Smartphone and Tablet Basics

A smartphone or tablet can keep you close to family, help with everyday tasks and make life easier, but only once it stops feeling confusing. This free course starts from the very beginning. You will learn what each button does, how to tap and swipe, how to make the text larger and the screen easier to see, how to find and open apps, and how to keep your device charged and up to date. Every lesson uses plain words and short steps, and nothing you do here can break your phone.

What you will learn

• The buttons, the screen and the basic finger movements
• How to make text bigger, brighter and easier to read
• How to find, open and close apps
• How to connect to Wi-Fi at home
• How to charge your device and keep it up to date
• Simple accessibility settings for hearing and vision

Who this course is for

• Complete beginners with a new or hand-me-down phone or tablet
• Anyone who has a smartphone but only uses it for calls
• Family members setting up a device for a parent

Every lesson has large, clear steps, a try-it-yourself task and a short quiz, and you earn a certificate when you finish. Lessons work for iPhone, iPad and Android; screens can look slightly different on your device.