If you’re purchasing an iPad for an elderly loved one, whether for the holidays or their birthday, one of the best things you can do is set it up before you give it to them. This makes the process of starting to use it much easier for them.
Preparing the iPad with everything from the settings to the apps can give them a huge jumpstart, make it less intimidating and confusing, and also make the gift so much more exciting for them to receive.
Here are our suggestions for setting up an iPad for the elderly before you wrap it up and give it to them.
As an iPad or iPhone owner yourself, you know that the Home screens of both devices are packed with apps by default. That right there can be a little intimidating to a new user.
One suggestion is to move or delete apps from the Home screen and replace them with the apps your recipient will use and like the most.
Think about what it is that they will likely use the iPad for each day. Maybe they start their day reading the News, checking the Weather, visiting Facebook, checking their Email, and finishing up with their favorite Music. You can easily have only these apps on the Home screen for them.
One option is to delete those you know for absolute certain they will never use and move the others to another screen.
Declutter the Dock
The Dock is an awesome spot for all iOS device users to access the apps they use most often. And again, simplifying this area of the iPad will be a big help to your recipient.
As you may or may not know, by default the Dock displays suggested and recent apps along with those that you park their yourself. To decrease this clutter, disabling the feature would be a good idea. Just follow these steps:
Open the Settings
Tap Multitasking & Dock.
Turn off the toggle for Show Suggested and Recent Apps from green to white.
This will make the Dock handier for the user and less confusing. If you leave the suggested and recent apps setting enabled, your recipient may wonder why certain apps keep popping up in their Dock. So, disabling the feature can make things cleaner and clearer.
Then, add the apps to the Dock that you feel they should have quick access to such as Messages, Facetime, Mail, Weather, and Calendar, as examples.
Adjust the Settings
The iPad has many features that help those who may be hard of hearing or have a visual impairment. These types of features can also be helpful for seniors. Here are a few settings that you can adjust for them right from the start.
Accessibility Options
Open the Settings app and select Accessibility. Then, move through the various options for Vision, Interaction, Hearing, and Media. Here are just a few settings that you may consider adjusting.
VoiceOver: Enabling this feature allows the user to hear items spoken out loud. It will also change the gestures. You can adjust the speed, speech, verbosity, and other settings.
Zoom: Turning on the Zoom will let the user magnify the screen with simple gestures. This makes the screen larger and easier to see.
Magnifer: This feature lets the user magnify an item by triple-clicking the Home button. This can be very handy for those who don’t have their reading glasses nearby.
Increase Contrast: Enabling this option improves readability with color contrast and text changes.
Assistive Touch: If your recipient will be using an accessory or needs a bit of help with the touch screen, this is a good adjustment to make. They can also quickly access Home, Notifications, Siri, and more.
Touch Accommodations: If Assistive Touch is too much, but some touch screen help is needed, this is a smart setting to enable. Once you turn it on, you can adjust how the touch screen responds.
Hearing: If your recipient has a MFi Hearing Device, prefers Mono Audio, or needs a little extra volume boost on either the left or right, you can change these settings under Hearing.
Subtitles & Captioning: Enable this setting for those who are deaf or have a hearing impairment so that they can view subtitles and captions.
Other Options
Additional adjustments you might consider making are in Settings > Display & Brightness
Change the Brightness of the screen or enable Night Shift on a schedule.
Adjust Text Size for apps that support Dynamic Text.
Enable Bold Text if you believe it will help readability.
Prepare Contacts, Messages, FaceTime, and Mail
One excellent way for you to stay in touch with your recipient is with that awesome new iPad you’re giving them. So, make sure that they have an easy way to contact you, their friends, and the rest of the family.
Contacts: This is an easy one. Pop open the Contacts app and enter as much information for as many of your loved one’s contacts as you can. You can also set up a Group so that contacting the whole family or the grandchildren is just a tap away.
