A beginner’s guide

to using apps
Helping you to get the most from your device

Publication date: February 2022

Contents
1. Introducing you to apps 3

2. Using this guide 6

3. Understanding key terminology 8

4. How do you know which apps are free or paid for? 12

Free apps and paid for options 13

How to find which apps you’ve paid for on an Android device 14
How to find which apps you’ve paid for on an iPhone or iPad 18
How to cancel an app subscription on an Android device 20
How to cancel an app subscription on an iPhone or iPad 21
How to check which in-app purchases are available before
you download an app on your iPhone or iPad 22
How do you know which apps are safe? 23
5. How to find and download an app 25

How to find and download an app on an Android device 26

How to find and download an app on an iPhone or iPad 28
6. How to open an app 31

7. How to update apps on your device 33

Updating apps on an Android device 34

Updating apps on an iPhone or iPad 34
8. Using apps on a laptop or computer 35

2 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

1. Introducing
you to apps

3 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

1. Introducing you to apps

Hello,
Welcome to Age UK’s ‘A beginner’s guide to using apps’. This guide will
show you how to search for apps, download and open them.
You might have heard of ‘apps’ but what exactly are they? Applications, or apps for short,
are a type of program that you can download to your tablet or smartphone. From games
and puzzles to shopping and banking, there are a variety of apps available on different
devices. These are great for keeping your mind active and you can use apps to keep in
touch with family and friends too. You can also download apps to catch up with news or
your favourite TV channels, such as the BBC or ITV.

Apps can be intimidating if you haven’t used them before, so I would recommend starting
with one to build your confidence. I started with WhatsApp, and I use loads of apps now!
I use WhatsApp, Facebook, and Zoom to stay connected to people, I use the NHS app to
manage my health, Netflix to watch TV and even use apps to order a taxi sometimes.

Learning at your own pace

You can work through the guide by yourself, with the support of an Age UK Digital
Champion, or friends, family and carers. It’s best to work through it at your own pace,
repeating any sections you want to focus on. Try to take the time to reflect on what you’ve
learned and make notes, as this will help to build your skills and confidence.

If you’ve got any questions as you work your way through the guide, you may be able to
get support from your local Age UK or local Age Cymru. You can find your local Age UK at
www.ageuk.org.uk/services/in-your-area/

Once you’re feeling comfortable with the content in this guide, you can move onto our
intermediate guide to learn how to use apps in public places, for example, to order food
and drinks in a restaurant. We’ll also show you how to turn on app notifications on your
device and delete apps to free up space.

I hope you enjoy learning about apps.

Elsie, 82

4 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

1. Introducing you to apps

Types of apps
There are a variety of apps to download on your device:

Banking apps: Most banks offer apps to help you manage your finances on your
smartphone or tablet.

Catch-up television: You can download apps, such as BBC iPlayer and ITV Player/ Hub
to watch your favourite TV programmes.

Creating art: If you enjoy drawing or painting, you can take your hobby online with digital
art apps.

Email: You can download email providers, such as Gmail and Outlook, to your phone
to send and receive emails.

Games: If you enjoy doing puzzles or playing games, there are lots of apps available
to download on your smartphone or tablet.

News: There are news apps you can download onto your smartphone and tablet
to catch up with what’s happening in the world.

Social media: If you use social media, then you can download apps for social networking
sites, like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Travel: If you’re booking a train or trying to navigate your way around a new city,
you can download a travel app to help you get around.

Using your device more easily: If you have difficulties with hearing or eyesight,
you can download apps to your device to make it easier to use. These include the Voice
Access app on an Android, which you can use to set up voice activation.
This allows you to speak to your device and ask it to carry out an action,
such as writing a text message or email.

Video calling: Apps like Zoom, Skype and WhatsApp are great for keeping in touch with
family and friends.

5 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

2. Using this guide

6 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

2. Using this guide

This is a beginner’s guide for people who’d like to start using apps.
We’ll show you how to search for and download apps and open
them on your device.
In this guide we’re going to focus on smartphones and tablets. You can use some
apps on laptops and computers, but there is a lot more choice on smartphones and
tablets. Read page 34 for information about using apps on a laptop or computer.

Before reading this beginner’s guide, you should:

• feel comfortable using a smartphone or tablet

• have an internet connection

• know how to connect your device to WiFi or use an alternative, like mobile data.

If you’re not comfortable with how to do this, you can read ‘A guide to choosing
a device’ and ‘A beginner’s guide to connecting to the internet’ which can help.

