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Can AI walk me through setting up a new phone?

Yes. It gives you a before, during and after checklist so photos, contacts and two-step login apps move over and nothing gets lost when you wipe the old one.

Verdict: Bot · AI does it well✓ Tested 2 times in Llama 3.3 70B · Nov 5, 2026Written for ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini

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Bot

01Why bot

  • Setup is a known sequence, and AI is good at turning sequences into checklists.
  • It catches the step people forget: moving authenticator apps before wiping the old phone.
  • It adapts the plan to switching between iPhone and Android.
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02The prompt

Replace everything in [BRACKETS] with your own details, then paste it into your AI app.

prompt.txt
You are a phone setup specialist.

Old phone: [MODEL, OS]
New phone: [MODEL, OS]
What I must keep: [PHOTOS, CONTACTS, TEXTS, AUTHENTICATOR APPS, ETC.]

Your task: give me a setup plan.

Rules:
- MUST put moving authenticator and two-step login apps before wiping the old phone, in bold.
- MUST include checking my backup before I start.
- NEVER tell me to wipe the old phone until everything is confirmed on the new one.
- Say that menu names may differ slightly on my model.
- If anything is missing, ask me up to 3 short questions first.

Give me: before, during and after checklists.

03Steps

  1. Charge both phones and connect to Wi-Fi.
  2. Paste the prompt with your models filled in.
  3. Tick off each step and keep the old phone until you've checked everything.

04What can go wrong

  • Menus change between OS versions, so the exact wording may differ.
  • Losing an authenticator app can lock you out of accounts; move it first.

05What to use

Any major AI chat app. The free tier works.

06Our test runs

2 runs, each with a different made-up sample. 1 of 2 passed every check.

Run 1 · Llama 3.3 70B · graded by GPT-OSS 120BOct 10, 2026Passed with a catch

The made-up sample:

  • [MODEL, OS]Old phone: Samsung Galaxy S22, Android 13; New phone: Samsung Galaxy S24, Android 14
  • [PHOTOS, CONTACTS, TEXTS, AUTHENTICATOR APPS, ETC.]Photos, Contacts, SMS/MMS messages, Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, WhatsApp chat backup, Signal encrypted messages, Bluetooth pairings, Wi‑Fi networks
  • Bold moving authenticator and two‑step login apps before wiping the old phone
  • Include checking my backup before I start
  • Never tell me to wipe the old phone until everything is confirmed on the new one
  • Say that menu names may differ slightly on my model
  • Didn't make up details we never gave it

What came back (excerpt):

To ensure a smooth transition from your old Samsung Galaxy S22 (Android 13) to your new Samsung Galaxy S24 (Android 14), I've prepared a setup plan for you.
Read the full answer
To ensure a smooth transition from your old Samsung Galaxy S22 (Android 13) to your new Samsung Galaxy S24 (Android 14), I've prepared a setup plan for you. Please follow these steps carefully.

### Before Setup Checklist:
1. **Check your backup**: Ensure that your Google account backup is up to date. This includes checking for the latest backups of your photos, contacts, SMS/MMS messages, and other important data.
2. Review your Google Authenticator and Microsoft Authenticator setups to understand which accounts are linked and prepare for their transfer.
3. Confirm that your WhatsApp chat backup is current.
4. Ensure your Signal encrypted messages are backed up according to Signal's backup process.
5. Note down your Wi-Fi networks and their passwords for easy reference during setup.

### During Setup Checklist:
1. **Transfer Authenticator Apps**:
   - **Move Google Authenticator to the new phone**: Before wiping the old phone, transfer Google Authenticator to the new phone by following the in-app transfer process or using the backup and restore feature if available.
   - **Move Microsoft Authenticator to the new phone**: Similarly, transfer Microsoft Authenticator to the new phone, ensuring all accounts are properly set up.
   - **Set up two-step login on the new phone**: Ensure two-step login is enabled on your new phone, especially for critical accounts.
2. Set up your new Samsung Galaxy S24:
   - Insert your SIM card or eSIM.
   - Follow the on-screen instructions to select your language, country or region, and connect to a Wi-Fi network.
   - Sign in with your Google account to start the backup restoration process.
3. Restore your data:
   - Allow the phone to restore your backed-up data from Google, including contacts, SMS/MMS messages, and photos.
   - Manually restore any data not covered by Google Backup, such as WhatsApp chat backups (using the in-app restore process) and Signal encrypted messages (following Signal's restore process).
4. Pair Bluetooth devices:
   - Go to your phone's Settings (menu names may differ slightly on your model), find the Bluetooth settings, and pair your devices.
5. Connect to saved Wi-Fi networks:
   - Use the noted Wi-Fi network names and passwords to connect to your frequently used networks.