Messages: Text messaging is one of the handiest ways to stay in touch with friends and family, so make sure that you enable this feature with Settings > Messages > iMessage (enable slider to green).
You might also enable the Show Contact Photos option so that your recipient can see everyone’s faces in Messages. This can be helpful to the user as well as simply a nice touch for the text messaging experience.
FaceTime: While your recipient can easily start a FaceTime call with a contact once you show them how, you can actually get the app ready to make calls. Take a moment and make a FaceTime call with the iPad to yourself or other contacts your recipient will likely call.
Those recent calls will display in the list until they’re deleted. So, when your loved one uses FaceTime for the first time, they can simply tap the contact in the list of recent to calls to start a brand new call.
Mail: This one might be a bit tougher, but if you happen to have access to or know your recipient’s email account information, you can get the Mail app set up for them.
Create Their Apple ID
If your elderly recipient owns an iPhone, then they most likely have their own Apple ID set up. So, if you have access to the login details, be sure to pop them in so that they are ready to download apps from the App Store themselves.
But, if this is their first iOS device, then you may want to set up the account for them so that you can download apps for them to go with the gift. Just remember to explain the Apple ID and App Store process as well as provide their log in credentials.
Grab Some Apps
Assuming you’re able to download apps for your recipient from the App Store, then it’s time for some fun. Think about the types of apps that they will use and enjoy.
Do they love playing games like Mah Jong, Solitaire, Scrabble, Gin Rummy, or word searches? You can download a few games like these that they can enjoy digitally now. And if you play games like Scrabble together, consider others like Word Chums or Words With Friends, especially if they use Facebook too.
Do they enjoy cooking and looking for new recipes? There are tons of great apps in this category that come without a price tag. Take a look at apps like Big Oven, Yumly, or Epicurious.
Would medication reminders help them? You can find a variety of these types of apps on the app store that can track and remind them to take their medications. Some apps include Mango Health, Round Health, and DrugStars: Medicine Reminder.
Are they a sports fan? Apps like ESPN and CBS Sports cover many different types of sports for those who watch them all. But you can also download those for specific sports like NFL, NBA, and MLB At Bat.
Are they an online shopper? If so, then this category on the App Store is loaded. You can download apps from Amazon to Zappos and everything in between. Department stores, discount stores, pet shops, clothing stores, shoe stores, electronics shops…the list goes on.
These are just some thoughts and suggestions. You know your elderly recipient better than anyone, so download a few apps that you know they’ll appreciate before you give the gift.
Turn On Find My iPad
Find My iPad is not just a handy feature for the user, but for you in this situation as well. You can track the location of the iPad and even enable a setting to send the last location if the battery is critically low.
Open the Settings, select the user’s Apple ID, and then do the following.
Tap iCloud.
Tap Find My iPad.
Enable the setting at the top by moving the slider to green.
Optionally, enable Send Last Location right below.
Simplify and Set Up Backups
Making sure that the device is backed up properly is always a safe bet no matter how old you are or which iOS device you own. So, take a moment to select the apps for the iCloud Backups and make sure the feature is enabled.
Open the Settings, select the user’s Apple ID, and then do the following.
Tap iCloud.
Enable or disable apps that you want to use iCloud.
Scroll down to and tap iCloud Backup.
Enable iCloud Backup by moving the slider to green.
Now, whenever the iPad is locked but connected to power and Wi-Fi, a backup of the data should be captured on a regular basis.
Are You Ready to Gift the iPad?
These are just several suggestions and tips for setting up that iPad for your elderly friend or family member. There are sure to be many more! Do you have suggestions of your own that you’d like to share? If so, feel free to do so in the comments below!
Sandy worked for many years in the IT industry as a project manager, department manager, and PMO Lead. She then decided to follow her dream and now writes about technology full-time. Sandy holds a Bachelors of Science in Information Technology.
She loves technology– specifically – terrific games and apps for iOS, software that makes your life easier, and productivity tools that you can use every day, in both work and home environments.
