For today’s college students, a smartphone is more than a way to text friends—it’s a wallet, planner, GPS, ID, classroom tool, and emergency contact all in one.

Before your student moves into their residence hall, spend 20 minutes reviewing these important phone settings together. These simple changes can improve safety, protect personal information, and make everyday college life much easier.

1. Turn On Find My Phone

Whether it’s an iPhone or Android, activate the phone’s location service so it can be located if it’s ever lost or stolen.

Students lose phones in dining halls, classrooms, libraries, and residence halls every year. Having this feature enabled can save hundreds of dollars—and a lot of stress.

Check:

• Find My iPhone (Apple)
• Find My Device (Android)

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2. Set Up Emergency SOS

Every student should know how to call for help quickly.

Both Apple and Android phones allow users to contact emergency services by pressing the side button several times. This feature can also notify emergency contacts with the student’s location.

Take a few minutes to practice how it works before move-in.

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3. Add Medical ID Information

If first responders ever need important medical information, they can often access a Medical ID even when the phone is locked.

Include:

• Allergies
• Medical conditions
• Medications
• Blood type (optional)
• Emergency contacts

This could make a critical difference during an emergency.

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4. Enable Two-Factor Authentication

College students access nearly everything through their phones:

• School email
• Banking
• Financial aid
• Student portals
• Amazon
• Venmo
• Social media

Adding two-factor authentication makes these accounts much more secure if passwords are ever compromised.

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5. Share Location with Trusted Family Members

This isn’t about spying.

It’s about safety.

Many families choose to share locations with one another in case of:

• Car trouble
• Late-night walks
• Travel delays
• Emergencies

Have an honest conversation about expectations so everyone feels comfortable.

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6. Turn On Automatic Cloud Backups

Imagine dropping a phone during orientation and losing every photo, note, contact, and class schedule.

Automatic backups protect important information without students having to remember to do it themselves.

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7. Silence Unknown Callers (But Keep College Numbers Saved)

Scam calls often increase once students begin applying for housing, jobs, internships, and scholarships.

Encourage students to:

• Save important university phone numbers.
• Silence unknown callers if appropriate.
• Never give passwords or banking information over the phone.

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8. Review Privacy Settings

Many apps collect far more information than students realize.

Review:

• Location permissions
• Camera access
• Microphone access
• Contact sharing
• Photo permissions

Only allow access when it’s actually needed.

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9. Enable Screen Time or Digital Wellbeing

College requires self-discipline.

Checking social media every five minutes makes studying much harder.

Most phones now include tools that help students:

• Track screen time
• Limit distracting apps
• Set Focus modes during class or study sessions

Small changes can improve productivity and sleep.

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10. Save Important Campus Contacts

Before move-in, add important numbers to Favorites, including:

• Campus police
• Residence hall front desk
• Health center
• Academic advisor
• Roommate
• Resident Assistant (RA), once assigned
• Parents or guardians
• Local urgent care

In a stressful situation, students won’t have to search for these numbers.

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Final Thoughts

Moving to college is about more than packing boxes.

It’s about preparing students to handle everyday life independently.

Taking just a few minutes to update these phone settings can help your student stay safer, protect their personal information, and feel more confident as they begin this exciting new chapter.

Sometimes the best college preparation doesn’t fit in a suitcase—it fits in a smartphone.

College Ready Tip: Schedule a 20-minute “phone check” with your student during the week before move-in. It’s one of the easiest ways to help them start college prepared, connected, and secure.