Getting Your Today Tablet Ready to Use
A Today tablet is a basic Android device designed for everyday tasks like reading, email, video calls, and light web browsing. Out of the box, it needs a few minutes of setup before you can use it. The first time you turn it on, you'll see a welcome screen that walks you through connecting to Wi-Fi, signing into a Google account, and choosing your language and time zone.
Press and hold the power button on the side or back of the tablet until you see the Today logo appear. The tablet will take 30 to 60 seconds to start up. Follow the on-screen prompts to select your language, connect to your home Wi-Fi network, and sign in with a Google account. If you don't have a Google account, you can create one for free at google.com during setup. A Google account lets you read apps, send email, and back up your data.
Once setup is complete, you'll land on the home screen — a grid of app icons and widgets. This is where you'll spend most of your time. The home screen can have multiple pages; swipe left or right to move between them.
Key Takeaways
- Turn on your Today tablet by holding the power button, then connect to Wi-Fi and sign in with a Google account during the first-time setup.
- The home screen shows your apps and widgets; swipe left and right to see more pages, and tap any icon to open that app.
- Use the back button (arrow pointing left) to go back one screen, and the home button (house icon) to return to the home screen from anywhere.
- read new apps from the Google Play Store by tapping the Play Store icon, searching for the app name, and tapping Install.
- Adjust brightness, volume, and Wi-Fi in the Settings app, which you can open by swiping down from the top of the screen twice.
Understanding the Home Screen and Navigation Buttons
At the bottom of your Today tablet screen, you'll see three buttons: a back arrow on the left, a home button (house icon) in the middle, and a recent apps button (two overlapping squares) on the right. These buttons let you move around the tablet without getting stuck.
The back button takes you to the previous screen — useful if you open something by accident or want to leave an app. The home button always returns you to the home screen, no matter where you are. The recent apps button shows the last few apps you used; tap one to jump back to it, or swipe up to close an app you're done with.
At the top of the screen, you'll see the status bar showing the time, Wi-Fi signal strength, and battery level. Swipe down from the top once to see notifications (messages, reminders, app updates). Swipe down a second time to open the quick settings panel, where you can toggle Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, brightness, and airplane mode on and off without opening the full Settings app.
Opening and Using Apps
Every app on your Today tablet is represented by an icon on the home screen or in your app drawer. To open an app, tap its icon once with your finger. The app will open in a few seconds. To close an app, press the back button repeatedly until you return to the home screen, or press the home button to jump straight back.
If you can't find an app on the home screen, swipe up from the bottom of the screen to open the app drawer — a full list of every app installed on your tablet. Scroll up and down to find the app you want, then tap it. You can also search for an app by tapping the search icon (magnifying glass) at the top of the app drawer and typing the app name.
Some apps, like Email or Messages, will show a small number badge on their icon when you have unread messages. Tap the icon to open the app and read them. Once you've read a message, the badge disappears.
Connecting to Wi-Fi and Managing Your Network
Your Today tablet needs Wi-Fi to browse the web, send email, read apps, and make video calls. During setup, you connected to your home Wi-Fi. If you need to connect to a different network, swipe down from the top of the screen twice to open the quick settings panel and tap the Wi-Fi icon. Your tablet will show a list of available networks. Tap the one you want to join and enter the password if prompted.
If you're away from home and need to use mobile data instead, some Today tablets have a SIM card slot. Check your tablet's manual to see if yours does. If it does, you can insert a SIM card from a mobile carrier and use their data network. If your tablet doesn't have a SIM slot, you'll need to find a Wi-Fi network to connect to.
To check your Wi-Fi signal strength, look at the Wi-Fi icon in the status bar at the top of the screen. More bars mean a stronger signal. If you're far from your router or there are obstacles between you and it, move closer to improve your connection.
