Lock screen FAQ

How do I set or change a password on my handheld?

1. In the App list, tap Settings > Lock screen.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To set up a password for the first time, turn on Password, enter your new password in the New password text box, and then reenter it in the Confirm password text box.

   • If your handheld already has a password and you want to change it, tap Change password, and then enter your handheld's current password in the Current password text box before entering and confirming your new password.

3. Tap Done to save your changes.

   Tip

   One more thing you might want to do is set a time limit for the password requirement, which will determine the amount of time before your handheld locks itself. To do this, tap Require a password after, and then select the time length you want.

How do I unlock my handheld?

Turn on your handheld, and then flick your finger upward on your handheld's screen to unlock it. If your handheld currently requires a password, you'll see the keypad for entering it first.

How often do I need to enter a password to unlock my handheld?

If you've set a password yourself, you can choose how often you're required to enter a password from your lock screen, which can be anywhere from 30 seconds to 30 minutes, or each time you unlock your handheld. If you have a Microsoft Exchange account, the Exchange administrator will set the options you can choose.

This setting is different from how often your handheld goes to sleep, which you can set separately.

To change both options:

1. In the App list, tap Settings > Lock screen.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To choose how often you're required to enter a password from your lock screen, tap Require a password after and choose the time you want.

   • To choose how often your handheld goes to sleep, tap Screen times out after and choose the time you want.

Can I make an emergency call on a locked handheld?

Yes, you can make an emergency phone call on a locked handheld. Turn on your handheld, and then flick your finger upward on your handheld's screen until you can see the keypad. Tap Emergency call, and then enter the emergency phone number for your locale.

How can I customize my lock screen?

In the App list, tap Settings > Lock screen, where there's a lot you can do to tweak your lock screen to your liking. Try changing the background to a favorite photo or have a picture of the artist shown when you're listening to music, or choose any combination of detailed and quick status notifications to show you new messages, missed calls, and social network updates. For more info, see Personalize my lock screen.

What do I do if I've entered the wrong password too many times?

It depends on whether your employer requires a password for your Exchange email account or you created a password voluntarily.

If your employer requires you to use a password

Depending on your company's Exchange policy, your handheld may reset to factory settings or lock up and make you wait to get back in if you repeatedly enter an incorrect password. To prevent this from happening accidentally, if you enter the wrong password several times, your handheld will prompt you to enter a special phrase to continue. Once you enter the phrase correctly, you'll have one more chance to enter your password correctly, or your handheld will be reset. For more info, see Reset my handheld device.

Each company can choose from a variety of settings for password requirements, so if you're not sure how to unlock your handheld or avoid resetting it, you'll need to talk to the support person at your company who manages your Exchange account.

If you created a password voluntarily

If you've entered the wrong password 5 times, the handheld will be locked for 1 minute. If you enter another wrong password, it'll be locked for 2 minutes, then 4, then 8, and so on.

If you just aren't able to come up with the right password, you'll need to reset your handheld to factory settings. Contact your mobile operator, check their website, or look through your handheld's documentation to learn how to do that. For more info, see Reset my handheld device.

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