How to set up an Android tablet

Needless to say, the very moment you pick up your first Android tablet is unforgettable! However, do not think that you will never learn how to use it. In fact, everything is very simple - both in terms of working with Android devices in general, and in terms of setting them up.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Initial setup

Step 1. Take your tablet out of the box

Before turning on, you need to get out of the box both the tablet itself and all the accessories and documentation that come with it.

• If you bought a new tablet, then in the kit you will most likely receive a USB cable, charger, user manual, warranty card, and, in fact, the tablet itself (and the box).

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• This user manual is a must-read to give you an overview of what you bought and how it all works.

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Step 2. Charge your tablet

Yes, there is a chance that there is still some kind of charge in the battery of your new tablet, but it is better not to risk it and charge the device to its fullest.

• The charging process is trivial: take a USB cable, connect it to the tablet, connect the charger to the other end of the cable, and then plug it into an outlet, into an outlet. However, it is also possible to use a computer (then, do not connect a charger), but only if the computer's motherboard supports USB charging.

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• If you do not quite clearly understand which of all these terrible words corresponds to which of the devices out of the box, read the user manual.

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Step 3. Turn on your tablet

After charging it to the maximum, turn on the device by pressing the “On” button. This button will be physical, you will have to press it for about 3 seconds or until a welcome message appears on the screen.

• Chances are, your Android tablet has two physical buttons on the side. The one that is more authentic is the “volume rocker”. The smaller one is the on and off button.

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Part 2 of 5: Configuration Process at Startup

Step 1. Select a language

When you turn on your tablet for the first time, you will need to complete the initial setup (startup setup) process first. And first of all, you will need to select the interface language from the list. The list, if anything, scrolls with a graceful flick of your finger. Choose a language that you understand well enough.

Click “Next” when done

Step 2. Select your Wi-Fi network

Next, local Wi-Fi networks will be displayed on the screen. You, accordingly, will need to choose yours from them. If your network is not in the list, move the device closer to the router and press the “Refresh list” on-screen button.

• When your network appears in the list, tap it with your finger.
• If your Wi-Fi network is password protected, you will need to enter the password when connecting to it.

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• After entering the password for your Wi-Fi network, click on the "Continue" button to connect to it.

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Step 3. Wait until the tablet connects to the network

While this is happening, a dummy window will be shown on the screen, symbolizing the connection process. And the plug is for that and the plug is that while the tablet is connected to the network, you will not be able to work with it. Just put it aside for a minute or two.

Your tablet will display a notification that it did manage to connect to the network, after which you will need to click the "Next" button to proceed to the next step

Step 4. Work with the Google GPS settings

Next, you will need to decide for yourself a difficult, almost moral question - should you allow Google services and applications to use your Wi-Fi network to determine your location? There will be two options that are related to this question. As it is not difficult to guess, there are few options - either allow or prohibit.

• The first option: applications based on GPS tracking (the same Google Maps) will be able to find your location and mark it on the map.
• The second option is to use your location data to modify Google search results.
• Both options will be selected (these are the default settings), but they can be disabled manually by dragging the respective sliders to the appropriate positions. When you're done with this setup, click Next.

Step 5. Configure the time and date settings

Now you need to work with the calendar! After specifying the time and date, you can sleep soundly - the tablet will not get lost even when you turn it off.

• You can select the time zone from the drop-down list under the heading. In addition, you can manually change the value of the fields "Day", "Month", "Year", "Hour", "Minutes" and other settings.
• When you're done with this setup, click Next.

Step 6. Set up access to your Google account

Since Android was created by Google, most of the functionality available to Android users will require a Google account. Accordingly, you will need to either enter the credentials of your existing account, or create a new one.

• You can, of course, skip this step by clicking on the corresponding button, but it is better not to do this, especially if you plan to use the Google Store and other important Android functions.
• When you're done with this setup, click Next.

Step 7. Enter your Gmail email address and password

By clicking on "Next" in the previous step, you will see a window asking you to enter your email address and password from it. If you have a Gmail, YouTube, or Google+ account, then you already have a Google account. In this case, all that is required of you is to enter the email address and the password that you enter in order to use the above services.

• If you don't have a Google account, you can always create one by clicking on the corresponding link.
• When you have finished entering your credentials, you will see the dummy screen again. Don't worry, the tablet is connecting to Google servers at this time.

