In short and in plain language
A new tablet or phone is a lovely gift. Often the first start decides if it gets used.
Set up the device before you hand it over. This means its own account, updates, large text and Wi-Fi. An update brings the device up to date.
The account belongs to the person who gets the gift. An emergency contact can be shown on the lock screen. An access letter keeps the key logins on paper.
The article also explains what matters for returns. We set up the gift in your home.
A new tablet or smartphone under the Christmas tree is unwrapped in seconds. Whether it gets used afterwards is often decided in the first hour: if the device asks for an account nobody has created, for a Wi-Fi password nobody remembers, or spends ages downloading updates, it quickly goes back into the box. For parents and grandparents who have used a button phone so far or have little experience with the internet, this start is the real hurdle. This article shows how to prepare a gift device before the handover so that it works on the day: what to look for when buying, which deadlines apply to returns and warranty, how to set up the account, updates, text size, emergency contact and Wi-Fi, and what belongs in an access letter. It ends with a plan for the handover appointment.
Key takeaways
- Among 65 to 74-year-olds, 10 percent (Destatis) were offline in 2025. For them, the first set-up decides whether a gifted tablet or smartphone gets used or ends up in a cupboard.
- For devices bought online, the right of withdrawal applies for 14 days (section 355 paragraph 2 BGB), counted from delivery (section 356 paragraph 2 BGB). If the gift might not suit, only test the functions in that period and set up accounts afterwards.
- For smartphones and tablets under the EU ecodesign regulation, operating system updates must be available for at least five years after a model leaves the market (Regulation (EU) 2023/1670).
- Six checks before wrapping: the recipient’s own account with recovery options, all updates, text size and contrast, an emergency contact on the lock screen, Wi-Fi access for the recipient’s home and an access letter.
- Warranty claims become time-barred two years after delivery (section 438 BGB) and belong to the buyer. A copy of the receipt with the purchase date therefore goes into the access letter.
Why the set-up is part of the gift
A tablet for video calls with the grandchildren, a smartphone to replace the old button phone, an e-reader with large print: technology is an obvious present for parents and grandparents. The starting points differ a great deal, though. Among 65 to 74-year-olds, 10 percent (Destatis) were offline in 2025, meaning they had not yet used the internet. Across all age groups from 16 to 74, the share was just over 3 percent (Destatis), which corresponded to just under 2.1 million people (Destatis). The survey only covers people up to the age of 74; anyone older does not appear in these figures.
The gap is just as wide when it comes to the device itself. At the start of 2026, only 53 percent (Bitkom) of people over 65 used a smartphone, and in the age group 65 and over, 24 percent (Bitkom) still used a conventional mobile phone, according to a representative survey by Bitkom Research. Giving someone a smartphone is therefore often not a replacement but a switch: a new way of operating, new terms, an account and several passwords.
This leads to the main idea of this article: the device is only half of the gift. The other half is a state in which it can be switched on, unlocked and used without outside help for the two or three things it is meant for. A device that spends Christmas Eve downloading updates and then asks for an email address that does not exist yet is rarely tried out with pleasure. We also set up new smartphones and tablets on home visits; what we do differently for older people is described on the page tech help for seniors.
The good news: almost everything can be done in advance without spoiling the surprise. Account, updates, accessibility settings and emergency contact need the device, but not the recipient. Only a few steps, such as fingerprint, face recognition and the final PIN, belong in the handover appointment.
Ask first, then buy
Before buying: updates, charger and energy label
If you give a device that is meant to last several years, you should know how long it will receive security updates. Since 20 June 2025 (Regulation (EU) 2023/1670), EU ecodesign requirements apply to smartphones, mobile phones, cordless phones and slate tablets. Under them, security, corrective or functionality updates that a manufacturer provides for the operating system must be made available free of charge to all units of the model for at least five years (Regulation (EU) 2023/1670), counted from the date on which the last unit of a model is placed on the market. This is a minimum. If a model has been on sale for a while, check the manufacturer’s stated update period before wrapping it.
The same regulation requires batteries to retain 80 percent of their capacity for at least 800 cycles (Regulation (EU) 2023/1670), and spare parts such as the battery, cameras and charging port to remain available to professional repairers for at least seven years after the end of placement on the market (Regulation (EU) 2023/1670). What this means for a later defect is explained in our article on the right to repair.
Since the same date, smartphones and slate tablets carry their own energy label (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1669). It shows far more than power consumption and is particularly useful for a gift that is meant to last:
| Information on the label (Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/1669) | What it tells you about the gift |
|---|---|
| Energy efficiency class A to G | a rough comparison between models |
| Battery endurance per cycle in hours and minutes | how long one charge lasts in the standard test |
| Battery endurance in cycles | how many charging cycles the battery lasts under the standard |
| Reliability class after repeated free falls | how well the device copes with drops |
| Repairability class A to E | how easily the device can be repaired |
| Ingress protection rating (IP code) | protection against dust and water |
Another EU rule helps with accessories. Since 28 December 2024 (Directive (EU) 2022/2380), USB-C has been the common charging port for mobile phones, tablets, e-readers, headphones, digital cameras and other devices charged by cable; for laptops it has applied since 28 April 2026 (Directive (EU) 2022/2380). At the same time, a device may be sold without a charger: if a retailer offers the device together with a charger, it must also offer it without one, and a pictogram shows whether a charger is included (Directive (EU) 2022/2380). For a gift this means: check before wrapping whether there is a charger in the box. If not, an existing USB-C charger often fits; otherwise add one so the battery is not flat on the first evening.
