Setting Up Your Phone for Traveling Abroad
Smartphones are part of our lives, and even if they’re sometimes harmful due to prolonged time screens, they improve anything we do, from communicating to traveling. Since numerous applications and websites guide you wherever you want, planning trips is much easier.
Still, not only maps will help you have a great vacation. Before leaving the house, preparing your phone for prolonged hours spent abroad, where there’s no internet connection, would be best. If you choose a long journey, you’ll also have to do something with your spare time, meaning your battery will get consumed faster than usual, so you need a charging battery.
And this isn’t even everything you must consider when traveling abroad regarding your phone. So, if you want to be prepared for any unforeseen event and enjoy your travel, here are our tips for prepping your smartphone.
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Consider an international eSIM
Regardless of the time spent abroad, you need to communicate with your friends and family and use the internet to search for information. Moreover, if you’re business traveling, you’ll have to be available online and on the phone, which can be pretty challenging in another country. Remember that public WI-FI isn’t reliable and safe because connecting to it allows attackers to access your device’s information.
In this case, you may want to know what eSIM technology is. This sim card isn’t physical; it is sent to you through email, and you scan the QR code sent for the magic to happen. Your phone number won’t change, and you’ll be free to use data and make calls internationally only by paying the price of the sim.
Still, you have to check if the digital sim is compatible with your smartphone for perfect functionality. The connection works perfectly in most cases as well-known phone brands are included, so you can get a Google Fi eSIM for your Google Pixel, for example. Still, if you own a unique smartphone brand, check on the company’s site before purchasing the service for compatibility.
Activate the tracking option in case of a lost or stolen phone
Some places worldwide are less safe than others, so if you’re unlucky and get your smartphone stolen, it isn’t easy to find it. This also applies if you lose it, which happens constantly in places with many people walking around. So, if you want to spare yourself the anxiety and the need for a new phone, we recommend you activate or install a feature that tracks your device wherever it is.
Apple products have the option of Find My iPhone, while Android-based smartphones have Find My Device. If you have the connection details of your phone, you can use another device to find, lock, or erase your phone, making it easier for thieves to use your information or use it for any purpose.
Still, to find it fast, your phone needs to have its location and mobile data turned on, so remember to activate them when you’re outside to prevent it from being lost forever. With the help of the local police, we’re sure this option can come in handy, so depending on how congested the city is, this feature can save your phone.
Prepare for long hours offline
If you’re traveling a lot by airplane, bus, or even by car, it’s most likely that you won’t be able to use your internet connection. Some airlines offer free or paid in-flight Wi-Fi, which doesn’t ensure a fast connection.
So, if you want to benefit from the stress-free hours you’ve left while traveling, we recommend downloading movies, music, and even books on your smartphone. These files can be accessed no matter what, at good quality, and they won’t even consume the battery’s life that much since there’s no internet connection.
Luckily, streaming platforms offer this option where you can listen to downloaded music freely, such as Spotify. Even Netflix has this option, so if you download your favorite movie before entering the plane, you can watch it during the trip at high quality.
Downloading content from official websites lets you enjoy them at their best, so purchasing your e-books from reliable libraries would be ideal. This enables you to read the book in its intended digital format, so you won’t struggle to read weird pages if taken from random websites.
Create a document with all the papers you need for the trip
Although the world is becoming 100% digital, paper documents are still required wherever you go. However, keeping a digital copy of your papers is always a good idea because you don’t have to carry around a lot of documents, and if you ever forget one of them, you can provide the digital format.
It would be best to download the documents in their original form, all signed up and arranged so they don’t seem fake, to avoid suspicions from authorities. Travel tickets, identification documents, and travel insurance can be kept on your smartphone, each in different documents.
You can even have your itinerary details in particular trip applications, so you won’t have to search for information repeatedly. For example, you can note the name of the accommodation, their phone number, and even diverse dial numbers for services in that country, such as taxi or food delivery. It’s essential to be prepared beforehand not to miss any time while enjoying your stay.
What’s your next destination?
Regardless of where you go on the globe, you’ll be OK with only a smartphone with everything: your documents, money, and reliable connection. But to ensure you have the best trip, prepare your smartphone by providing it with an eSIM card, make documents for your files, and remember to bring a rechargeable battery with you. Plus, be aware of the possibility of losing it or getting it stolen, so avoid taking it out in congested areas, and always have all the options activated for finding it.