Her articles have regularly been featured at MakeUseOf, iDownloadBlog and many other leading tech publications.
I have trouble with the keypad. I’m surprised you didn’t say choose the best keypad for them. Changing to different displays is too confusing. I want it all to be there. Is there a keypad on my iPad that would please me?
I gave my Mother 86yrs an ipad several years ago. She lives in Ireland and I am in the USA. Pre Pandemic I could visit a few times a year and update her ipad and fix any problems, like having 50 safari windows open.
Her iMessage and FaceTime stopped working almost a year ago, I suspect she needs to sign back into her iCloud account but she is not technically able to do that. She can see emails in iCloud, but cannot respond.
I too need a way to preload her wifi if I were to set up a new ipad for her. Or I would love an easy to use video service that works on both Apple and Android so we can all see and talk with her. Thank you.
Hi
I was just reading about adding new apps to a new ipad for my dad and saw your comment about your mams ipad , did you get her new ipad set up? It might be worth contacting your mams local parish or the meals on wheels and see if someone could set it up for her. Some of the local gaa’s were doing great stuff for people cocooning doing shopping etc. it might be worth seeing if you could get her some help that way. I am in north co dublin but we are only able to travel 5km for the forseeable
Hi, you can try to assist her via Teamviewer, then you would be able to see her screen and for you to give her guidance in real time.
Did you find a way to solve the 50 safari windows also?
Does it not close the windows after quitting the Safari app?
I’m looking for a way to preset the Wi-Fi to match my Aunt’s Wi-Fi before shipment to her. While the “Other network settings” option allows me to enter her Network Name, Password and Security type, it won’t let me save it as it, as it can’t connect at my house. Other than setting up a Wi-Fi network to mirror hers, is there another way to preset the Wi-Fi for her?
I am setting up an ipad in the US for my grandmother in the UK who is isolated due to COVID and can’t see anyone (she is 88 and diabetic). Two questions 1) since she doesn’t have a smart phone, since her family all have iphones, will imessage still work on the ipad? What about facetime? 2) is there a way to put in her wifi password for her so even though her wifi isn’t accessible here, the ipad will already have the name of the wifi network and password when it arrives, so it recognizes the wifi automatically? Just trying to make this as simple as humanly possible. Thank you for any assistance you can provide!
My mother is in a nursing home and we can’t see each other. I purchased two ipads but she has a flip phone.
I have a Smartphone. I don’t know how to set up her ipad because it only recognizes my Apple ID. WE only
want to FACETIME with her to keep her cognitive awareness involved.
Can you help me? Three weeks and I can’t set her ipad up to receive calls into the contact list. Whatever
you can recommend is greatly appreciated during this most difficult time.
Is there a phone number for tech help I can call?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Recommend you book at appointment at the Genius Bar at your closest Apple store. The staff person I got was really really helpful – we talked through all the features to decide what to turn on and off based on my mother’s specific cognitive and dexterity challenges. He also helped me set up my mother’s iCloud account and use the parent-child control settings so I can do some iPad management on her behalf.
Hi, this is a really great article thanks as I am at this moment setting up an iPad Air 2 for an elderly lady. How do I install apps for her if I don’t know her credit card details please? I don’t want to know these details so there are no risks involved on either side. Can I sign in with my iCloud details and install the apps and then sign out again or does that cause her problems when she uses the apps as they are registered to me? Thanks, Brian
Yes, you can temporarily sign into the iTunes & App Store with your Apple ID and download/install apps using your Apple ID. The main downside is that if she ever deletes one of those apps, she will need to purchase them again–since those apps will not show up as her previous purchases.
Thank you so much for addressing our elderly population.
I am configuring a new iPad for my 100 + year old mother. I am using many of your suggestions from this article.
Her newer iPad will be set up with the apps she uses the most. Our problem with her older iPad was that when she would get a FaceTime call, Skype, or Video chat request she was asked for her passcode.