7 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

 . Understanding
3
key terminology

8 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

3. Understanding key terminology

We’ve explained some key terms below to help you understand what
is involved in using apps. These are in alphabetical order so you can
refer to them when working through the guide:

Attachment: Any file, photograph, video Cookies: Most websites pop up with
or document you add to your email is a message asking you to ‘accept cookies’.
known as an attachment. An email with A cookie is a small piece of data that
an attachment is indicated by the symbol is stored on your computer, laptop,
of a paperclip. smartphone or tablet when you visit
a website or app. They allow the website
to track information about your activity,
Android: The name of the software that such as how many times you have visited
many devices use to function. Phones and and how long you spent on the website
tablets from lots of different brands fall or app. Websites use this information to
into the bracket of Android devices. These improve your experience but your personal
brands include Alcatel, Google, HTC, LG, information won’t be shared with anyone.
Moto, Samsung and Sony. You don’t have to accept cookies, but it
might mean that you can’t access some
Apple: A brand of phones and tablets. websites. You can find more information
Apple phones are known as iPhones and about cookies at https://accessibility.
tablets are called iPads. If your device isn’t campaign.gov.uk/cookies-and-privacy/
Apple, it’s likely to be an Android device.
Copy and paste: This is a way of replicating
Application, or ‘app’: A type of program text so that it appears in exactly the same
that you can download for your computer, way in another place. For example, you
laptop, tablet or smartphone. There are lots might replicate a phone number from
of apps available, from games and puzzles a document in an email. There are
to banking. different ways to do this on different
devices.

App Store: An official, pre-installed

program on all Apple devices, like iPhone Device: A general term for a smartphone,
and iPads, which gives you access to apps. tablet, laptop or computer.

Download: To transfer files or data stored

on the internet onto your smartphone,
tablet, laptop or computer. For example,
you might download a picture that a friend
has emailed to you, a document to read
from a trusted website or an app from
the online app store.

9 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

3. Understanding key terminology

Encrypted: If an app or a website is Play Store: An official, pre-installed

encrypted, it means all the communication program on Android devices which gives
between you and the website is secure you access to apps.
and can’t be read or heard by anyone else.
Encrypted websites have web addresses
that start with ‘https’. The ‘s’ stands Screen: This is where information
for secure. A web address is at the top or pictures are displayed on a laptop,
of the screen. computer, smartphone or tablet. Some
devices have touch screens which allow
you to interact with them using your finger
Icon: An image or symbol which represents or a special pen called a ‘stylus’.
an app or function on your phone, tablet,
laptop or computer screen. You usually ‘
tap’ (see definition below) on an icon to Smartphone: A mobile phone which
open an app. connects to the internet. You can use
it to do everything from sending emails
to making video calls.
Internet: Also known as the worldwide
web, this is a large network that connects
computers and devices around the world Software: This is a catch-all term for
through which you can access information. something that runs on your computer,
You’ll see the abbreviation ‘www’ at the laptop, tablet or smartphone. Examples
beginning of web addresses. For example, include apps on your phone and tablet,
our website is www.ageuk.org.uk. or anti-virus programs. You might also see
them described as ‘programs’.

Macintosh (Mac): A type of operating

system for some devices. If your device Swiping: Moving your finger across the
isn’t a Mac, it’s likely to be Windows. screen of a smartphone or tablet. You can
read more about this in ‘A guide to making
your device easier to use’.
Mobile data: This is what you use to access
the internet on your phone. It’s measured
in megabytes (MB) and gigabytes (GB). Tablet: A small portable computer with
Most phone and tablet contracts have a touch screen. You tap the screen with
monthly allowances for how much your finger or a special pen, often referred
data you can use. Once you use up your to as a ‘stylus’ rather than using a keyboard
allowance, you may get charged for and mouse.
any extra data you use. Or your amount
might be capped to prevent you from Tap: To quickly touch and then lift your
overspending, and you won’t be able finger off the touchpad to carry out an
to use the internet until your allowance action. This could be to move to a new
renews the next month. You can also pay screen or open an app on your device.
for more data just for that month. It’s the equivalent of clicking a ‘mouse’
on a computer. You can read more about
this in ‘A guide to making your device
easier to use’.

