Connect with us

Mobile

Top 5 Things to do When You Get Your New iPad 3rd Gen [Setup and Security]

Published

on

You just got your new iPad (3rd Generation) out of the box, and you can’t wait to get started using it.

(Read: New iPad Review – 3rd Gen)

If you want to set up your new iPad right, there are a few things you should do right away to make sure that your new iPad is setup the right way.

(Read: New iPad Warranty and Insurance Options Compared)

The following steps won’t add much time to your new iPad setup, and you’ll have a protected and secure iPad. The only part that could take a significant amount of time is syncing your apps, music and movies.

Setup Your New iPad The Right Way

Find My iPad

Find my iPad is a free tool that can help you locate your iPad if it is lost or stolen. If you lose your iPad, you can track it down or remotely wipe it to prevent someone from gaining access to your personal information. If you have a 4G LTE iPad, it also has GPS, for an even more accurate location.

 

  • To setup Find My iPad, tap the settings icon on your new iPad.
  • Tap on iCloud.
  • Make sure, “Find My iPad” is set to On..
  • If prompted, sign in with your Apple ID.

Now, your iPad can be found if you lose it.

Set Up a Passcode

If you want to keep others from accessing your iPad when you leave it on your desk, or if you lose it, I suggest setting up a Passcode. You can set a simple 4 digit passcode, or a more complex passcode with letters and numbers.

 

New iPad Passcode
  • Tap Settings.
  • Choose Passcode Lock.
  • Tap turn Passcode on.
  • Enter a 4 digit Passcode that you will remember, but not something as simple as 1234.
  • Enter the Passcode a second time to verify.
  • Choose how long you want the iPad to wait before the Passcode turns on and locks the device. (I choose After 15 minutes)
  • When you turn your iPad on next, you will be prompted to enter your Passcode

For added security you turn the Simple Passcode to off, and use a longer password to keep your iPad data safe.

Any passcode is better than nothing, especially if you take your iPad on trips and around town.

Put it In a Case

The new iPad doesn’t look to be significantly more durable than the iPad 2, which is prone to breakage when dropped. Putting a case, even just a Smart Cover, can protect your iPad from drops. Check out the video below, to see what happens when you drop the iPad.

 

(Read: 35 New iPad Cases, Covers and Sleeves)

This step also makes it easier to sell your iPad 3rd generation next year, when Apple introduces the new iPad for 2013.

Sync Your iPad

After you get your iPad turned on and configured as new or restored, you will want to sync with iTunes.

I suggest looking at what you sync, in order to keep enough room free for your Retina apps and 1080P HD iTunes movies.

In iTunes, click on your iPad in the left hand side. Next, you can click on the tabs across the top of the screen to limit the music, movies and other files that sync to your iPad automatically.

Be sure to click save after you make changes.

You can see how much space is available on your iPad at the bottom of your screen, where you can identify which items are taking up the most space.

Set Up Sync over WiFi

iCloud is a great way for some users to backup their iPad to Apple’s servers without plugging into iTunes, but if you have a lot of files, you might run out of space fast.

Also, you may want to sync your iPad from anywhere in your house.

To set this up, you will need to plug your iPad in, but after that you’ll be cord free.

  1. Click on your iPad in the left menu of iTunes
  2. Scroll to the bottom of the settings and check Sync with this iPad over Wi-Fi.

Once this is setup, your iPad will sync to your computer when the computer is on and the iPad is plugged in.

If you have any other questions about how to set up your new iPad, ask questions in the comments below.

 

2 Comments

2 Comments

  1. Pcat099

    03/17/2012 at 1:28 pm

    I have an iPhone 4s and just purchased the new iPad and the data plan from AT&T . I have 4g on my phone but not my iPad

  2. Amanda

    06/02/2012 at 10:04 am

    Thanks for the ideas, just got mine. so excited.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.