Is there a way to override the passcode or to let her iPad sleep without needing the passcode to wake up?
She cannot use Touch ID.
After all these years she does not have fingerprints.
Currently, she resides in an Assisted Living environment which is on (COVID-19) lockdown.
I want to make this as easy and seamless as possible for her.
My Mom has embraced technology since the late 1980’s. She downloads digital books, continues to text/video chat, and still has her original AOL account.
Lately, life is a bit more difficult. It is not easy to guide her through technicalities in our current situation. (So sorry for being wordy.)
An additional step for the passcode avoidance with seniors is to disable the IOS automatic updates. Although they are very important, they also cause a lot of issues when the senior has to enter a 6 digit code to get back into the ipad. That is if they are trying their best by following the instructions and donot realize that there is a ‘other options’ choice in both the code and the 2 factor id window. if either is compromised they can quickly be in a situation where they are locked out of the ipad if they do not remember the codes etc. Then it becomes complicated to get that working again and requires Apple assistance and someone on the ipad end to help.
Unfortunately, Apple does not offer a “native” way to share your screen with others. Instead, we need to use third-party tools like Zoom or Skype to share the screen.
Now, I wish these were as easy as FaceTime but they are not.
Skype may be the easiest.
Download the Skype app on both your device and your Father’s iPad. Make sure you set-up a Skype account for him (Microsoft)
Then, open Skype when you are ready to make a call
Initiate a call to your father or vise-versa via the video button
To share your screen, tap the three-dot More button at the bottom of the screen (or ask your father to tap that button to share his screen)
To start screen sharing, tap the button that looks like overlapping squares
In the pop-up, checkmark Skype
Then press Start Broadcasting
It will say Screen Recording but it is actually live broadcasting, not recording.
To stop sharing, press Stop Broadcasting.
A thing to note, this is sharing the screen but does not allow people to interact with each other’s screen–it is not collaborative but rather demonstrative.
Hi Sandy, Setting up a new iPad for my mother-in-law…If I utilize my WiFi to set everything up, can I forget or clear that WiFi setting before gifting?
Past issues with her old iPad is that it’s not remembering or keeping her WiFi address as the default, and keeps trying to connect to a public address within the lodge?
Hi Sandy,
I found your article here very useful, after a search to find out how to set up an iPad with built in modem for an isolated elderly friend currently under COVID-19 lockdown here in Australia. Do you have ideas about how to set up an iPad for delivery by mail to a non tech savvy high risk person with phone only access to troubleshooting?
Would I be able to set up the iPad myself sufficiently so that she only need turn it on and start using her preselected Apps?
You should be able to set up the iPad for your friend. What we suggest is setting up a new Apple ID for her, using an email account you create on her behalf. Then make sure those credentials are added into the iPad for Find My, iCloud, and iTunes & App Store. Download any apps you think would be helpful for her–sound like it should just be a few.
Once you have all the apps downloaded and the configuration set, remove any payment information from the account–if you added that.
Although we usually advise people to set up a device passcode, it sounds like that might be problematic for your friend. If you think a device passcode would cause problems like being entered incorrectly, do not add one.
Finally, Apple in Australia does offer telephone support.
Apple Australia
(61) 1-300-321-4561
Australia Apple Support for Accessibility and assistive technology
(61) 1-300-365-0831
I want to give my old IPad to a friend at the nursing home. She is 93, her daughter has passed and her son has discontinued her phone, although he is a great son that visits her each day.
She wants to watch her Church service on Facebook.
And it would be great for her to FaceTime during this time of COVID19 virus.
My problem, how do I set up my old iPad for her but have it be safe with my Apple ID info.
How can I remove my photos without them being erased on my personal iPhone and personal iPad?
Are you okay removing your Apple ID from the device so it no longer shows up under your list of devices? If so, you can first disconnect your Apple ID from the iPad and then delete photos, music, and so forth without any information getting removed from your iCloud account and your other devices.