### After Setup Checklist:
1. Verify all data has been successfully transferred:
   - Check your photos, contacts, SMS/MMS messages, and app data to ensure everything is as expected.
   - Confirm that Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, and two-step login are working correctly.
   - Verify WhatsApp chat backups and Signal encrypted messages are accessible.
2. Test Bluetooth pairings and Wi-Fi connections:
   - Ensure all your Bluetooth devices are paired and functioning correctly.
   - Confirm you can connect to all your saved Wi-Fi networks without issues.
3. Update all apps:
   - Go to the Google Play Store, and update all your apps to the latest versions available for Android 14.
4. Customize your new phone:
   - Set up your home screen, notification preferences, and other settings as desired.

Remember, do not wipe your old phone until you have confirmed that all your data and settings are correctly transferred and functional on your new Samsung Galaxy S24. If you encounter any issues during the setup process, feel free to ask, and I'll be happy to assist you further.

The answer does not bold the two‑step login step as required.

Run 2 · Llama 3.3 70B · graded by GPT-OSS 120BNov 5, 2026Passed

The made-up sample (a messier one):

  • [MODEL, OS]Old: Samsung Galaxy S22, Android 13 (maybe still on 12 after the last OTA). New: iPhone 15 Pro, iOS 17.3.
  • [PHOTOS, CONTACTS, TEXTS, AUTHENTICATOR APPS, ETC.]Photos (~12k), contacts (Google + iCloud merged), SMS texts (last 2 years), Google Authenticator, Authy, WhatsApp chat backup, Health data, Apple Notes, Spotify playlists.
  • Must put moving authenticator and two-step login apps before wiping, in bold
  • Must include checking my backup before I start
  • Never tell me to wipe the old phone until everything is confirmed on the new one
  • Say that menu names may differ slightly on my model
  • Didn't make up details we never gave it

What came back (excerpt):

To ensure a smooth transition from your Samsung Galaxy S22 to your new iPhone 15 Pro, follow this setup plan.
Read the full answer
To ensure a smooth transition from your Samsung Galaxy S22 to your new iPhone 15 Pro, follow this setup plan. Please note that menu names may differ slightly on your model.

**Before Setup Checklist:**
1. Check your backup: Ensure that your Google account and iCloud backups are up to date. This includes checking the last backup time for both services to confirm that all necessary data is included.
2. Verify Google Authenticator and Authy setup: **Transfer Google Authenticator and Authy to your new iPhone 15 Pro before proceeding**. This step is crucial for maintaining access to your accounts.
3. Prepare your new iPhone 15 Pro: Charge your new iPhone and have it ready for setup.

**During Setup Checklist:**
1. Set up your new iPhone 15 Pro: Follow the on-screen instructions to set up your new device. Choose to restore from a backup or set up as new, depending on your preference.
2. Merge contacts: Ensure that your Google contacts and iCloud contacts are merged during the setup process or shortly after.
3. Restore WhatsApp chat backup: Use the WhatsApp transfer feature to move your chat history from your old phone to your new iPhone.
4. Transfer Health data: If you have health data on your old phone, explore options to transfer it to your new iPhone, such as using the Health app's built-in transfer feature or exporting/importing data manually.
5. Set up Apple Notes: If you have existing notes in Apple Notes, ensure they are synced with your iCloud account and accessible on your new iPhone.
6. Restore Spotify playlists: Log in to your Spotify account on your new iPhone to access your playlists.

**After Setup Checklist:**
1. Verify data transfer: Check that all specified data (photos, contacts, SMS texts, Google Authenticator, Authy, WhatsApp chats, Health data, Apple Notes, Spotify playlists) has been successfully transferred to your new iPhone.
2. Test apps and services: Ensure that all apps, especially those related to two-factor authentication, are working as expected.
3. Update your new iPhone: Check for any available updates for iOS and install them to ensure your device has the latest features and security patches.

Before proceeding with wiping your old phone, confirm that:
- All necessary data has been transferred successfully.
- You have tested all critical apps and services.
- You are satisfied with the setup of your new iPhone 15 Pro.

If anything seems to be missing or not functioning as expected, I may ask up to three short questions to clarify the issue and provide further assistance.

Verify the bold authenticator transfer step appears before any wipe advice.

How each run works: we fill the prompt with a made-up sample, run it once in Llama 3.3 70B, and GPT-OSS 120B grades the answer against the prompt's own rules. Word limits are counted by code, and every quote flagged as made up is checked against the full answer. Your results can differ. How we test.

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