Are you rocking a new Android phone? Not sure what to do with it (other than show it off to all those die-hard Apple fans you know)?


Android phones aren’t quite as easy to use as some other phones on the market from the start. But, don’t worry, as soon as your phone is optimized and set up to suit your preferences, your Android phone will be impossible to live without.


Here’s what you need to do now.

First, Get to Know Google

Google is the mastermind behind Android. So, it only makes sense that you must set up a Google account before using your new phone. The good news is that setting up a Google account is really quite easy. The better news is that if you already use Gmail, all of your account information will be saved and ready to roll. Are you completely new to Google? That’s okay too.

To set up a new Google account, simply follow the instructions that your phone will clearly map out – however, you may find the process slightly frustrating at first. Why? Gmail is one of the most popular email applications available. That means that nearly every Gmail handle you can think of has probably already been taken. Unless you have a very unusual name, you can probably count that out. Fear not, though, there are ways to get the email handle you want, just take your time and be creative.

Do you want to use a second email address? No problem; Google allows you to set up more than one email option, just go through the provided setup. Once you set up your Gmail account, you will automatically be logged into Google Plus (love it or leave it), and various other Google engineered programs. From there, you can continue to set up your Android phone.

Next, Connect to WiFi

WiFi is what you want to use whenever you can. To set up WiFi on your Android phone, hold down the Settings button, choose Wireless, and then follow the WiFi setup steps (you will need your personal WiFi password and information).

Where Are the Apps At?

Google offers an abundance of apps for Android users. All of the Google apps that you have access to are neatly tucked away inside of your Google Play store. You can find Google Play by looking at the pre-loaded apps on your phone. Your phone might have come with some pre-loaded apps too. If you don’t want to keep all of those pre-loaded options, you can easily change anything you don’t like by tapping the Google Play button and selecting the My Apps button. More likely than not, some pre-loaded apps will need to be updated right away, so go ahead and update all that appeal to you.

It’s also possible to update any of your Android apps from a desktop. To adjust apps when you’re sitting at your computer, simply log into your Gmail account. From there, you can adjust to your heart’s content, and all changes will be saved to your phone. That’s really all you need to know in order to start using your Android phone. Once you’ve set up your Google account, apps, and personal settings, you can show everyone how superior your new phone is to, um, phones that don’t offer so many options.