Setting Up Your Replacement Android Device
Your Android device is like a trusty friend. Having to start with a blank device can be like having to learn how to ride a bike again. But have no fear, this guide is here to help! Following these few quick steps will get your device back in action as quickly as possible.
Note: When available, use Wi-Fi to setup the phone.
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Your contacts
Losing touch with all the people closest to you is not an option. Thankfully, with all Android phones, your contacts will normally be saved to your Gmail account. Because of this, it is very important that you sign into your new device with the same user name and password that you were using on your previous device.
This will not only restore your contacts, but will allow you to:
- Re-download applications that you have paid for.
- Restore your ability to send and receive email from your existing Gmail account.
Keeping track of passwords can be tricky, so if you don't remember your username or password, these links can help you out.
Your pictures and media
First things first! Be sure to take your SD card out of your phone before you send it back to us! This can sometimes be referred to as your memory card or media card. If you're not sure how to find your and safely unmount your SD card, you can select your device and find that information here:
Place your SD card into your new device, and it will bring your pictures over for you! Any songs or ringtones that have been saved to the SD card will be available again as well. Certain devices will also save images and other media to the device memory. If that is the case, you can still save everything, but using a PC to transfer the files may be the easiest way to do so. Follow the link below for more info on PC transfers.
If you have music on a home PC, you can also transfer it to your new device. To do so, follow the article below:
Your email
One of the most important functions your Android device has is the ability to send and receive email. With Gmail, if you are using the same username and password that you used on your previous device, your Gmail will automatically setup your account on the new device!
For other types of email such as AOL, Yahoo!, or Exchange, you will need to set up your email again. To do this simply find your device's email program and re-enter your info.
Your applications
Applications are what makes your Android phone truly yours, so we'll show you how to get all of those awesome little apps back to you. When first signing in to your device or the Play Store, it is important to use the same Gmail username and passwordthat you were using on your original device. Just like your Contacts, Google remembers all of the applications you purchased. Certain versions of Android will even begin downloading these for you when you sign in!
To manually re-download your apps, follow these steps:
- Tap the Play Store icon.
- Press the Menu key.
- This key will vary from phone to phone.
- This key will vary from phone to phone.
- From the menu, select My Apps.
- You can now tap on any app and select the button marked Purchased to begin your download.
- If you need additional help, take a peek here: Redownload or get updates for games or applications in Play Store: Android
Your social networks
For those of you who love to keep in contact with the world via Social Networks, you'll want to get back in to your Facebook or Twitter account as soon as possible! Android devices have several ways to do this. You can always download your favorite social network app from the Play Store, then log back in that way, or use preinstalled apps like Friendstream or Peep to get back to the action. Whichever path you choose, you'll simply need to provide your login and password and you'll be all set!
Additional help
No matter how great the information above is, sometimes we still need a little extra help to get our Android device back to it's former glory.
If you have additional setup questions for your phone, we can still help!
- This page contains the guide for any Android phone! Just select your device from the list and you'll be able to virtually thumb through guides specifically made for ease of use.
- And the help doesn't stop there! Take a look here to find our Support Community. These Forums are filled with other helpful T-Mobile folks asking and answering questions all day long! Give it a read even if you don't have questions, and you'll find some great info, guaranteed!
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