Adjusting Display, Sound, and Battery Settings
You can change how bright your screen is, how loud the speakers are, and how long the tablet waits before turning off the screen. Swipe down from the top twice to open the quick settings panel. Tap the brightness slider and drag it left to dim the screen or right to make it brighter. Tap the volume icon to adjust speaker volume.
For more detailed settings, open the Settings app by tapping its icon in the app drawer (it looks like a gear). In Settings, tap Display to change screen brightness, screen timeout (how long before the screen turns off), and text size. Tap Sound to adjust volume levels for different types of sounds. Tap Battery to see which apps are using the most power.
To extend battery life, lower the screen brightness, reduce screen timeout to 1 or 2 minutes, and close apps you're not using. If your battery is very low, swipe down twice and tap Battery Saver to limit background activity and reduce power use.
Downloading and Installing Apps from Google Play Store
The Google Play Store is where you read new apps for your Today tablet. Tap the Play Store icon on your home screen (it looks like a colorful triangle). The store will open and show featured apps and games. Use the search icon at the top to find a specific app by name.
When you find an app you want, tap it to see its description, screenshots, and user reviews. Tap the Install button. The app will read and install automatically — this usually takes 10 to 30 seconds depending on the app size and your Wi-Fi speed. Once installation is complete, the Install button changes to Open. Tap Open to launch the app, or tap the back button to return to the store.
Every app you install is free to read, though some apps offer paid features inside them. You can always uninstall an app you don't want: open Settings, tap Apps, find the app in the list, tap it, and tap Uninstall.
Sending Email and Messages
Your Today tablet comes with an Email app for reading and sending email. Open it by tapping the Email icon on your home screen. The first time you open it, you'll be asked to add an email account. Enter your email address and password, and the app will automatically set up your account. You can add multiple email accounts if you have more than one.
To send an email, tap the compose button (usually a pencil or plus icon) and fill in the recipient's email address, subject line, and message. Tap Send. To read incoming email, tap the Inbox folder and tap any message to open it. To reply, tap the reply arrow and type your response.
For text messages, open the Messages app. Tap the compose button to start a new conversation, enter a phone number or contact name, type your message, and tap Send. Messages appear in a conversation thread so you can see your entire exchange with one person in one place.
Making Video Calls and Using the Camera
Many Today tablets have a front-facing camera for video calls and a rear camera for photos. To make a video call, open Google Meet (formerly Duo) from the app drawer. Tap the plus icon to start a new call, enter the phone number or email address of the person you want to call, and tap the call button. The other person will receive a notification and can accept or decline your call.
To take a photo or video, open the Camera app. The screen shows what the camera sees in real time. Tap the large circle button to take a photo, or hold it down to record a video. Your photos and videos are saved to the Gallery app, where you can view, edit, and share them. Open Gallery to see all your photos organized by date.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make the text bigger on my Today tablet?
Open Settings, tap Display, and look for Font Size or Text Size. Drag the slider to the right to make text larger. This affects text in most apps, though some apps have their own text size controls inside the app itself.
What should I do if my tablet is running slowly?
Close apps you're not using by tapping the recent apps button and swiping them up. Restart your tablet by holding the power button until a menu appears, then tap Restart. If it's still slow, open Settings, tap Apps, and uninstall apps you don't use. Low storage space can also slow things down; delete old photos and videos from Gallery to free up space.
Can I use my Today tablet without a Google account?
You can use basic features like reading, watching videos, and browsing the web without a Google account, but you won't be able to read apps from the Play Store or use Gmail and other Google services. A Google account is free to create and takes less than a minute.
How do I know if my tablet is charging?
Plug the charging cable into the port at the bottom of your tablet and into a power outlet. A charging icon (lightning bolt) will appear in the status bar at the top of the screen. Most Today tablets take 2 to 4 hours to charge fully from empty.
What's the difference between the back button and the home button?
The back button takes you to the previous screen within an app or between apps. The home button jumps directly to the home screen from anywhere. Use back to retrace your steps; use home to start fresh.