10 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

3. Understanding key terminology

Web/internet browser: A program that Wireless network, or ‘WiFi’: How your

runs on your device. It allows you to access phone, tablet, laptop or computer connects
web pages on the internet. Common web to the internet without using wires or
browsers include Microsoft Internet Explorer cables. You can access public WiFi networks,
or Edge, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox for example when out and about, or
and Apple Safari. arrange a contract with an internet provider
so you can use WiFi at home.

Windows: An operating system for some

devices, developed by Microsoft. If your
device isn’t Windows, it’s likely to be a Mac.

TOP TIP

Is your device Android or Apple?

If your device is an iPhone or iPad, then it’s an Apple brand. It will have the Apple logo
on the back. All other phones and tablet brands are more than likely to be Android
devices.
If you aren’t sure, then here are some ways to find out:

• Check the handbook that came with the device.

• Search for the brand of your device online.

• Go to your phone menu. Tap ‘Settings’, then ‘General’, then ‘About’. There, the
version will be listed. Some phones will only need you to tap ‘Settings’ and then
‘About phone’ – there isn’t a middle step.

The Apple logo

11 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

 . How do you know
4
which apps are free
or paid-for?

12 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

Some apps are free to download and use. Others charge you to
download them. You’ll either need to pay upfront or for a monthly/
annual subscription. The cost can vary from around 60p to £5. Others
are free to download but give you the chance to buy extras.
On an Android device, there is a green button underneath the name of the app which
has the price of the app in it.

On an iPhone or iPad, if the app is free, you will see ‘Get’ next to it in a box to the right
of its name in the App Store. If you have to pay for the app, it will show the cost in the
button instead of ‘Get’. There are a lot of free apps that might require you to pay for
additional features within the app. This is called ‘In-app purchases’. See below for how
to check for these.

13 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

There are also many free apps that are initially free but that come with a subscription
service. You might get a week or so for free and then there’s a recurring fee for them.
If you have authorised the subscription, it may begin to bill automatically after the free
trial. So, if you don’t want the subscription, make a note to cancel it or delete the app.
Please see below for how to cancel a subscription.

If you need to pay upfront, a message will come up on your screen asking you to sign
in or verify your account before paying for it. This stops people from buying an app
by accident. Please see the instructions below for how to download apps.

You can pay for an app upfront using your bank card. Once you have added a payment
method, it’s possible to purchase apps or buy things from within an app without adding
any additional information. So, be careful about apps that have paid-for extras in case
you lose track of your spending.

How to find which apps you’ve paid for on an Android device

To see apps you have monthly subscriptions for:

1. Tap on the Play Store app on your phone or tablet.

2. Tap on the menu at the top of the screen. Depending which device you have,
this may be in the top left corner of the screen or the right. On some devices,
you may have to tap the round profile picture of yourself in the top right corner
to bring up the menu.

14 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

3. Next, tap on ‘Payments and subscriptions’ in the menu.

4. Then tap on ‘Subscriptions’.

15 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

5. On the screen, you’ll see the apps you have subscriptions for.

To see apps you’ve paid for (upfront payments and in-app purchases):
1. Tap on the Play Store app on your phone or tablet.

2. Tap on the menu at the top of the screen. Depending which device you have, this may
be in the top left corner of the screen or the right. On some devices, you may have to
tap the round profile picture of yourself in the top right corner to bring up the menu.

3. Next, tap on ‘Payments and subscriptions’ in the menu.

16 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

5. Then tap on ‘Budget and history’

6. Here, you’ll find a list of any apps you’ve paid for.

17 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

How to find which apps you’ve paid for on an iPhone or iPad

To see apps you have monthly subscriptions for:

1. Tap on the ‘Settings’ icon on your phone or tablet.

2. Tap on your name at the top of the screen.

3. Tap on ‘Subscriptions’.

4. You’ll then see a list of all the apps you have paid subscriptions for.

To see apps you’ve paid for (upfront payments and in-app purchases):
1. Tap on the ‘Settings’ icon on your phone or tablet.

2. Tap on your name at the top of the screen.

3. Next, tap on ‘Media & Purchases’.

18 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

4. Then, tap on ‘View Account’.

5. Next, tap on ‘Purchase History’.

6. A page will then open listing all the apps you’ve downloaded, both free and paid for.

7. You can use the ‘Date Range’ tab at the top of the screen to search by year or to review
the last 90 days.

19 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

How to cancel an app subscription on an Android device

1. Tap on the Play Store app on your phone or tablet.

2. Tap on the menu at the top of the screen. Depending which device you have,
this may be in the top left corner of the screen or the right.