For this to work, first, make a backup of your iPad to iCloud via Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > iCLoud Backup > Back Up Now.
Once a backup is made, before you delete anything, make sure your other devices have all the data you want to preserve AND THEN toggle off iCloud on the iPad first and then remove/delete data.
We recommend that once you remove your data, you either #1 set it up as new again OR #2 you sign out of all Apple services connected to your Apple ID (like iTunes & App Store, Music, TV, iMessage, FaceTime, and so forth.)
#1 is the safer bet since it removes your Apple ID completely from the device as well as any purchases made with that Apple ID.
Here are those steps:
Turn off Screen Time or Restrictions (for older iOS versions)
Sign out of iCloud and the iTunes & App Store:
For iOS 10.3 and above, tap Settings > Apple ID. Scroll down and tap Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password and tap Turn Off.
For iOS 10.2 or earlier, tap Settings > iCloud > Sign Out. Tap Sign Out again, then tap Delete from My iPad and enter your Apple ID password.
Then go to Settings > iTunes & App Store > Apple ID > Sign Out.
Erase Content & Settings
Go back to Settings and tap General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. If you turned on Find My iPad, you might need to enter your Apple ID and password.
If asked for your device passcode or Screen Time or Restrictions passcode, enter it. Then tap Erase.
Just a note to say thank you for the article – it was really helpful!
I’m planning to give my parents my iPad so that they can video chat with the family during the current COVID situation. I looked online for some tips on how to make it easy for them and this popped up. This will make it so much easier – so thank you 🙂
All the best to you in these strange and worrying times,
Sorry to learn that Messenges isn’t working for you or your senior companion.
Let’s try to close all open apps by double pressing the Home button or swiping up the Home Gesture Bar for iPads with no Home. You should see tiles of all your open apps. Close them one-by-one by swiping up, off the top of your screen, that app preview tile. Do this until all are closed and you see only your Home Screen.
Then restart your iPad.
Once restarted, go to Settings > Messages and verify that the iPad is signed in with an Apple ID. If not, sign in.
Once signed in, tap open the Messages app and see if it now works.
If the problem persists, let us know. And provide us some additional details like what iOS version the iPad runs–to check go to Settings > General > About and look at version.
My problem is that I would like the ipad to open with the apps showing instead of that stupid voice asking what can I do for –and who cares what the giants do!!!
Danny Martin says
I have trouble with the keypad. I’m surprised you didn’t say choose the best keypad for them. Changing to different displays is too confusing. I want it all to be there. Is there a keypad on my iPad that would please me?
LouiseGC says
I gave my Mother 86yrs an ipad several years ago. She lives in Ireland and I am in the USA. Pre Pandemic I could visit a few times a year and update her ipad and fix any problems, like having 50 safari windows open.
Her iMessage and FaceTime stopped working almost a year ago, I suspect she needs to sign back into her iCloud account but she is not technically able to do that. She can see emails in iCloud, but cannot respond.
I too need a way to preload her wifi if I were to set up a new ipad for her. Or I would love an easy to use video service that works on both Apple and Android so we can all see and talk with her. Thank you.
valerie says
Hi
I was just reading about adding new apps to a new ipad for my dad and saw your comment about your mams ipad , did you get her new ipad set up? It might be worth contacting your mams local parish or the meals on wheels and see if someone could set it up for her. Some of the local gaa’s were doing great stuff for people cocooning doing shopping etc. it might be worth seeing if you could get her some help that way. I am in north co dublin but we are only able to travel 5km for the forseeable
Saimen says
Hi, you can try to assist her via Teamviewer, then you would be able to see her screen and for you to give her guidance in real time.
Did you find a way to solve the 50 safari windows also?
Does it not close the windows after quitting the Safari app?
frank engelman says
I’m looking for a way to preset the Wi-Fi to match my Aunt’s Wi-Fi before shipment to her. While the “Other network settings” option allows me to enter her Network Name, Password and Security type, it won’t let me save it as it, as it can’t connect at my house. Other than setting up a Wi-Fi network to mirror hers, is there another way to preset the Wi-Fi for her?