Returns and warranty: keep the deadlines in view
With gifts, two wishes collide: the device should be ready on the day, and it should be possible to return it if it does not suit. This is not a side issue. For Christmas 2025, 49 percent (Bitkom) of respondents planned to take unwanted gifts back to the shop or send them back to the online store.
What matters is where you bought it. For distance contracts, meaning orders placed online, by phone or from a catalogue, consumers have a right of withdrawal (section 312g paragraph 1 BGB). The withdrawal period is 14 days (section 355 paragraph 2 BGB). For an ordinary purchase it starts as soon as you, or a person you have named, have received the goods (section 356 paragraph 2 BGB), and not before the retailer has properly informed you of the right of withdrawal (section 356 paragraph 3 BGB). If you have a device delivered at the beginning of December, the period will usually end before Christmas Eve.
In a physical shop, by contrast, there is usually no statutory right of withdrawal. Whether you can exchange a working device there depends on what the retailer offers. Many shops grant longer return periods around Christmas; have this confirmed on the receipt or in writing before you unpack the device.
Even within the withdrawal period, take care when setting up. You must compensate for a loss in value caused by handling that was not necessary to examine the nature, characteristics and functioning of the goods, provided the retailer informed you properly (section 357a paragraph 1 BGB). You may examine the device as you could in a shop: switch it on, test the screen, camera and speaker. If you start using the device, remove protective films and use it for days, you risk a deduction. Our advice: if it is still open whether the gift suits, limit yourself to a function check until the period ends and do the rest afterwards.
The rights stay with the buyer
For a device with digital elements to conform to the contract, updates must also be provided for the period one can expect given the type of device, and the buyer must be informed about them (section 475b paragraph 4 BGB). Conversely, the seller is not liable for a defect caused solely by an available update not being installed within a reasonable time, provided it informed the buyer about the update and the consequences and the failure was not due to faulty installation instructions (section 475b paragraph 5 BGB). Updates are therefore a warranty matter too, not just a security one.
The account belongs to the recipient
Almost every smartphone and tablet asks for an account with the maker of the operating system during set-up. App downloads, backups, locating a lost device and often photos and contacts run through it. The obvious shortcut of setting up the device with the giver’s own account backfires later: photos end up in someone else’s backups, purchases on the wrong bill, and at the next device change nobody knows what belongs to whom.
It is better to create a separate account for the person who will use the device. This includes an email address they can access themselves, a phone number for recovery and a password they know. Ask beforehand whether an account already exists, for example from an earlier device. Existing accounts take priority because contacts and photos are often linked to them. How to move these from the old device to the new one is described in our article on data transfer.
Many services now offer passkeys for signing in, where a fingerprint, face or device PIN is confirmed instead of a password. How this works is shown in our article set up passkeys. For the remaining passwords, a password manager helps if the recipient is happy to use one; otherwise the access letter described below is enough.
Who types in the passwords?
Updates and lock screen before wrapping
A device that has been in storage for a while often has several updates to catch up on when it is first switched on. Depending on the device and the connection this can take some time, and it should not happen on the day itself. Switch the device on beforehand, connect it to your Wi-Fi, install all offered system and app updates and restart it. The German Federal Office for Information Security advises turning on automatic updates or checking regularly for new ones, because many attacks target security gaps that only an update closes (BSI).
The screen lock is just as important. The BSI recommends keeping the SIM card PIN and the screen lock switched on, replacing preset lock codes with your own combination and avoiding easy-to-guess sequences such as 12345 or birthdays (BSI). Choose the device PIN together with the recipient, or note a temporary PIN in the access letter and change it together at the handover. Set up fingerprint or face recognition only at the handover, because it needs the finger or face of the person who will use the device.
- Battery fully charged, charger and cable in the box.
- All system and app updates installed, device restarted once.
- Automatic updates switched on.
- Pre-installed apps that nobody needs removed or moved into a folder.
- The find-my-device function activated in the recipient’s account.
- Your own Wi-Fi deleted from the list of saved networks.
Text, contrast, sound: adapt the controls
Accessibility settings are part of the operating system and already on the device. A few switches are usually enough to start with: larger text, a larger display, stronger contrast, a loud ringtone and, if wanted, subtitles. A detailed guide is in our article easier phone use.
A tidy home screen helps at least as much. Put the three to six apps that are actually needed in large icons on the first page: phone, messages, camera, photos and the video call app. Everything else goes into a folder or is removed. How to set up a tablet so that a video call starts with a single tap is shown in the article video calls with family.
Reading
Set text size and display size together, turn on bold text, dark text on a light background. Test the setting with a real message, not just in the menu.
Hearing
A loud, distinctive ringtone, vibration on, media volume checked separately. If the recipient wears a hearing aid, pair it with the device during the handover appointment.
