How to Use a Windows Phone
Turn the power on and off., Familiarize yourself with your phone's buttons., Play with the preloaded apps on your phone., Insert and Remove the SIM Card., Take a picture of your Windows Phone screen., Check your phone version., View and rearrange...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Turn the power on and off.
To turn the phone on, hold the Power button in the middle of the right edge until the screen starts.
To turn it off, hold the Power button until you see Slide to Power Off, then swipe down on your phone. -
Step 2: Familiarize yourself with your phone's buttons.
Windows phones have three soft touch buttons below the screen.
They are Back, Start and Search.
On the right edge of the screen there are three buttons.
They are Volume, Power and Camera Shutter.
To view all apps, open and hold the Back button.
To take a screenshot, hold the Power and Volume Up buttons.
To activate Cortana, hold the Search button.
The Camera Shutter button will activate camera even if phone is locked. , Apps unique to Windows Phone which you might want to get your head around are:
Storage Sense:
Easily manage storage on your device.
You can see how much space each app takes, and you can even install apps to an SD card if your phone supports it.
Data Sense:
Track the usage of cellular and Wi-Fi data.
This app shows a breakdown of data usage, and gives you options to set limits in order to help you reduce data.
Battery Sense:
View the battery usage breakdown.
You can edit which apps you allow in the background, and have access to features to save battery.
Office:
Create and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents.
Then save to SkyDrive or your phone for on-the-go viewing.
Internet Explorer:
Browse the web on your phone.
You can open unlimited tabs, as well as using InPrivate browsing and other useful tools.
HERE Maps:
No matter which way you travel, this app has you covered.
You can even download offline maps to navigate without an internet connection.
HERE Transit:
This app makes it easy for you to get to places by bus, train and subway.
You can customize the way you use transport and quickly compare routes.
HERE Drive+:
Offering offline turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation, this app will get you anywhere without having to carry a GPS or have an internet connection. , Take the back cover off to expose the SIM card port. , Press the Power and Volume Up button at the same time.
The photo is saved to your screenshot folder and can be viewed with the Photos app. , Checking version:
Go to Settings, System, About, More Information and you can then view the version of your phone and software.
Check for updates:
Go to Settings, System, Phone Updates, Check for Updates and new updates will be available to download. , To pin an app to start, uninstall it or rate it, long tap the app from the App List.
To rearrange your Start screen, long-tap an app until they begin to hover.
Then, you can drag the app to where you want to be, resize it and unpin it from Start. , Go to People, Settings, Import SIM Contacts and you will have the option to select the contacts you would like to import. , Open the calculator app, then rotate your phone horizontally and it will turn into a scientific calculator. , Hold the Back button until it shows the multitasking screen.
You can then switch apps and swipe down on the ones you want to close. , Using a Micro USB to USB cable you can connect your phone.
You can view, add, and delete files by viewing the phone in your file manager or by installing the Windows Phone app for your computer. , To activate hold the Search button.
Live Tiles:
View your tiles on the Start to see updates without even having to open the app.
Word Flow Keyboard:
Swipe your finger across the keyboard to type more efficiently.
Games:
Stay connected to gaming achievements, friends and multiplayer action with Xbox Live across your phone, PC and console. , Open the Store and Sign in with your Microsoft account.
Then, you will have access to over 400,000 apps which most are free.
Here are some you might want to download.
Social networking apps.
Most social networking sites have apps, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.
Games.
Popular games like Bejewelled, Words with Friends, Angry Birds, Plants vs.
Zombies and HALO Spartan Assault can help to keep you entertained.
LED flashlight apps:
If your Windows Phone has a light, having a torch app can be really useful for when you drop your keys in the dark or walking down the street at night. , Swipe down for the top of the screen to view all your notifications from apps you have on your phone. , To benefit the most from your Windows Phone, customize the settings to suit you the most. -
Step 3: Play with the preloaded apps on your phone.
-
Step 4: Insert and Remove the SIM Card.
-
Step 5: Take a picture of your Windows Phone screen.
-
Step 6: Check your phone version.