Laura Mazza says
I am setting up an ipad in the US for my grandmother in the UK who is isolated due to COVID and can’t see anyone (she is 88 and diabetic). Two questions 1) since she doesn’t have a smart phone, since her family all have iphones, will imessage still work on the ipad? What about facetime? 2) is there a way to put in her wifi password for her so even though her wifi isn’t accessible here, the ipad will already have the name of the wifi network and password when it arrives, so it recognizes the wifi automatically? Just trying to make this as simple as humanly possible. Thank you for any assistance you can provide!
Marie says
I’m in the same boat. Trying to set up an ipad for my 93 year old aunt.
Lisa says
My mother is in a nursing home and we can’t see each other. I purchased two ipads but she has a flip phone.
I have a Smartphone. I don’t know how to set up her ipad because it only recognizes my Apple ID. WE only
want to FACETIME with her to keep her cognitive awareness involved.
Can you help me? Three weeks and I can’t set her ipad up to receive calls into the contact list. Whatever
you can recommend is greatly appreciated during this most difficult time.
Is there a phone number for tech help I can call?
Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Marie says
I’m in the same boat. Trying to set up an ipad for my 93 year old aunt.
Leslie says
Recommend you book at appointment at the Genius Bar at your closest Apple store. The staff person I got was really really helpful – we talked through all the features to decide what to turn on and off based on my mother’s specific cognitive and dexterity challenges. He also helped me set up my mother’s iCloud account and use the parent-child control settings so I can do some iPad management on her behalf.
Brian says
Hi, this is a really great article thanks as I am at this moment setting up an iPad Air 2 for an elderly lady. How do I install apps for her if I don’t know her credit card details please? I don’t want to know these details so there are no risks involved on either side. Can I sign in with my iCloud details and install the apps and then sign out again or does that cause her problems when she uses the apps as they are registered to me? Thanks, Brian
Elizabeth Jones says
HI Brian,
Yes, you can temporarily sign into the iTunes & App Store with your Apple ID and download/install apps using your Apple ID. The main downside is that if she ever deletes one of those apps, she will need to purchase them again–since those apps will not show up as her previous purchases.
Nandi H says
This article is awesome! I just bought my grandma and iPad and I want it to be as user-friendly as possible. Thanks for putting this together!
Katherine Muench says
Hello, I am thrilled to have found this article.
Thank you so much for addressing our elderly population.
I am configuring a new iPad for my 100 + year old mother. I am using many of your suggestions from this article.
Her newer iPad will be set up with the apps she uses the most. Our problem with her older iPad was that when she would get a FaceTime call, Skype, or Video chat request she was asked for her passcode.
Is there a way to override the passcode or to let her iPad sleep without needing the passcode to wake up?
She cannot use Touch ID.
After all these years she does not have fingerprints.
Currently, she resides in an Assisted Living environment which is on (COVID-19) lockdown.
I want to make this as easy and seamless as possible for her.
My Mom has embraced technology since the late 1980’s. She downloads digital books, continues to text/video chat, and still has her original AOL account.
Lately, life is a bit more difficult. It is not easy to guide her through technicalities in our current situation. (So sorry for being wordy.)
Any assistance would be really appreciated.
Warm Regards,
Katherine Muench
Elizabeth Jones says
Hi Katherine,
Thank you for the comment–your mother is an example of why we do what we do and why we think writing articles helping out our seniors is so important!
The good news is that there is a very easy way to eliminate that passcode step.
When you set it up, go to Settings > Touch ID & Passcode (or Face ID & Passcode, depending on your model) and scroll down and tap Turn Passcode Off.
We hope your mother enjoys her new iPad and continues all her digital activities!
Stay safe and healthy,
Liz
KatherineMuench says
Oh My Gosh,
Thank you so very very much!