3. Next, tap on ‘Payments and subscriptions’ in the menu.

4. On the screen, you’ll see the apps you have subscriptions for.

5. Tap on the subscription you’d like to cancel.

6. Tap ‘Cancel subscription’ and follow the instructions to complete the process.

20 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

How to cancel an app subscription on an iPhone or iPad

1. Tap on the ‘Settings’ icon on your phone or tablet.

2. Tap on your name at the top of the screen.

3. Tap on ‘Subscriptions’. This will take you to a page listing all your active
app subscriptions.

4. Tap on the subscription you’d like to cancel.

5. Tap ‘Cancel Subscription’ and follow the instructions to complete the process.

21 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

How to check which in-app purchases are available before you

download an app on your iPhone or iPad
1. Go to the App Store.

2. If an app offers ‘In-app purchases’, you’ll see the words ‘In-app purchases’ near
the price or the ‘Get’ button.

3. Tap the app’s name to bring up a description of the app. Then scroll down
to the ‘Information’ section in the listing.

4. Look for the ‘In-app purchases’ tab in the ‘Information’ section. If you have
to pay for extras when you download a free app, it will say ‘Yes’ and have
a downward-pointing arrow beside it.

5. A list will show all of the app’s ‘In-app purchases’ and the price of each one.

22 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

Most apps on the Play Store or App Store will be safe to download.
The stores aim to remove any unsafe apps. But unfortunately, some
do slip through the net, and these can carry computer viruses or try
to access your personal or financial information.
There are also fake apps designed to look exactly like popular apps, such as WhatsApp.
This tricks people into downloading them, then the app bombards the phone with adverts
or computer viruses.

Here are some tips to keep your phone and information safe:
1. Check how many people have downloaded the app. Next to the app in the Play Store
or App Store, you can see how many people have downloaded it. If an app has been
downloaded millions or billions of times, then it’s likely to be safe. Be wary of apps with
only a few hundred or thousand downloads – they may not be genuine.

On iPhone: On Android:

2. Read the reviews and check the ratings. Each app has a user rating and reviews that
you can read. Be cautious about downloading apps with negative reviews.

On iPhone: On Android:

23 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

4. How do you know which apps are safe?

3. Read the description. Look out for spelling mistakes or anything which doesn’t seem
quite right. If something doesn’t feel genuine, it probably isn’t.

4. Double check the source. Only download apps from reputable sources (the company
that made the app). Underneath the name of the app, you can tap on the source,
check which other apps they provide, and view their ratings too.

On iPhone: On Android:

24 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

 . How to find
5
and download an app

25 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

5. How to find and download an app

How to find and download an app on an Android device

1. Open the Play Store in your phone or tablet’s menu by tapping on the Play Store icon.

2. First, you’ll need to set up a Google account or log in to your Google account.
This is the account you will use to access other Google services, like Gmail, a type
of email account. You’ll automatically stay logged into your Google account. So next
time you download an app, you’ll be logged in to the Play Store.

TOP TIP

It’s important to set up a strong password to stay safe when using the internet and
to never write it down as someone could find it. If you need a written reminder, try to
write a hint that only you’ll understand, rather than the actual password.

26 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

5. How to find and download an app

3. Search for the name of the app by typing it into the search bar at the top of your
screen. For example, ‘WhatsApp’ or ‘Gmail’.

4. When you see it in the list that comes up, tap on the name of the app. If you need
to pay for the app, a green button will appear under the name of the app with
the price in it.

5. Tap ‘Install’, which is a green button underneath the name of the app. It will say
the app is ‘Pending’ and then ‘Installing’.

27 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

5. How to find and download an app

How to find and download an app on an iPhone or iPad

1. Open the App Store in your iPhone or iPad’s menu by tapping on the App Store icon.

2. You’ll need to set up an Apple ID or login to your existing Apple ID account.

This is the account you will use to access Apple services. You’ll automatically stay
logged into your Apple ID account. So next time you download an app, you’ll be logged
into the App Store.

TOP TIP

It’s important to set up a strong password to stay safe when using the internet and
to never write it down as someone could find it. If you need a written reminder, try to
write a hint that only you’ll understand, rather than the actual password.

28 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

5. How to find and download an app

3. Click the ‘Search’ icon at the bottom right of the screen. It has a magnifying glass icon.
Search for the name of the app by typing in the search bar. For example, ‘WhatsApp’
or ‘Gmail’.

