How to set up and use 2025 iPad for an 80-year-old user?

GrayFox46 wrote:

About 10 years ago we bought ipads at Best Buy. Set up in store. Never worked properly. Just bought two 2025 ipads direct from Apple. Have zero idea how to set them up and use them. I am 80, unsure what to do. Is there a pdf manual that i can study for me and wife? Should I drive to nearest Apple store (60 miles away) and have them set them up? Please help. Very unhappy at the moment.

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Hep with 2025 ipad

Read here Turn on and set up iPad - Apple Support

And what exactly are you unhappy about?

Here are some resources to get you started:

Turn on and set up iPad - Apple Support

Use Quick Start to transfer data to a new iPhone or iPad - Apple Support

iPad User Guide - Apple Support

I'd suggest you try doing it yourself before making a 120-mile round trip (unless you really want the day out!). You may be surprised at your ability to get things set up.

You can also contact Apple Support for help. There is a link at the bottom left of every page of this forum.

iPad - Official Apple Support

And, you can post back here with any questions. Most of us are not teenagers born with an iPad in one hand and a phone in the other. ;-)

Remember that, aside from smashing it to bits or spilling coffee all over it, you are highly unlikely to do any permanent damage. So, even if you try and fail, you're no worse off and can still go to the Apple Store if you need to.

Just as an addition to the excellent advice already provided, make sure you each have your own Apple Account.

Do not share an Apple Account for any reason as things can and will get very messy then.

The first thing to do is just to turn it on. The iPad will guide you through set up itself. It's a fairly simple thing.

For more help as mentioned you can always read the User Guide and the tons of support documents available.

click here ➜ IPad Setup basics - Apple Support

Phil0124 wrote:

Just as an addition to the excellent advice already provided, make sure you each have your own Apple Account.

Do not share an Apple Account for any reason as things can and will get very messy then.

Very important advice!

GrayFox46 wrote:

Thank you for the reply. I have decided to make the trek to Apple Store. Hope they can set the iPads up. Right now my iMessage app on the iPhone 14 and the old iPad are not in sync and I have no idea how to fix that. Same for my wife and her iPhone 16.

That's generally not a difficult fix, as long as both devices are logged in to the same Apple ID. On both devices, go to Settings>Account (it's the thing at the top with your name and avatar). Go to Tap on "iCloud." On the next screen, tap on Messages. Make sure that "Use on this Phone (or iPad) is turned on.

The next step is, on the iPhone, to go to Settings>Apps>Messages>Text Message Forwarding and enable that for your iPad.

If you don't feel comfortable doing that, the folks at the Apple Store should be able to set that up for you. You may have to ask specifically about it, though.

Best of luck!

Good day GrayFox! An observation:

When my mother-in-law gave up using her Mac laptop at about age 85, she changed to a iPad. She had issues getting it to do what she expected, and the symptoms did not fit any of the things I knew to check. Finally, after flying 1600+ air miles to visit, I witnessed the problem.

She could not longer curl her fingers up enough to clear the screen, sending spurious inputs to the iPad's "brain." A stylus was all she needed, and she used an iPad daily until shortly before she passed at the grand old age of 98.

Also,

...for an 80-year-old

You have contemporaries here. Silver hair and Medicare cards are not uncommon among the "senior" contributors here. I'm only two years your junior. Please feel free to drop in any time.

Allan

Allan Jones wrote:

She could not longer curl her fingers up enough to clear the screen, sending spurious inputs to the iPad's "brain." A stylus was all she needed, and she used an iPad daily until shortly before she passed at the grand old age of 98.

That's a very useful observation. I haven't developed the arthritis my mother had at my age, but I guess there's still time...

Lawrence Finch wrote:

My wife has been using a stylus for several years as her Parkinson’s shaking hand also makes her screen touch unpredictable.

It's very much one of those things that someone who hasn't personally experienced or helped someone who has wouldn't necessarily think about.

My wife has been using a stylus for several years as her Parkinson’s shaking hand also makes her screen touch unpredictable.