A practical order for the first setup
For a new Windows PC or Mac. Follow the manufacturer's instructions where its screens differ, and pause for your IT team if the computer belongs to an organisation.
Step 1 of 9
In this guide
List what the new computer needs to do
List what the new computer needs to do
Make a short list of essential apps, accounts, files and accessories. Include email archives, browser bookmarks, photos, accounting or design records, printers, scanners and any accessibility tools. Check that the new computer supports the software and equipment you rely on before retiring the old one.
If you are replacing a computer, find where those records live and check a separate backup. Local email archives and app databases may not be included in standard cloud folders. Keep licence details and access to official installers or subscription accounts. A copied desktop shortcut will not reinstall a program or preserve its data.
For a business setup, agree the user's role, required apps, shared resources, permissions and handover test with the responsible person. Use approved accounts and access rather than copying another employee's whole profile. If you want a guided transfer during initial setup, review the migration choices below before accepting an offer to restore.
Once the essentials and old records are accounted for, connect the new computer.
Next: Connect the basics and start the setup assistantConnect the basics and start the setup assistant
Connect the basics and start the setup assistant
Check the equipment for damage, then follow its quick-start guide. Keep vents clear on a firm surface. Connect the supplied or approved power adapter and the keyboard, mouse and display needed for setup. On a desktop, use the display output specified by the maker; the right port can depend on its graphics hardware.
Use your trusted home or work internet connection when setup asks for it. Enter the correct network details rather than join an unfamiliar open network. If the computer has no picture or power, use the startup checks instead of repeatedly restarting the setup.
Follow region, keyboard and accessibility prompts carefully. Read restore and data-transfer choices before selecting them. If you are not ready to migrate, use a supported set-up-as-new or transfer-later option where offered; Mac Migration Assistant can also be used after initial setup. Do not use internet instructions to bypass sign-in, hardware requirements or management controls.
At the account prompt, use the intended owner or organisation details.
Next: Use the intended owner and accountUse the intended owner and account
Use the intended owner and account
Use an account belonging to the person who will own the home computer, with access to its recovery method. Do not set it up under a helper's personal cloud account. Review which folders or settings a restore offer includes; signing in is not proof that every old file or app has arrived.
For a business device, use the approved work setup and organisation instructions. Confirm any enrolment or management request with IT. If a newly bought or second-hand computer unexpectedly names another organisation, contact the seller or responsible team rather than bypass the screen.
Where several people share a home computer, create separate users through the supported settings. Give administrator rights only where needed and use appropriate family controls for a child. Check account recovery and sign-in methods privately. You do not need to share your password or authentication code with someone helping you.
Once ownership and access are correct, check updates, protection and recovery access.
Next: Check updates, protection and recovery accessMore checks6 detailed checks
Check updates, protection and recovery access
Check updates, protection and recovery access
On Windows 11, use Settings > Windows Update. On a Mac, use System Settings > General > Software Update. Allow normal supported updates and requested restarts to finish. A major system upgrade or optional driver is a separate compatibility choice; the update guide explains the difference.
Check the operating system's security status and that the expected firewall and protection are active. On a business computer, confirm the organisation's required protection with IT. Do not install several real-time antivirus products or remove an existing one without a supported replacement plan.
Check whether disk encryption is enabled and where the recovery information is held. On supported Windows devices, encryption can be enabled during account setup; Microsoft explains Device Encryption. Confirm that the owner or authorised IT team can retrieve the recovery key. Keep it secure and separate from the computer, not in a public screenshot or shared setup note.
After the supported updates and recovery checks, install the apps you actually need.
Next: Install the apps you need and set usable defaultsInstall the apps you need and set usable defaults
Install the apps you need and set usable defaults
Install essential apps from their official publisher or the operating system's store. Check the licence allows this device and sign in with the intended account. A folder copied from Program Files is not a supported installation. Some older apps or specialist add-ons may not support the new system.
Review preinstalled trials deliberately. Keep drivers, device utilities and unfamiliar system components unless you understand their purpose. Uninstalling everything you do not recognise is not a safe cleanup plan. Do not install driver bundles or registry cleaners as part of a new-computer setup.
For work, confirm required business apps, shared folders, approved remote access and least-necessary permissions with IT. Avoid personal cloud accounts for business records unless authorised. Set readable display scaling, keyboard layout, default apps, notifications and accessibility preferences so the person can use the computer comfortably.
With essential apps ready, bring across the records they need and check the copies.
Next: Copy files using a supported transfer methodCopy files using a supported transfer method
Copy files using a supported transfer method
For a Windows move, you can copy selected personal files to suitable external storage, then copy them onto the new PC. Use Copy rather than Move, keep the old files, and open representative documents and photos on the new computer. Microsoft describes external-storage transfer. This does not transfer installed programs.
For a Mac move, use Apple's Migration Assistant guidance for the source you have. Review the selected users and records, and check app compatibility afterwards. Do not assume every migrated app or email account can be used without signing in or updating.
If using OneDrive or another sync service, confirm the right account and that files finished syncing. Online-only files may need internet access; check the records you need offline. Sync can carry deletions between devices and is not an independent backup. App databases, local email and specialist libraries need their supported export/migration procedure. Stop if storage is failing or the only original is at risk.
Keep the old computer and backup while you test real tasks on the new setup.
Next: Check email, printers and everyday equipmentCheck email, printers and everyday equipment
Check email, printers and everyday equipment
Use the email setup guide to add the account, protect local-only archives and test sending and receiving. Check contacts and calendars separately. Do not delete the old mail profile because recent Inbox messages appear on the new device.
Add a printer or scanner through its supported setup process and test a harmless document. Our network printer guide covers network setup. Check the correct default printer, and confirm a scan saves where intended if scanning is part of the job.
Test sound, microphone, camera, extra displays and necessary shared resources. For a staff device, have the intended user complete a normal approved task using their own permissions. Record what still needs attention rather than grant broader access or change network settings just to make a test pass.
When essential tasks work, verify ongoing backup and finish the handover.
Next: Verify backup and complete the handoverVerify backup and complete the handover
Verify backup and complete the handover
Set up separate protection for important records, including new files that will be created on this computer. Check included folders, a successful run and a small restore to a separate test location. Use our backup verification guide. File sync alone does not replace this recovery check.
Review the checklist with the user: required files open, essential apps work, email and accessories pass, recovery access is available, and backup has been tested. Keep private account details out of the handover record. For a business computer, record asset ownership and the support contact through the organisation's process.
Keep the old device intact until the required records and retention obligations are resolved. Signing out is not secure erasure, and dragging files to the Bin is not a disposal plan. Arrange a separate supported data-removal or disposal process when you are ready; do not erase it simply to finish this checklist.
If the agreed tasks and recovery checks pass, use the new computer normally and keep the checked backup.
Next: When should you get setup help?When should you get setup help?
When should you get setup help?
Get help if account ownership is unclear, the device names another organisation, important old records are missing, a required app is unsupported or business access needs approval. Do not bypass the prompt, wipe the old computer or repeatedly retry a failing drive.
Our home computer setup service can help with setup and migration checks. For staff devices and business requirements, use business computer setup support to plan the apps, permissions and handover around the role.
Have the computer models, required tasks, backup status and any exact error ready. Keep passwords, authentication codes and recovery keys private.
If essential setup tasks remain unresolved, keep the originals and arrange the appropriate support.
Book IT support
