Graduation Gift Phone? A Set-Up Checklist

A graduation phone is a different kind of gift

A phone for a grad usually has to last through a big change: college or university, a first job, maybe moving out or travelling. That means the set-up matters as much as the phone. This checklist helps you hand it over ready for that next chapter, whether it's brand new or a carefully chosen used model.

If you're buying used or refurbished, read our used phone buying guide first. It covers how to check battery health, activation locks and carrier locks before you pay.

Before you wrap it

1. Confirm it's unlocked. In Canada, new phones have been sold unlocked since December 2017, and carriers must unlock older phones free on request under the CRTC Wireless Code. An unlocked phone makes it easy to change plans or use a local SIM or eSIM when travelling. If it isn't, see phone unlocking in Ontario.
2. Add a case and screen protector now. Don't leave it to the grad. A case with raised edges and a tempered glass protector are simple protection that heads off a lot of repairs, and the first weeks of a new routine are when drops happen.
3. Update the software. Install the latest iOS or Android update before handing it over so the first day isn't spent waiting.
4. Leave the box sealed if you can. Many grads like doing the first set-up themselves. If you open it, sign out of any account you used to test it.

Accounts: make them the grad's own

This is the step families most often get wrong. A grad phone should run on the grad's own Apple Account or Google Account, with recovery details they control.

• Recovery email and phone number should be the grad's, not a parent's. A parent can be added as a backup contact.
• Family Sharing or Google Family groups are fine for shared subscriptions, but remove any screen time limits or content restrictions set up when they were younger.
• Passcode: set a strong one and make sure they'll remember it. Losing the passcode on a locked phone is a hard problem to solve.

Backups that run without thinking about it

A grad's phone will hold years of photos, school files and contacts. Turn on automatic backup on day one:

• iPhone: Settings › [your name] › iCloud › iCloud Backup, and turn on iCloud Photos if there's enough storage.
• Android: turn on Google backup in Settings › System › Backup (wording varies by brand) and backup in Google Photos.

Free cloud storage fills up quickly. If they'll be shooting lots of photos and video, a paid storage plan or a regular copy to a laptop is worth discussing.

Find My, Find Hub and a lost-phone plan

On an iPhone, make sure Find My is on. On Android, Google's Find Hub (formerly Find My Device) should be on in settings. Then walk through the basics together:

• How to locate, lock or erase the phone from another device or a browser.
• Where the phone's serial number or IMEI is written down.
• Who to call first if it's lost or stolen: the carrier, then a parent.

Two-factor authentication without lock-outs

A new phone is the moment to sort out two-factor authentication (2FA) for banking, school and social accounts. Turn it on, but also:

• Save backup codes somewhere safe that isn't the phone itself.
• If using an authenticator app, make sure codes are backed up or synced, so they move to the next phone.
• Add a trusted phone number that will still work if this phone is lost.

Picking a plan as a student

Many grads move from a family plan to their own for the first time. A few things to weigh, without getting into specific carriers:

• Bring your own phone (BYOP) plans are usually simpler when the phone is already paid for and unlocked.
• Data needs: residence and campus Wi-Fi can cut data use a lot. Check a month of usage before picking a plan size.
• Keeping their number: they can usually move (port) it from a family account to their own. Ask the new provider before cancelling anything.
• Travel: if a gap year or exchange is likely, check eSIM support and roaming options now.
• Contract length: a short commitment is easier if they'll move cities.

Quick hand-over checklist

• Case and protector on
• Software updated
• Unlocked
• Own account and recovery details
• Automatic backup on
• Find My or Find Hub on
• 2FA backup codes saved
• Emergency contact or medical info added

Need a hand?

If the grad's old phone needs a battery or screen before it's passed down, or a used gift phone needs a fix, Woman Wireless On The Go can help at your home, wherever you are in our service area. A certified woman technician comes to you and repairs it on the spot. Call or WhatsApp (365) 351-4247 for a free quote first, or see our cell phone repair page and book online.

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