Studies suggest that roughly half of smartphone users in the United States prefer to wait until the device they currently have no longer functions to upgrade. And with the price of phones, really, who can blame you? Heck, I certainly fall in that category. And since some of you probably wait for as long as possible to upgrade, that can mean that by the time you get a new device, the operating system is completely different and adjusting can be difficult. Of course, you’d think that, being a tech blogger who writes all kinds of how-to’s and news, I wouldn’t have troubles like that when making the jump from one OS to another, wouldn’t you? Well, apparently you’d be at least partially wrong. When I upgraded my old device last weekend in favor of a shiny new one running Lollipop, I admit I was just as lost as everyone else at first. So, I thought I’d throw out some methods for learning a new OS with minimal frustration.

Method 1: Try everything

This is my preferred method for learning just about any new technology: press every button, one at a time, and see what happens. Of course, the downside to this method is that it’s time-consuming (took me a good three hours to go through all of the settings on my new phone) and you run the slight risk of doing something you didn’t intend. However, knowing what every button does is incredibly handy, and you’ll get to fully take advantage of all of the changes in your new operating system. If you’re not very tech-savvy, you’ll probably want to do this with a friend who IS tech-savvy nearby just in case. But remember: if you go through systematically, then you’ll always be able to undo whatever you did last with a couple of taps.

Method 2: Set it up the same

If you’re not feeling super adventurous or really only upgraded because you were required to do so when your old phone stopped working, then this method might be the safest to start. Sit with your old phone and your new one and slowly go through the settings to set it up basically the same as your previous device. Over time, you can adjust and use all of the new bells and whistles. But the important thing here is functionality and knowing how to use your device. I might also recommend you talk to a friend or relative who already has that same operating system and see if they have any tips on new features that are really worth using and which ones to avoid.

Method 3: Read the manual

You didn’t throw the manual away did you? Pretty much all phones nowadays come with manuals stuffed in the bottom of the box and if you’re not sure where to start, then the manual can be a great resource (albeit a little bit of a boring read for some). Alternatively, doing some quick research on the internet for FAQs or checking with friends is a great way to find out more about your device and how you can set it up to work for you best.]]>