-
Step 7: View and rearrange your apps.
-
Step 8: Import SIM contacts.
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Step 9: Use your Windows Phone's scientific calculator.
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Step 10: Close the program completely.
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Step 11: Plug your Windows Phone into your Computer.
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Step 12: Become acquainted with new features: Cortana: This is your very own personal voice assistant.
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Step 13: Download apps.
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Step 14: View the Notifications Center.
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Step 15: Play with the settings.
Detailed Guide
To turn the phone on, hold the Power button in the middle of the right edge until the screen starts.
To turn it off, hold the Power button until you see Slide to Power Off, then swipe down on your phone.
Windows phones have three soft touch buttons below the screen.
They are Back, Start and Search.
On the right edge of the screen there are three buttons.
They are Volume, Power and Camera Shutter.
To view all apps, open and hold the Back button.
To take a screenshot, hold the Power and Volume Up buttons.
To activate Cortana, hold the Search button.
The Camera Shutter button will activate camera even if phone is locked. , Apps unique to Windows Phone which you might want to get your head around are:
Storage Sense:
Easily manage storage on your device.
You can see how much space each app takes, and you can even install apps to an SD card if your phone supports it.
Data Sense:
Track the usage of cellular and Wi-Fi data.
This app shows a breakdown of data usage, and gives you options to set limits in order to help you reduce data.
Battery Sense:
View the battery usage breakdown.
You can edit which apps you allow in the background, and have access to features to save battery.
Office:
Create and edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents.
Then save to SkyDrive or your phone for on-the-go viewing.
Internet Explorer:
Browse the web on your phone.
You can open unlimited tabs, as well as using InPrivate browsing and other useful tools.
HERE Maps:
No matter which way you travel, this app has you covered.
You can even download offline maps to navigate without an internet connection.
HERE Transit:
This app makes it easy for you to get to places by bus, train and subway.
You can customize the way you use transport and quickly compare routes.
HERE Drive+:
Offering offline turn-by-turn voice-guided navigation, this app will get you anywhere without having to carry a GPS or have an internet connection. , Take the back cover off to expose the SIM card port. , Press the Power and Volume Up button at the same time.
The photo is saved to your screenshot folder and can be viewed with the Photos app. , Checking version:
Go to Settings, System, About, More Information and you can then view the version of your phone and software.
Check for updates:
Go to Settings, System, Phone Updates, Check for Updates and new updates will be available to download. , To pin an app to start, uninstall it or rate it, long tap the app from the App List.
To rearrange your Start screen, long-tap an app until they begin to hover.
Then, you can drag the app to where you want to be, resize it and unpin it from Start. , Go to People, Settings, Import SIM Contacts and you will have the option to select the contacts you would like to import. , Open the calculator app, then rotate your phone horizontally and it will turn into a scientific calculator. , Hold the Back button until it shows the multitasking screen.
You can then switch apps and swipe down on the ones you want to close. , Using a Micro USB to USB cable you can connect your phone.
You can view, add, and delete files by viewing the phone in your file manager or by installing the Windows Phone app for your computer. , To activate hold the Search button.
Live Tiles:
View your tiles on the Start to see updates without even having to open the app.
Word Flow Keyboard:
Swipe your finger across the keyboard to type more efficiently.
Games:
Stay connected to gaming achievements, friends and multiplayer action with Xbox Live across your phone, PC and console. , Open the Store and Sign in with your Microsoft account.
Then, you will have access to over 400,000 apps which most are free.
Here are some you might want to download.
Social networking apps.
Most social networking sites have apps, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.
Games.
Popular games like Bejewelled, Words with Friends, Angry Birds, Plants vs.
Zombies and HALO Spartan Assault can help to keep you entertained.
LED flashlight apps:
If your Windows Phone has a light, having a torch app can be really useful for when you drop your keys in the dark or walking down the street at night. , Swipe down for the top of the screen to view all your notifications from apps you have on your phone. , To benefit the most from your Windows Phone, customize the settings to suit you the most.
About the Author
Sophia Hart
Writer and educator with a focus on practical hobbies knowledge.
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