Android tablets have come a long way over the last few years, and now offer as many features as the industry-leading iPad. In some cases, your Android tablet will be able to do things that the iPad can't,. Getting started with your Android tablet can be a bit daunting, but once you've logged in with a Google account, things start to become much clearer. With Android's massive app library, there's not much it can't do.
Steps
Unboxing and Charging
Unbox the tablet. When you first get your tablet, you'll need to perform a few actions before the device is ready to be turned on. The first step to setting up any new Android tablet is to unbox the device and assess what items and equipment have been bundled with it.
If you have purchased a new tablet, you'll typically find a USB cable, a wall charger, a user manual, a warranty card, and the tablet itself within the box.
Make sure to locate the user manual and read through it so you can familiarize yourself with the equipment and the tablet's basic functions.
Charge your Android tablet. While it's possible that your Android tablet will already come with enough charge to be powered on right out of the box, it is recommended to give it a full charge before first using it.
To charge your Android tablet, plug the included USB cable into the wall charger or into a USB port on your computer. Plug the other end into the Micro USB port on the bottom of the tablet. The tablet will generally charge quicker if it is plugged into the wall.
If you are unsure what cable is the charging cable, locate your user manual and read through the contents page.
Turn on the Android tablet. Once you've fully charged the device, turn it on by holding down the "Power" button for around three seconds. Keep it pressed until the screen displays a message.
Your Android tablet will typically have two different physical buttons on the top or right side. The elongated button is the volume control while the smaller button is the Power/Sleep button.
Performing the Initial Setup
Select your language. Once you have your tablet on for the first time, you will need to follow a series of steps to get it set up. The first section of the start-up process will require you to choose a language out of a list of languages. Swipe your finger through the list, or tap the drop-down menu to select your language.
Tap "Next" when you're done.
Note that these exact instructions will vary depending on the tablet you are setting up. Different models and manufacturers have different setup processes.
Select your Wi-Fi network. After selecting your language, a list of Wi-Fi networks in range will usually be displayed on the screen. You will need to find your own Wi-Fi network on the page. If your network is not appearing, move closer to your router, and press the "Refresh List" button on the screen.
Tap the network you want to connect to. If the network is secured, you will be prompted to enter the password before you can connect. Use the on-screen keyboard that appears to enter the password.
After you have entered your Wi-Fi password, tap "Continue" button to connect.
See this guide for more details on connecting to a wireless network.
Set your date and time settings. This should usually be detected automatically, but you can make adjustments if the date and time was not set correctly by the tablet. Tap "Next" to continue.
Agree to the license terms. You will usually be prompted to read and agree to the terms and conditions of your tablet. Read the terms to see what you can and cannot do with your tablet according to the manufacturer. Tap "Next" to continue.
Sign in with your Google account. Because Android has been created by Google, a lot of the core Android experiences, such as the Google Play store and Gmail integration, require you to log in with a Google account. At this point, your Android tablet will ask you to sign into a pre-existing Google account or to create a new one. After entering in your account information, the sign in process may take a few minutes.
You can skip signing in with your Google account, but you will lose access to much of your tablet's functionality. Your tablet will allow you to create a Google account, or you can make one online.
Some tablets, like the Samsung Galaxy, will also ask you to sign in with their account as well. This can provide you access to manufacturer-specific services, such as backup programs. Like a Google account, these manufacturer accounts are free.
If you have a Gmail, a YouTube account, or a Google+ profile, you will already have a Google account.
Choose your backup settings. After you have signed in, you will be asked to set your backup and restore preferences. You can restore your Google settings to your new tablet, which is very useful if you already have another Android device. You can also set your tablet to automatically backup to your Google Account, allowing you to easily restore or transfer your settings in the future.
Set your location settings. The next screen will ask you to set your location preferences. Enabling Wi-Fi location will allow apps to find your approximate location based on your Wi-Fi connection. You can also enable GPS location tracking for more precise locations. This is very useful for Google Maps.
Sign into other services. Some tablets come bundled with other services that may ask you to sign in now. For example, many Samsung Galaxy tablets come with free Dropbox storage, which requires you to create an account. Different tablets will have different bundled offers, and you aren't required to use any of them.
Name your device. The last step of setting up your tablet is typically naming your device. This is the name that will appear when your device is connected to a network, or when you manage your device online.
Getting Familiar With the Interface
Navigate the Home screen. The Home screen is your main screen for your tablet. It contains apps and widgets, which are miniature apps that run directly on your screen (weather or a clock, for example). You can move between Home screens by swiping to the left and right.
Add and remove apps to your Home screen. There will be several apps already present on the Home screen. You can move the apps around by pressing and holding on the app icons. If you want to add more apps from your list of installed apps, tap the "Apps" button to open the App Drawer. Press and hold any app on the list to move it to your Home screen.
To remove an app from your Home screen, press and hold the app icon and then drag it to the trash can that appears at the top of the screen. This will only remove the app from the Home screen, bot uninstall it.
Open the Settings menu. Tap the Settings icon on your Home screen or App Drawer to open the Settings menu. This is where you can adjust all of the settings for your device and accounts.