Sincerely,
Kathy
Marie Christine says
An additional step for the passcode avoidance with seniors is to disable the IOS automatic updates. Although they are very important, they also cause a lot of issues when the senior has to enter a 6 digit code to get back into the ipad. That is if they are trying their best by following the instructions and donot realize that there is a ‘other options’ choice in both the code and the 2 factor id window. if either is compromised they can quickly be in a situation where they are locked out of the ipad if they do not remember the codes etc. Then it becomes complicated to get that working again and requires Apple assistance and someone on the ipad end to help.
Ray says
Could you comment on how to use screen sharing to support an elderly person who is not at all tech-savvy.
I’d like to see the screen that my father is looking at so I could tell him which buttons to tap, which direction to swipe, etc.
I’m thinking of buying a new iPad, setting it up with his Apple ID and other apps, and then mailing it to him.
We are thousands of miles apart. Thanks.
Elizabeth Jones says
Hi Ray,
Unfortunately, Apple does not offer a “native” way to share your screen with others. Instead, we need to use third-party tools like Zoom or Skype to share the screen.
Now, I wish these were as easy as FaceTime but they are not.
Skype may be the easiest.
Download the Skype app on both your device and your Father’s iPad. Make sure you set-up a Skype account for him (Microsoft)
Then, open Skype when you are ready to make a call
Initiate a call to your father or vise-versa via the video button
To share your screen, tap the three-dot More button at the bottom of the screen (or ask your father to tap that button to share his screen)
To start screen sharing, tap the button that looks like overlapping squares
In the pop-up, checkmark Skype
Then press Start Broadcasting
It will say Screen Recording but it is actually live broadcasting, not recording.
To stop sharing, press Stop Broadcasting.
A thing to note, this is sharing the screen but does not allow people to interact with each other’s screen–it is not collaborative but rather demonstrative.
I hope this helps.
Liz
Tom Norton says
Hi Sandy, Setting up a new iPad for my mother-in-law…If I utilize my WiFi to set everything up, can I forget or clear that WiFi setting before gifting?
Past issues with her old iPad is that it’s not remembering or keeping her WiFi address as the default, and keeps trying to connect to a public address within the lodge?
Any assistance would be appreciated…
Regards,
Tom
Elizabeth Jones says
Hi Tom, yes, you can forget the WiFi network that you set it up on.
After setting it up, go to Settings > WiFi and tap the “i” next to the network you used. Then choose Forget this network.
Hope the set up goes well!
Chris says
Hi Sandy,
I found your article here very useful, after a search to find out how to set up an iPad with built in modem for an isolated elderly friend currently under COVID-19 lockdown here in Australia. Do you have ideas about how to set up an iPad for delivery by mail to a non tech savvy high risk person with phone only access to troubleshooting?
Would I be able to set up the iPad myself sufficiently so that she only need turn it on and start using her preselected Apps?
Warm wishes,
Chris
Elizabeth Jones says
Hi Chris,
You should be able to set up the iPad for your friend. What we suggest is setting up a new Apple ID for her, using an email account you create on her behalf. Then make sure those credentials are added into the iPad for Find My, iCloud, and iTunes & App Store. Download any apps you think would be helpful for her–sound like it should just be a few.
Once you have all the apps downloaded and the configuration set, remove any payment information from the account–if you added that.
Although we usually advise people to set up a device passcode, it sounds like that might be problematic for your friend. If you think a device passcode would cause problems like being entered incorrectly, do not add one.
Finally, Apple in Australia does offer telephone support.
Apple Australia
(61) 1-300-321-4561
Australia Apple Support for Accessibility and assistive technology
(61) 1-300-365-0831
Connie says
I want to give my old IPad to a friend at the nursing home. She is 93, her daughter has passed and her son has discontinued her phone, although he is a great son that visits her each day.
She wants to watch her Church service on Facebook.
And it would be great for her to FaceTime during this time of COVID19 virus.