Tapping
Key sounds on, a longer touch-and-hold delay, a case with good grip and a stand for the tablet. Small aids that keep the device steadier in the hand.
Emergency contact and emergency information on the lock screen
An emergency contact on the lock screen helps if the owner of the device cannot respond themselves. On the iPhone, the feature is called Medical ID and is found in the Health app. With the option “Show When Locked”, helpers can see allergies, medical conditions and emergency contacts from the lock screen without knowing the passcode (Apple Support). On Android devices with the Personal Safety app, blood type, allergies, medication and emergency contacts can be stored in the emergency information and shown on the lock screen (Google Android Help). Some manufacturers name the menus differently.
Keep in mind: anything shown on the lock screen can be read by anyone who picks up the device, even without unlocking it (Google Android Help). Medical details should therefore only be added if the recipient explicitly wants this. An emergency contact with the name and phone number of a relative is, in most cases, the sensible minimum, and it is easy to prepare.
Also write down the IMEI, the unique serial number of the mobile radio unit. It is shown in the settings or appears after entering *#06# in the phone app. The BSI recommends noting it in advance, because under certain conditions a device can be located by the network operator using this number, and it counts as proof of ownership in the event of theft (BSI).
You can find your device’s IMEI in the Settings app or with the key code *#06#.
Wi-Fi and mobile network in the recipient’s home
The device is usually set up at the giver’s home but used at the recipient’s. It is therefore worth preparing network access for the recipient’s household. Ask in advance for the name of the Wi-Fi network and the password; on many routers both are printed on the underside or on an enclosed card. If the Wi-Fi is weak in the room where the tablet will be used, our on-site Wi-Fi optimisation can help.
If a smartphone is to be used on the mobile network, the SIM card is part of the gift. Check that it is activated, note the PIN and PUK and clarify whether an existing phone number should be ported. Number porting needs some lead time with the provider and should not fall on the holidays. With an eSIM, activation often comes as a QR code; it belongs in the access letter, not loose in the gift box.
If the parents live far away, much can be clarified by phone in advance: the Wi-Fi name, existing accounts, which apps are wanted. Which tasks work well remotely and which do not is described in the article helping parents from a distance.
The access letter: what goes in it
An access letter is a sealed envelope handed over together with the device. It contains everything needed for signing in, recovery and in case of loss. After the handover it stays with the recipient, not in the box and not under the device.
- The device PIN, or a temporary PIN with a note to change it at the handover.
- Email address and password of the account with the manufacturer, plus the phone number stored for recovery.
- Recovery codes, if the account issues any.
- PIN and PUK of the SIM card, or the activation code for an eSIM.
- IMEI and serial number of the device.
- Name and password of the Wi-Fi in the recipient’s home.
- A copy of the receipt with the purchase date, retailer and the name of the person who bought it.
- A phone number to call for help.
Keep the letter the way you keep other important documents, for example in the folder with insurance policies and contracts. If a password manager is already in use, transfer the details into it and keep only the master password and recovery codes in the envelope.
Do not send passwords by message afterwards
The handover: a separate appointment instead of the gift-giving
Under the Christmas tree is rarely the right moment to learn a new way of using a device. It is noisy, many people are watching, and everyone wants to show something straight away. It is better to hand over the device wrapped and arrange a separate appointment for the introduction, calmly and at the place where the device will be used later. The days between Christmas and New Year are well suited for this, because many families have time for each other then anyway.
- Unpack the device at its future place, set up the stand or holder, plug the charging cable into a socket within reach.
- Connect to the household Wi-Fi and check whether the connection is stable at exactly this spot.
- Change the device PIN together, set up fingerprint or face recognition.
- Practise the three most important steps: switching on and unlocking, answering a call, starting a call.
- Make a test video call with a family member and take a photo.
- Go through the access letter together and put it in its permanent place.
- Arrange a second appointment to clear up open questions.
Allow plenty of time for the appointment and let the recipient do the tapping. What you have done once yourself sticks better than ten demonstrated ways. If you prefer to spread the learning over several sessions, we offer tablet courses and smartphone courses held at home on your own device.
How Technik daheim helps with a gift device
We set up smartphones and tablets in your home, in the Hildesheim and Leine valley area: from the account and the Wi-Fi connection to the security settings, with larger text and a tidy home screen. On request we transfer contacts, photos and messages from the old device; how this works is described under data transfer.
Relatives can book the appointment for their parents or grandparents; we then agree the exact time with the recipients themselves. You enter passwords yourself, and on request we write down the most important steps in large, easy-to-read print so they can still be looked up weeks later.
Before the handover
Set up updates, account, accessibility settings and emergency contact, check charger and accessories, prepare the access letter together with you.
At the handover
Introduction at the device’s future place, check the household Wi-Fi connection, set up PIN and fingerprint with the recipient.
Afterwards
We can often sort out small questions over the phone. If a new task comes up, we arrange another appointment.
If the gift replaces an old device that is to be sold or passed on, we can reset it and erase the personal data on request; what matters here is explained in the article selling an old device. To get in touch, use our contact page.
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