Run a Google search. Tap the Google search bar to open the Google Search function. You can type in a search using your onscreen keyboard. Google Search will search your device and the internet for anything that matches your search terms.
Open an app. You can run any app that is installed by tapping on the icon. You can run multiple apps at the same time. To switch between open apps, press the Multitask button. This will open a list of all of your open apps, allowing you to quickly switch between them.
Add widgets to your Home screen. Press and hold on a blank space on your Home screen. Select "Widget" from the list, and then browse the list for the widget you want to add. Once you select a widget, choose where on your Home screens you want to place it. Widgets come in a variety of different sizes.
You can add more widgets from the Google Play Store. There are widgets for just about any function you can think of, and are designed to give you quick access to information without having to open an app.
Using Your Tablet's Basic Functions
Check your email. If you signed in with your Google account, your account will automatically be added to the Email app. You can open this app to browse though your email messages. If you have multiple email accounts, you can add them so that all of your email is in one place.
You can also download the Gmail app if you primarily use Gmail for email.
Open Google Search. Swipe up from your Home button to open the Google Search tool. You can enter in your search term into the bar at the top, and cards with information that Google feels will be relevant to you will appear underneath the search bar.
Browse the internet. Depending on the manufacturer of your tablet, you may have an "Internet", "Browser", or "Chrome" app. Both of these will allow you to browse the internet on your tablet. These browsers work much like a web browser on your computer: enter in the address in the bar on the top to visit a website.
If you'd like to access multiple websites at once, tap the button on the top right to open up new tabs. When more than one tab is open, you can press the top-right button again to view all of your open tabs.
Play music. If you have any music on your tablet, the Play Music app will be able to detect it automatically. The Play Music app can be accessed from the App menu just like any other app; just tap on the Play Music icon to open it.
Once you are in the Play Music app, you'll notice that the layout is fairly similar to the Play Store app. At the top, you'll have the same search function and account button. Below the top buttons, you will have a list of all of your albums, all of which will be displayed as tiles on the screen.
Press on each tile to open up the list of music within that tile, or press the three vertically stacked gray dots to access options to add it to a playlist or play it instantly.
The Play Music app will be able to play any songs that you have transferred to your tablet, as well as any music that you purchase from the Google Play Store. You can also sign up for unlimited access to the Google Music library for a monthly fee, similar to Spotify Premium.
If you don't like the Play Music app, you can download other music-streaming apps, such as Spotify, Pandora, or Rhapsody.
Installing New Apps
Open the Google Play Store. This icon should be on your Home screen, and looks like a shopping bag. This will open Google Play store, where you can download apps, games, music, books, movies, and more. By default, the Google Play Store will open to the Apps section.
Browse the top apps. When you first open the store, you will see a variety of featured apps and games. Browse through these to see if any catch your eye.
Look through the categories. You can look through the Top Free, Top Paid, Top Grossing (all-time), and more. These can give you a good idea of what everyone else is using.
Search for an app. Use the search bar at the top of the screen to search for a specific app. Possible results will be displayed as you type each character.
Install an app. Once you've selected an app, you can review the details and see what other people are saying about it. If you decide you want it, you can purchase it (if it costs money) and then download it to your device. Once the app is downloaded and installed, it will appear in your App Drawer and Home screen.
If you want to purchase an app, you will need to have a payment method associated with your Google account, or will need to have redeemed a Google Play gift card.
Install some useful apps. There are tens of thousands of apps that you can choose from, so it can be a little daunting when you're getting started. There are a few types of apps that almost everyone can get some benefit from, and are a good place to get started.
File manager - The Android operating system allows you much more access to its innards than an iPad does. Downloading a File Manager app will allow you to easily see, move, copy, and delete any file on your tablet. "ES File Manager" is one of the most popular and powerful file managers available for Android.
Video streaming - Tablets are great for watching video on the go, so you'll want to get some apps that allow you to do so. Most of these apps require a subscription, but you may already be using these on your other devices. Definitely check out Netflix and Hulu, but there are other video streaming options as well.
Cloud storage - As more and more wok is done in the "cloud", or online, the need for dedicated cloud storage apps has become more prevalent. Since you're using an Android tablet, you'll want Google Drive installed (if it isn't already). This will give you access to your 15 GB of storage, and will also let you create and edit Google Docs, Sheets, and Presentations. Dropbox also has a tablet app that allows you to easily access your stored files.
Web browser - If your tablet came installed with an "Internet" or "Browser" web browser, you may want to consider replacing it with something more powerful. Google Chrome has a very full-featured tablet version that lets you sync all of your bookmarks, logins, and saved passwords with the desktop version. Firefox is also available for Android and will sync with the desktop version as well.
Messaging - Your tablet most likely won't be able to send SMS messages since it doesn't have a cellular signal, but you can install messaging apps that will allow you to chat with anyone, anywhere. Programs like Skype, WhatsApp, Snapchat, and Google Hangouts are all available for Android tablets.
Related wikiHows
How to Use an Android Tablet
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How to Connect Your Android Tablet to Your Wireless Home Network
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