Accounts, app stores, and updates

An account is a sign-in that belongs to you (or to a library practice user): an email address plus a secret, or a phone number plus a code. Google Play’s help notes that apps and other content are connected to your Google Account, not only to one phone — and that you cannot move purchases between different accounts. Apple’s App Store steps ask you to confirm a download with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple Account password. Those are good reasons to treat an account as something personal.

This course will never ask you to type a real account password, PIN, or payment card into a practice screen. If a tutor wants you to practise signing in, use a practice account they give you, on the real device, not inside this lesson. On a shared computer, sign out when you finish if staff ask you to, so the next person does not land in your mail.

Skills for Success includes using digital tools and following safe, responsible practices with personal information. A simple habit is enough for today: know which account you are using before you install an app or say yes to a purchase. Google Play warns that if you have more than one account on a device, you should be signed in to the account you intend to use before you complete a purchase. If you buy something on the wrong account, they say to contact the app developer about a possible refund — this course cannot do that for you.

If a screen suddenly asks for a password when you did not tap Sign in, pause. Lesson 9 covers that kind of surprise. For now, close the unexpected box or ask a tutor rather than typing.

Get Cyber Safe says to download apps from the App Store or Google Play and to review the permissions an app asks for. That is the everyday rule. A random link in a message is not an official store.

On many Android phones, Google’s Play Store help says: open the Google Play Store app (or go to play.google.com in a browser), search or browse, select the item, then select Install or the item’s price and follow the on-screen steps. Some content is free; some you pay for. Google also notes that apps are meant for supported Android and Chromebook devices and cannot be used on Windows or Mac computers. After you install, you can find the app on a Home screen or in the full app list (Lesson 3).

On an iPhone or iPad, Apple’s help (page published 22 October 2026; opened 10 November 2026) says: open the App Store, browse the Today, Games, Apps, or Arcade tabs or use Search, then tap Get or the price. If you see Open instead, you already have that app. Confirm with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple Account password. Apple says a Get button means the app is free to download — you will not be charged for that download — but some free apps offer in-app purchases and subscriptions later. Read those screens before you tap.

Permissions are the extra things an app wants, such as the camera or your location. Get Cyber Safe asks you to review them. If an app that is only a flashlight asks for your contacts, ask a tutor before you allow it. You can usually change permissions later in Settings, but the details differ by phone.

Get Cyber Safe’s software-updates fact sheet says the best and easiest way to protect devices that hold personal information is to update software regularly. Many people think updates are only for new features or bug fixes. Get Cyber Safe says that is not the whole story: updates often include new security features. Ignoring them can leave a device more open to malware and other attacks. They suggest turning on automatic updates, and running updates when you have a quiet moment. Look for updates on operating systems, antivirus software, web browsers, games, and apps.

On Windows, Microsoft’s steps (opened 10 November 2026) are: Start > Settings > Windows Update, then Check for Windows updates. If updates are waiting, choose Download & install, and restart if you are asked. On Windows 10, the same page lists Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, then Check for Windows updates. That page also states that support for Windows 10 ended on 14 October 2025 — a date-stamped fact, not a quiz item. A library PC may still show Windows 10; follow staff rules rather than trying to upgrade a machine that is not yours.

On many Android phones, Google says you will get a notification when an update is available. You can also open Settings, tap System, then Software updates, and follow the on-screen steps. Google advises connecting to Wi-Fi and charging to at least 75% before a large update. Update timing varies by device, manufacturer, and mobile carrier. To update apps, Google Play’s help says: open Play Store, tap your profile icon, tap Manage apps & device, then See details under Updates available, and tap Update or Update all. Some app updates ask you to accept new permissions.

On an iPhone or iPad, Apple’s wireless path (page published 15 September 2026; opened 10 November 2026) is: back up first, plug into power, join Wi-Fi, then Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is waiting, tap Download and Install. Apple says keeping software up to date is one of the most important security steps, and automatic updates can download and install overnight while the device charges on Wi-Fi.

Do not install an “update” that arrives as a surprise pop-up in a browser or a text message. Use Settings or the official store instead.

1. Find the official store on your phone (Play Store or App Store) without installing anything new unless a tutor agrees.
2. Find where app updates are listed (Play Store > profile > Manage apps & device, or App Store updates).
3. Find system updates (Android: Settings > System > Software updates; iPhone: Settings > General > Software Update; Windows: Settings > Windows Update).
4. Do not type a real password into this course.

What makes people tap “Later” on an update? What would make “install tonight while it charges” easier?