iPhone 5s Setup & Security Guide (Video)

The iPhone 5s arrives with a better camera, a Touch ID fingerprint sensor and the latest iOS 7 software on board offering a collection of new features and security services that will help users do more and keep their iPhone 5s protected.

While the iPhone 5s works right out of the box there are several steps you can take to finish the iPhone 5s setup procedure and make sure the iPhone is good to go.

Read: Best iPhone 5s Cases

Many stores will fly through the iPhone 5s setup process without looking at the options or explaining what is happening, so we’ve slowed it down to share what you need to know in a step by step guide.

If you get the iPhone 5s shipped to you, you will need to go through these steps on your own. The process is straightforward, but if this is the first iPhone you’ve setup, you will learn something new.

iPhone 5s Setup Video

When you turn on the iPhone 5s for the first time it will walk you through the iPhone 5s setup shown in the video below. This includes setting up a pass code, registering Touch ID fingerprints, linking to an Apple ID, turning Find my iPhone on and more. This four-minute iPhone 5s setup video will walk you through the procedure.

Thankfully the iPhone 5s Setup process walks you through many of the previously skipped over options. After this step is done you should have the following important iPhone 5s services setup. If a store employee rushed you, you can configure these with the details below.

Pass Code and Touch ID

We didn’t set up Touch ID when we were in the store because there was a big line of people waiting to get inside and buy an iPhone. Instead we took it home to create our PIN and train four of our fingers to unlock the iPhone 5s.

It’s a great idea to set up Touch ID or a pass code to avoid any worries about  someone getting at your information. Apple is pushing this option heavily during the iPhone 5s setup.

iCloud & Find My iPhone

Again, the main setup should get this going, but if you don’t have Find My iPhone set up you should stop what you are doing and set it up right now. To do that you’ll need to sign into iCloud. If you skipped this while grabbing your iPhone for the first time go to Settings -> iCloud and enter your information and agree to the terms and conditions.

Make sure Find My iPhone is turned on at the bottom of the screen. This will let you wipe data off the iPhone, make a noise if it is lost and locate it on a map. This will also prevent a thief from resetting your iPhone and selling it as a new one.

Location Services

Enable Location Services to let the iPhone monitor your location and pass that data on to apps like Maps, social networking services, weather apps and more, making it easy for your iPhone to deliver results based on your location. We turn this on, but it is a personal choice.

Read: 25 Hidden iOS Features

Diagnostics and Usage

Apple asks users to share Diagnostics and Usage with them, to help improve the iPhone and iOS 7 experience. This is an option that users can opt in or opt out without any real consequences. The information is supposed to be not personally identifiable, but users can make this call based on their gut feeling.

Setup as New, Restore from iCloud or Restore from iTunes

Once you get past the first part of iPhone 5s setup you will need to choose how you want to set up the iPhone. This is especially important if you are coming from a previous iPhone.

Setup as a new iPhone will provide a blank slate for adding apps, accounts and more. this is the only option if the iPhone 5s is your first iPhone, or if you just want to start clean.

If you use iCloud to backup, then this option is for you, as it will deliver your data without plugging in to a computer.

For those of us who still back up to a computer in iTunes this last option is the one to go with. If you aren’t at your computer you can setup as a new iPhone and then choose to restore when you plug it in later that day.

With these quick tips you’ll have your iPhone 5s setup in no time and your data will be secure thanks to Find My iPhone and Touch ID.