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Want to be vacation-ready before you start your journey? There’s a lot of planning you may need to do before you leave, and the first place to start is by preparing your iPhone for the trip ahead.
you may get your iPhone all ready for your trip by ensuring you keep an eye on a few essential settings and downloading apps that can smooth out any hitches you may face on the way. Here’s all you need to know.
Downloading essential items on your iPhone can be key to having a smooth trip, especially if you’re traveling to places where you might not get good connectivity or require a backup for important items in case of connectivity problems. Something that can be crucial to download in this regard is maps of places you wish to visit. After you make a rough itinerary on your preferred navigation app, avoid any unpredictable connectivity issues bydownloading these maps on your iPhone.
To download a map onApple Maps, go to a pin of your choice, then click More > Download Map > Download. To access your downloaded maps, tap on your profile picture > Offline Maps. You can toggle on “Only Use Offline Maps” if you want to view only your downloaded maps (even when you’re connected to the internet). Apple Maps provides travel guides for major tourist destinations that you can use to plan your travel. You can alsodownload Google Maps offline too.
Consider Using an eSIM
With international travel, switching SIMs for continuous connectivity is crucial. The best way to go about this is touse an eSIM(digital SIM) that’s built into your iPhone, which allows you to seamlessly switch between SIMs and plans for eight or more eSIMs. To use an eSIM and enjoy better international travel, you will need to meet some eligibility requirements, including:
If you have an iPhone 14 or later, you will be automatically able to set up eSIM even without a Wi-Fi connection. To add an eSIM on your iPhone, go to Settings > Cellular > Add eSIM. eSIMs can also be transferred, or you can transfer a physical SIM as an eSIM. If your carrier allows it, eSIMs can be activated through a QR code or a link.
Another thing to keep in mind while traveling internationally is enabling data roaming if your carrierincludes international roamingon available data plans. If your carrier does not support data roaming, however, make sure to turn this off to avoid extra costs through roaming charges on your mobile account.
To do this, go to your iPhone’s Settings > Cellular. Choose the number you want to edit if you use Dual SIM/eSIM. Turn on “Cellular Data” and tap “Cellular Data Options.” Turn off “Data Roaming.”
Make Sure You Have Enough iCloud Storage
iCloud and device storage are essential checks to make before you begin your travel, especially when it comes to storing photos, videos, documents, and other useful content. With your iPhone, you generally get 5 GB of free iCloud storage, but you can upgrade to more storage for a monthly fee.
You can check how much iCloud storage you have remaining by going to your iPhone’s Settings > Apple Account > iCloud. Tap here to see if your storage is full, and what is taking up space, to review and clear up any clutter. You may also beprompted to upgrade to iCloud+depending on how many items you have to save to iCloud. You can purchase iCloud storage starting from $0.99.month (50 GB) to $59.99/month (12 TB).
Look Up Apps You Might Need for Local Travel
When I’m planning a vacation, I keepmy essential travel appshandy. These help me pack, plan sightseeing, and travel better. You can use packing apps likePackrto create organized lists of what you need to take (with suggestions), make a travel itinerary withTripIt, and keep track of your travel spend with a travel budgeting app likeTravelSpend. You can explore a long list of third-party travel apps on the App Store.
I also use outdoor activity apps such asAllTrailswhen I go on a more adventurous trip to discover local trails and parks. I attempt to research and find apps that can help me get as local as possible during my travels. Using resources like Yelp and even social media can help you find local eats, shopping centers, and hidden gems.
Backup Your iPhone Data Before You Leave
In the worst-case scenario that you end up losing your iPhone during your vacation, you don’t want to lose out on all the information you have. The best way to deal with this hypothetical situation is to ensureyour iPhone is backing up to iCloudbefore leaving home. This will help store information that is typically not synced to iCloud automatically, like your iPhone’s settings and what your home screen looks like.
