Best Practice
Please refer to the Disclaimer Page: www.loveyouriphone.com/disclaimer
I visited the Apple Store recently and one of their representatives asked me to emphasise at least two things which will make your life and theirs easier.
The first is to turn on Backup to iCloud and the second is to accept and install all the Updates as they become available.
I have therefore extracted these sections together with some more that will make you more secure with your iPhone. I have also pointed to the sections describing Protection of the iPhone and setting robust Passwords and ensuring that you can always find them.
Below you will see a summary of these topics. Complete instructions can be found in the sections marked in purple.
The full details of the topics below are found in the section:
Starting to Use Your iPhone
Backup with iCloud
iCloud is the service from Apple that securely stores your photos, files, notes, passwords, and other data in the ‘cloud’ and keeps it up to date across all your devices, automatically.
You are entitled to 5GB free of charge and are able to purchase more if you fill it up. You will need to pay for more space if you save a lot of photos and videos and if you are saving document files.
This can include your Contacts, Calendar, Files, Notes, Reminders, Messages, Photos and many other important pieces of information. If you have other Apple devices such as iPad and Apple Mac they will all be able to access your iCloud data.
Make sure that they are all set to ON.
If you lose your phone or upgrade it to a more current model you can re-instate all your precious information.
Lose your iPhone Never Lose the Data
Backing up to iCloud means that in the event that you lose your iPhone you can re-instate it as soon as you obtain a replacement.Update to latest Version
Always accept and install the latest Update of the IOS software. Apple is always making improvements and also dealing with problems and issues that it becomes aware of. Often when you experience a problem with the iPhone it can be easily corrected by running the latest Update.
When you try to update that your iPhone does not have enough space for the new programme. If this happens you need to go to Settings > General > iPhone Storage
This will display details of all the items that are currently being stored on the phone. In most cases you will not need to keep them. Review your Downloaded Videos and Audio and swipe left to delete each item in turn.
Updating Apps
You can update your Apps from the App Store. This should be done regularly as Apps are constantly being updated to improve them.
Clear Apps that you are not using
There is no point in retaining Apps that you are not using as they will clutter up your Home Screen.
Protecting your iPhone
Buy a good quality case to protect the phone. The glass is much less likely to break or crack if you drop the phone on the floor.
Also you can buy screen protectors which are clear strips of tempered glass. These can be purchased online from Amazon or any Computer store.
With both of the above you will be protected against breakages and scratches – get them at the same time as you buy the phone NOT after you have damaged it by accident.
Protecting yourself when out and about
You are carrying a very valuable and expensive piece of equipment and for this reason need to be aware that it is attractive to thieves. You should not walk around in the street with your iPhone on display.
For this reason you should buy something like a cross body bag that you can tuck into your clothing. There are some very attractive options on Amazon and Etsy and some also have spaces for credit cards and money.
Another good plan is to get some wireless earbuds. Once connected to your phone you can both hear the phone silently and also talk to other people using the Phone. This way, if you are using your iPhone to direct you to a destination or making a phone call - you are not holding the phone out for a potential thief to see.
The full details of the topics below are found in the section:
Passwords and Security
Find My iPhone
This useful feature will help you to locate your phone in the event that you misplace it. It generally turns on automatically – do not turn it off – but check to see that it is on. It is so easy to put your phone down somewhere that it can’t be seen or for it to fall between some furniture or cushions. Don’t wait until you lose your phone to set it up.
Set up Sharing with Family
You can set up a Sharing Group with members of your family or friends who can help you to find your lost iPhone.
Select Family from Find My and choose from the list of contacts.
You have a choice as to whether this is a temporary share or indefinite.Mark iPhone as Lost
If there is going to be a delay in collecting your iPhone you can choose Mark as Lost.
This will temporarily lock the phone and display a message on the screen with your contact number such as “call me on this number if you have found my phone”.
This only works if the phone is connected to the Internet.
Erase all my Data
If you think your phone is completely lost you can choose Erase this Device.
You can still track your phone and if you do find it you can restore it from a previously saved iCloud Backup.
Share your Location
You can use this to share your location with family and friends this can be extremely useful from a safety point of view.
Air Tags
These are extremely useful devices to help you find your possessions.
Attach one to your keys, slip another in your backpack or wallet. Then they are on your radar in the Find My App.
Attach one to your Dog for peace of mind when you let it off the leash in the park.
Insure the iPhone
Take out insurance against loss, theft or damage as soon as you buy it. This is a valuable piece of equipment and you will need to replace it quickly if anything happens to it.
The full details of the topics below are found in the section:
Passwords and Security Privacy and Security
There are many ways to ensure that no-one can view the details on your iPhone other than you.
You must always set Passcode to wake up the phone and to open any App that contains private information.
There are several robust methods which include a unique number or mixed number and alphabetical characters and special characters.
In the event that you lose your phone or it is stolen – as long as you have set up Find My Phone properly you can wipe the data from your phone remotely.
If you make proper use of iCloud you can restore all of your phone’s data to a new one.
Face ID
By just looking directly at your iPhone screen, Face ID securely unlocks it.
It can be used to authorise purchases using Apple Pay, open your Bank App, WhatsApp and many other Apps where extra security is required.
KeyChain
This is an Apple feature that enables you to save all of your passwords to a single location Settings > Passwords. You assign one password to open this and it means that you do not have to remember all of the passwords you have set.
Account Recovery Contact
Protect yourself from losing access to your Photos, Contacts, and other Passwords by designating an Account Recovery Contact.