4. Tap on the name of the app.

5. Tap ‘Get’ which is a blue button next to the icon symbol. If the app is free, you will
see ‘Get’ next to it in a box in the App Store. If there is a cost for the app, it will show
the cost in the button instead of ‘Get’.

29 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

5. How to find and download an app

6. You will then be asked to tap ‘Done’ or ‘Double-Click to install’. To do this you need to
click the button on the right of your phone twice. A circle will appear next to the app
showing you that the app is downloading.

7. When the app has finished downloading, you will be able to tap ‘Open’.

TOP TIP

Make sure you are connected to WiFi before downloading any apps. This will stop
additional charges from your mobile phone network. If you don’t use WiFi, you’ll use
the mobile data on your phone which you may need to pay for if you go over your
data usage.

30 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

6. How to open an app

31 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

6. How to open an app

1. When you download an app, it will automatically be added to your menu. If you have
a lot of apps in your menu, you may run out of room for new icons, and you’ll need
to ‘swipe’ across the page to see the new icon.

On iPhone or iPad: On Android:

2. Tap on the app to open it.

TOP TIP

Popular puzzle apps

Sudoku: This app gives you access to lots of Sudoku puzzles. The basic app is free
to use but if you want to remove the ads and get unlimited hints, you can pay for
a weekly, monthly or yearly subscription. On an Android and iPhone, the app is called
‘Sudoku – free classic sudoku puzzles’.

Words with friends: Just like Scrabble, this can be played with family and friends
online. On an Android and iPhone, the app is called ‘Words with friends classic:
Word puzzle challenge’. It’s free to download.

Wordscapes: If you like word puzzles, this is a good app to download. Free to
download, you can find it on Androids and iPhones by searching for ‘Wordscapes’.

32 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

 . How to update
7
apps on your device

33 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

7. How to update apps on your device

Once you’ve downloaded an app, you’ll need to make sure that it stays
updated to access the latest security features. You’ll get notifications
come up on your device saying when an app needs to be updated.

Updating apps on an Android

You can update your apps manually in the Play Store menu, by tapping ‘My apps and
games’. Apps will be labelled with ‘Update’ if there is one available. Tap on ‘Update’
to install the update.

You can also set up your phone so apps are automatically updated, as and when
the updates are available. To do this:

1. Open the Play Store.

2. Tap ‘Menu’, then ‘Settings’.

3. Choose either ‘Update over WiFi only’ or ‘Update over any network’. It’s best to choose
WiFi only, to avoid additional charges from your mobile phone network.

Updating apps on an iPhone

Apps downloaded from the App Store are updated automatically by default. But you can
also update apps manually if you want to:

1. Open the App Store.

2. Tap ‘Updates’.

3. To update a specific app, tap ‘Update’ next to that app, or tap ‘Update all’.

You can make sure your apps only update when you’re connected to WiFi to
avoid additional data charges from your mobile phone network:

1. Go to ‘Settings’.

2. Scroll to ‘iTunes & App Store’.

3. Scroll to ‘Use mobile data’ and switch off this option.

34 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

 . Using apps on a
8
laptop or computer

35 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

8. Using apps on a laptop or computer

We’ve focused on smartphones and tablets in this guide as there

are more apps available on these types of devices.

If you want to try using apps on a laptop or computer, some of the best options are video
calling apps like Skype and Zoom. These apps provide a better experience than logging
into Skype and Zoom on a web browser. Our ‘Intermediate guide to video calling’ provides
step-by-step instructions to download the Skype and Zoom apps on a laptop or computer.

Next Steps
Once you feel comfortable downloading and using apps, read our intermediate guide
to learn how to:

• use apps when you’re out, for example in restaurants and other public places
• turn app notifications on and off
• manage the storage space on your device and remove apps.

36 | A beginner’s guide to using apps

We hope you’ve enjoyed working your way through this guide
and feel comfortable using apps.

My Age UK Digital Champion

Telephone number:

Notes

We provide advice and information for people in later life through our
Age UK Advice line, publications and online.
Age UK Advice: 0800 678 1602
Lines are open seven days a week from 8am to 7pm.
You can find more information at www.ageuk.org.uk

Age UK is a charitable company limited by guarantee and registered in England and Wales (registered charity number 1128267 and registered company number
6825798). Registered address: Age UK, 7th Floor, One America Square, 17 Crosswall, London EC3N 2LB. Age UK and its subsidiary companies and charities form the
Age UK Group, dedicated to helping more people love later life. ID204747 02/22.