Step 8. Configure backup and restore options

Once you've “linked” your tablet to your account, you'll see a screen asking if you want to proceed to setting up your backup and restore options. You want, if that. Again, you will see two options that can be turned on or off. True, they are already included … and, frankly, let them remain on.

When these options are enabled, you can download settings and apps from another Android device connected to your Google account, or create a copy of your settings and apps that you can use in the future on any Android device

Part 3 of 5: Add Widgets and Apps to the Desktop

Step 1. Look at the desktop

So, you set up the tablet for work, now you need to set it up for yourself! What do you have? You have a desktop that you will visit most often, which will appear whenever you unlock the device or just turn it on when you exit applications, and so on.

Well, since the desktop will appear in the field of view quite often, it makes sense to set it up - "customize". This is achieved by adding various widgets to the desktop that can show you the weather, time, and so on

Step 2. Add widgets

To add a widget, you need to click on the "+" button, which is located at the top of the desktop. By clicking on the button, a list of widgets available for adding will open. The choice of widgets is great, they solve a lot of tasks - in general, choose!

To add a widget, simply click on it to select it. With the widget highlighted, press on it with your finger and, without releasing your finger, drag the widget to the desktop

Step 3. Add applications

Application shortcuts are dragged to the desktop in the same way as widgets. Where is the list of apps? Next to the widgets button there will be an “Applications” button - in the same place, at the top of the desktop.

By clicking on the "Applications" button, you will open a whole page full of shortcuts. Scroll down the page, select the apps you want and add them

Part 4 of 5: Downloading New Applications

Step 1. Launch Google Play

Android tablets would not be themselves without applications - small programs with different functionality that are launched by the user. Where can I get such applications? On the Google Play Store! There you will find all sorts of applications for Android, including even the newest and most popular.

• By default, you will have a “Play Store” icon on your tablet desktop (a white bag with a blue-red triangle on it). Clicking on this shortcut will take you to the Google Play Store.

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• If you don't have such an icon on your desktop, you can always add it from the Applications menu. Just find the Google Store shortcut in the list of installed applications on your tablet, click on it and drag it to the desktop. However, if you don't want to drag it, it doesn't matter, the shortcut from the menu will work fine too.

Step 2. Get familiar with the Play Store interface

Going to the Play Store, you will see the start screen, and on it there are several buttons. At the top right there will be a search button, on the left there will be a “Play Store” button, and below there are several (most likely 6) colored and clickable banners.

• The search button activates the search form, which will allow you to search for applications with much more convenience.

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• The “Google Play” button opens your profile, where you can find out which applications have already been downloaded, look at the list of desired applications, and change some settings.

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• Clickable buttons are named after the type of application categories that you can access by clicking on them: applications, games, movies and TV, music, books, news. However, there is every chance that you will only use the first two. By clicking on any button, you will be taken to a page with a list of the newest and most popular applications in the corresponding category. However, you can always switch to viewing the entire contents of the section.

Step 3. Download the app

To download an application, you just need to go to the application page by clicking on its icon, and then navigate on the spot and click the “Download” or “Buy” button.

When the application is downloaded and installed, you can launch it from the Applications menu or simply from the desktop

Part 5 of 5: Using the preinstalled apps

There are thousands of apps in the Google Store, it's true. However, in order to more or less get used to working in the Android OS, you need far fewer applications that perform the most basic functions. These applications are likely to be preinstalled, and we are going to tell you about them now.

Step 1. Internet

Perhaps the most important of the applications. Even though you can download other browsers, you will still download them from the pre-installed Internet application.

• You can find this application in the same place as the others - in the Applications menu. You need to look for an icon with the name “Browser” or “Internet”. Click on the icon when you find it - this is how you launch it.
• This application works in the same way as a browser on a regular computer. There is an address bar and everything else.
• It even has tabs, allowing you to keep multiple sites open at once. By clicking on the button located in the upper-right corner of the window, you will see all your open tabs at once.
• The exact browser depends on the manufacturer of the tablet. However, in general, everything will be the same.

Step 2. Music

If you have music on your tablet, the “Play Music” app will automatically recognize it. Access to this application - in the same way, through the "Applications" menu, launch - in the same way.

• When you launch the Play Music app, you will notice that it is suspiciously very similar in interface to the Play Store. At least the search and profile buttons at the top will be almost the same. Just below the top row of buttons, a list of the albums you have (in the form of a tile) will be displayed.

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• To play music from an album, just click on the corresponding tile. If you miss a bit and click on the three gray dots lined up in a vertical line, you have access to additional options.