device from iCloud backup: Select Restore from iCloud Backup > Next > Enter your Apple ID and password > Agree to the iCloud terms and conditions > Pick up the correct backup from the list of all the compatible iCloud-hosted backups > Stay Connected and wait for the process to complete.

  • Compared to restoring from iTunes backup, restoring from iCloud backup is much slower. If you want to spend less time on restoring your device, read on our post to restore your iPhone 6/6s/SE from an iTunes backup.
  • If you just want to export some items from iCloud backup, maybe some photos, contacts, to new iPhone instead of all the data in the iCloud backup, you can set up as new iPhone, and then extract what you like from iCloud backup with AnyTrans.

2) Restore from iTunes Backup

If you had an iDevice and also synced your device to iTunes, you can select this option and connect your iPhone 6/6s (Plus) to computer with USB cable. Then follow us to restore your new iPhone from iTunes backup: Select Restore from iTunes Backup when the screen asking " Set up Your iPhone as New Device or Restore from a Local Backup" > Choose Restore from this backup > Next > Enter your Apple ID and password > Select the desired backup by its sized and date from pop-up menu > Enter password if you are restoring from an encrypted backup > Wait for the process to complete. Once the process is complete, the setup process continues.

Compared to moving the all the data in the iTunes backup to new iPhone 6/6s/SE, if you prefer to move some important items, you can set up your iPhone as new, and then extract the important files from iTunes backup with AnyTrans.

3) Set up as new iPhone

If you plan to start fresh or you don't have any iDevice, the first thing you need to decide is whether to supply an Apple ID. If you don't have one, you need to create one for buying Music, Apps, Books and other contents from App store. Absolutely, you also can skip this step by tapping on Skip This Step link on the bottom of the screen, and add or create an ID from the Settings App latter. But you can't purchase anything from iTunes store or set up iCloud until you adding your Apple ID.

Even if you already have an iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, you still can set your iPad as new, and then use AnyTrans to clone contents from your old iDevice to new iPhone.

4) Move Data from Android

Apple developed an App named Move to iOS to help Android users to transfer data to new iPhone 6/6s or iPhone SE just like iDevice users. If you are working with an Android smartphone and getting a new iPhone 6/6s/SE, before transferring data to your iDevice, here are several things you need to do:

  • Check if your Android smartphone is installed with Android 4.0, if not, upgrade it.
  • Download and install Move to iOS App on your Android device.
  • Ensure both of your iPhone and Android smartphone can get access to a Wi-Fi network.
  • Plug both of your iPhone and Android device into power source.
  • Make sure the contents (including those on your external Micro SD card) you plan to move will fit on your new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6s.
  • If the Chrome bookmarks are also in the to-transfer list, you need to update the Chrome to the latest version on your Android smartphone.

And then follow steps below to transfer data from Android to new iPhone 6 or iPhone 6s:

Select Move Data from Android > Open Move to iOS App on your Android device > Tap on Continue > Read terms and conditions and click Agree to continue > Tap on Next in the top-right corner of the Find Your Code screen > Wait for a ten-digit code to appear on your new iPhone > Enter the code on your Android device and wait for the Transfer Data screen to appear > On your Android phone select the contents you want to transfer and tap on Next > Wait for the process to complete and tap on Done on your Android device after the loading bar finishes on your iDevice. And then you can continue to remaining setup.

Read Full Guide: 4 ways to Transfer Data to iPhone 6/6s (Plus) from Android >

During activating your new iPhone 6/6s/SE, once you choose to restore it from iTunes or iCloud backup, all the contents stored in iTunes or iCloud backup will be restored to your new iPhone. Therefore, if you just want to move some specific data like Contacts, Messages, etc. from old iDevice to new iPhone, you can set up your iPhone as new iPhone and then use iMobie AnyTrans to extract what you want from iTunes or iCloud backup to your iPhone, or transfer data to your new iPhone from old iDevice directly.

AnyTrans supports extracting many types of iOS contents from iTunes and iCloud backup, such as, Photos, Videos, Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Safari Bookmarks, Messages, Call History, Apps and Voice Mail are in the AnyTrans' supportable list. About how to extract some specific type of iPhone data from iTunes or iCloud data, or how to transfer contents between two iDevices, please visit AnyTrans Support Centre.

6. Final steps

Once you have restored your iPhone 6/6s (Plus)/SE or set up it as new iPhone, you have a few more steps to follow as below:

Use iCloud or Don't Use iCloud

Use iCloud or Don't Use iCloud

1) Set up a network connection and then sign in with your Apple ID. You need to agree to the terms and conditions and tap on Agree twice.

2) Decide whether to use iCloud or not. If you choose to not use iCloud now, you also can add iCloud account in Settings App latter.

we strongly recommend you should enable iCloud backup on, or you can't back up your iOS contents and important settings to your iCloud account, and also can't restore your device via Wi-Fi network when your computer is not at hand.

3) If you choose to use iCloud, and Find My iPhone feature will be enabled automatically, you just need to tap on Next button to enter the next page.

How to Set Up New iPhone 6/6s – Set Up iCloud Drive

How to Set Up New iPhone 6/6s – Set Up iCloud Drive

4) Pick up the phone number or email addresses that can be used to contact you via iMessages and Face Time.

5) Set up iCloud Drive.

Just set it up by following the screen prompt, except note that iCloud Drive only work compatible with Mac OS X 10.10 and latter (For Mac users). So if your Mac is still running an old Mac OS X version, upgrade to the latest Mac OS X El Capitan firstly.

If you are Windows user, and your computer is working with Windows 7 or latter, you just tap on Upgrade to iCloud Drive. Then download the latest version of iCloud Control Panel, and just set it up on your computer.

Standard and Zoomed Display

Standard and Zoomed Display

6) Place your finger or thumb on the Home Button to set up Touch ID or choose set up latter.

7) Create a passcode.

8) Set up iCloud Keychain.

9) Use Siri or not.

10) Choose send Diagnostics automatically or not.

11) Choose how you would like to view iPhone as Standard or Zoomed.

As iPhone 6/6s (Plus) is fitted with larger screens than their past brethren, so they are added an new feature called display Zoom that scales up the pixels on your device to make everything (like text, touch targets, buttons, and keyword) bigger. You can opt to turn on it during the setup process.

12) Tap on Get Started on Welcome Page to enter Home screen.

Because iOS 9 add a new hidden function named Wi-Fi Assist, which will use cellular data automatically when the Wi-Fi connectivity is poor. Therefore, after setting up your iPhone 6/6s/SE, and activated it successfully, please go to Settings > Cellular, and ensure the Wi-Fi Assist is off, or it will make you pay for high phone bills.

As you can see, it is easy enough to get started with your iPhone 6/6s (Plus)/SE with the help of this detailed how-to-do list. But it is far enough to make your new iPhone work efficiently and offer you better service like, you need to transfer your data to your new device, such as, Music, Photos, Contacts, Messages, Videos, and other contents are not included in iTunes or iCloud backup. Here are several related articles you need to read below:

How to Put Music on iPhone 6/6s Directly >

How to Transfer Photos from iPhone to iPhone Directly >

How to Transfer Ringtones from One iPhone to Another >

How to Transfer Text Messages from iPhone to New iPhone 6/6s >

How to Transfer Contacts from Old iPhone to New iPhone >

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