To back up your iPhone, go to Settings > Apple Account > iCloud > iCloud Backup. Toggle on “Backup This iPhone.” When you’re connected to the internet, iCloud automatically does a backup of your iPhone every day. You can switch on “Back Up Now” to do a manual backup. Signing into your iCloud account will allow you to see your backup.
Consider AirTags for Luggage Safety
For long trips involving many suitcases and travel items that may be difficult to manage,consider buying AirTags. These can be attached to your keys, backpacks, suitcases, and other carry-on items you may have. Then, these items can be accounted for on your iPhone’s Find My app.
you’re able to share your AirTag details with up to five people, so if you’re traveling with friends or family, things are much easier to keep track of. AirTags can also be attached to things like your wallet (or even a document file/case), so you don’t have to worry about losing essential cards and documents.
You can buy a single AirTag for $29 or a four-pack for $99, and personalize them with engraving if you want. Don’t forget to grab some keychain or other holders if you want to attach them to keys and so on.
Apple AirTag (4 Pack)
Need more AirTags? You can pair up to 16 AirTags with a single Apple ID account.
Make Sure Find My Is On
In addition to AirTags, a safety app on your iPhone that can be crucial forkeeping track of your phone’s whereaboutsis Find My. This allows you to share your iPhone’s location with your fellow travelers or other Apple devices, such as a Mac or Apple Watch, that you own.
For instance, when I travel, I share my device’s location with my family and friends, and have great peace of mind by tracking my MacBook in the app so I know nothing is lost.
You can add items to which you add an AirTag in your Find My app to keep track of all your things in one place. When you move away from the range of an AirTag or device that’s connected to the Find My app, you get an alert on your iPhone so you’re able to immediately identify any loss.
Make a Travel Folder of Essential Apps
A good rule of thumb when preparing for a vacation, beyond downloading specific travel apps, is to create a travel folder on your iPhone for easy access. I usually create a folder with a combination of pre-installed and third-party apps that I use for each trip.
Tocreate a new folder on your iPhone home screen, long-press an app’s icon until you may move it, then hold it over another app icon. This will create a folder which you can name, edit, and add other apps to. Hold and hover over an app with one finger and tap other app icons with another to quickly move apps into a folder.
A few essential travel apps that are pre-downloaded onto your iPhone include Weather, Apple Maps, and Apple Translate for travel to regions where you need some extra help with the language. I also use the Calculator app for essential conversions (currency, weight, etc.), and store my tickets and passes in my Apple Wallet for easy access.
Prepare Your iPhone Accessories
Apart from the apps and settings on your iPhone, another essential aspect of travel is having the necessary accessories. This can include things like headphones, camera equipment, and portable phone holders. When you’re on the go, it’s also important to stay safe and well-connected, so verify you havea reliable power bankfor your iPhone on you, especially if you’re planning long days out.
When I’m planning outdoor activities, I also ensure I carry a sturdy and protective phone case and cover to prevent any damage. You could consider USB adapters to connect to external devices, anda MagSafe chargerfor easy wireless charging.
Get Ready for Offline Entertainment
If you’re in for a long trip with long flights, low connectivity areas, and downtime during travel where you might be bored, don’t forget to prepare with some offline entertainment. Be it music, TV shows, movies, games, or podcasts, I always leave for a trip with a decent library of offline content to enjoy in case I’m not happy with in-flight entertainment, or I am going on, say, hiking trips with low network connectivity.
There are several apps on your iPhone, such as Apple Music, Apple Podcasts, and Apple TV+, which you can use to download content. You can even download books offline withApple Books. If you don’t have an existing subscription for these apps, of course, you can always use third-party apps and subscriptions that offer offline options. I also verify to check that my downloaded content is not taking up too much device storage, which may interfere with my trip.
There are a few more things you can do to prepare your iPhone for travel, including ensuring you have the latest iOS version and checking your data plan to confirm you have the data you need for your trip. Planning ahead of time can help you have smooth sailing with no obstacles to your trip, from creating detailed packing lists to a well-thought-out itinerary. Bon voyage!
