If you’ve got a shiny new iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus, and can’t wait to use it, here’s our guide on how to set it up, configure it, install the best apps and games, and learn about all its features.
#1. Transfer data from your old phone
Getting your data from your previous phone to your new iPhone is one of the most important tasks in order to take advantage of the iPhone. Here are our detailed guides to migrate your data depending on which phone you owned previously:
- How to transfer data from your old iPhone to your new iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus
- Transfer Data from an Android phone to iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus
- Transfer Data from Windows Phone to iPhone
#2. Setting up your new iPhone
We’ve posted a detailed step-by-step walkthrough of the things you need to do when you switch-on your iPhone for the first time.
#3. Configure Touch ID fingerprint sensor
The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus home button also acts as a fingerprint sensor, called Touch ID, that you can use to quickly unlock your phone, and make iTunes purchases. You’ll however, have to set up Touch ID first, by following these instructions if you haven’t set it up during the initial setup process.
#4. Set up “Hey Siri”
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus both support always-on “Hey Siri” features, which means that you can use the Hey Siri feature without connecting your device to a power source.
Since the new iPhones will be constantly “listening” for that command, Apple doesn’t want more false triggers than necessary. So iOS 9 includes a new setup process for “Hey Siri, which will give Siri a more informed understanding of your voice, in an effort to decrease the amount of times she thinks you’re saying ‘Hey Siri’ when you’re really saying “hot cereal.” Follow our guide to set up “Hey Siri” on your iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.
➤ How to set up ‘Hey Siri’ on iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in iOS 9
#5. Select the resolution with Display Zoom
Home screen in Standard mode vs Home screen in Zoomed mode on iPhone 6s Plus
iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the new higher resolution iPhones come with a new feature called Display Zoom. You will be prompted to configure this feature when you set up your iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus for the first time. You can also configure or change the settings via the Settings app by navigating to Settings > Display & Brightness > View. You have the option to set it as either Standard or Zoomed.
In the standard mode, the iPhone 6s Plus runs at 2208 x 1242 pixel resolution, which at 3x resolution works out to 736 × 414 points. In the standard mode, the iPhone 6s runs at 1334 × 750 pixel resolution, which at 3x resolution works out to 667 × 375 points.
In zoomed mode, the iPhone 6s Plus acts like a virtual iPhone 6s display, but running at 3x retina resolution, which works out to 2001 × 1125 (virtual) pixels. Here are some screenshots which give a good idea of the difference between the zoomed and standard mode on the iPhone 6s Plus. In zoomed mode, the iPhone 6s acts like a virtual iPhone 5s display but running at 2x retina resolution, which works out to 1136 × 640 pixels.
So the zoomed mode makes each iPhone show the same UI as the standard mode of the next smaller iPhone (eg. iPhone 6s in case of the iPhone 6s Plus, and iPhone 5s/iPhone 5c/iPhone 5 in case of iPhone 6s). It basically means that instead of seeing more content, the content will be larger, which is great for people who want to see slightly larger text, app icons, text labels and user interface elements. I just went with the standard mode. Follow our guide to find out how to use Display Zoom.
➤ How to use Display Zoom on your iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus
#6. Setup Apple Pay
Along with Touch ID, the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus have a feature called Apple Pay, Apple’s mobile payment service, that lets you pay retailers and online stores with your iPhone instead of your credit card. Apple Pay works only in the US currently, and you can find instructions on how to set it up by following this link.
#7. Install apps
iOS is known for its great app ecosystem, which has over a million apps listed on the App Store. Here are some of our favorite apps you should install after you’ve set up your iPhone to make the most of your device:
- The best free apps for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus
- The best paid apps for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus
#8. Get to know the new iOS 9 features
The iPhone comes preinstalled with iOS 9. Right now, the latest public version of iOS is iOS 9.0.1. You can check if you’re on the latest version by opening the Settings app and navigating to General > About > Version. If you’re not, you can update by going to Settings > General > Software Update.
iOS 9 comes with a ton of new features, the most notable of which are:
- Proactive brings intelligent search and smart Siri to iOS
- Improved Battery life and the all-new Low Power mode
- Transit directions and Nearby recommendations added to Maps
- All-new Notes App
- Improved security with 6-digit passcodes and native two-factor authentication
- Save or add any type of attachment in the Mail app
You can also check out the following posts to ensure you haven’t missed any of the new features and improvements.
- iOS 9 features: All the new and hidden features
- The 20 new settings in iOS 9 that you should know
- A look at the 23 UI changes in iOS 9 you may have missed
- All the new gestures that you should master in iOS 9
- Top 25 iOS 9 Tips and Tricks
Here’s a complete guide on how to use the new features in iOS 9:
#9. iPhone tips and Tricks
If you’re new to the world of iOS then here are some tips and tricks you should know to use your shiny new device, including tips on how to extend your iPhone’s battery life.
#10. Buy the Best Accessories
If you haven’t bought a case or a dock for your iPhone yet, then check out our favorite cases and docks for it.
- The Best iPhone 6s Cases
- The Best iPhone 6s Plus Cases
- The Best Rugged cases for iPhone 6s
- The Best Rugged cases for iPhone 6s Plus
- The Best iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus docks
Let us know what you think of the iPhone 6s or iPhone 6s Plus in the comments.