My problem, how do I set up my old iPad for her but have it be safe with my Apple ID info.
How can I remove my photos without them being erased on my personal iPhone and personal iPad?
Thanks for your help,
Connie
Elizabeth Jones says
Hi Connie,
Are you okay removing your Apple ID from the device so it no longer shows up under your list of devices? If so, you can first disconnect your Apple ID from the iPad and then delete photos, music, and so forth without any information getting removed from your iCloud account and your other devices.
For this to work, first, make a backup of your iPad to iCloud via Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > iCLoud Backup > Back Up Now.
Once a backup is made, before you delete anything, make sure your other devices have all the data you want to preserve AND THEN toggle off iCloud on the iPad first and then remove/delete data.
We recommend that once you remove your data, you either #1 set it up as new again OR #2 you sign out of all Apple services connected to your Apple ID (like iTunes & App Store, Music, TV, iMessage, FaceTime, and so forth.)
#1 is the safer bet since it removes your Apple ID completely from the device as well as any purchases made with that Apple ID.
Here are those steps:
Turn off Screen Time or Restrictions (for older iOS versions)
Sign out of iCloud and the iTunes & App Store:
For iOS 10.3 and above, tap Settings > Apple ID. Scroll down and tap Sign Out. Enter your Apple ID password and tap Turn Off.
For iOS 10.2 or earlier, tap Settings > iCloud > Sign Out. Tap Sign Out again, then tap Delete from My iPad and enter your Apple ID password.
Then go to Settings > iTunes & App Store > Apple ID > Sign Out.
Erase Content & Settings
Go back to Settings and tap General > Reset > Erase All Content and Settings. If you turned on Find My iPad, you might need to enter your Apple ID and password.
If asked for your device passcode or Screen Time or Restrictions passcode, enter it. Then tap Erase.
Jen says
Hello from the UK,
Just a note to say thank you for the article – it was really helpful!
I’m planning to give my parents my iPad so that they can video chat with the family during the current COVID situation. I looked online for some tips on how to make it easy for them and this popped up. This will make it so much easier – so thank you 🙂
All the best to you in these strange and worrying times,
Elizabeth Jones says
Hi Jen,
Thanks for letting us know. We know a lot of folks are getting online to keep in close contact with just about everyone these days! Glad this helped.
Martha Lamm says
Apps show calendar open but not mine.
I would like to start again with factory settings and have set up.
Someone is using this iPad, reminders yesterday, when talking to an agent, had old email and five other ones.
I had not downloaded it until she helped me.
Also, restrictions have changed the password I always had.
Please advise.
Cannot go back to original settings and I know someone else is using my iPad. Advise, please.
Diane Beckon says
Messenger will not open. Please advise
SK says
Hi Diane,
Sorry to learn that Messenges isn’t working for you or your senior companion.
Let’s try to close all open apps by double pressing the Home button or swiping up the Home Gesture Bar for iPads with no Home. You should see tiles of all your open apps. Close them one-by-one by swiping up, off the top of your screen, that app preview tile. Do this until all are closed and you see only your Home Screen.
Then restart your iPad.
Once restarted, go to Settings > Messages and verify that the iPad is signed in with an Apple ID. If not, sign in.
Once signed in, tap open the Messages app and see if it now works.
If the problem persists, let us know. And provide us some additional details like what iOS version the iPad runs–to check go to Settings > General > About and look at version.
Sam
Ross Orser says
My wife just bought the latest Apple iPad but Apple is not calling with the verification number so she can finish setting up the iPad.
We have tried over and over but no phone call with the number why.
I have I pad air and I had no problem.
It is the same phone number I used to set up my iPad.
James Miller says
My problem is that I would like the ipad to open with the apps showing instead of that stupid voice asking what can I do for –and who cares what the giants do!!!
Techdude2000 says
Click the home button once, don’t hold it down. When you push it and hold it down, you are activating Siri.