If you’ve already made the change from iOS or Android to Windows Phone, then we’ve got a few more tips for you for our Windows Phone series. Thanks to the intuitive interface, you can get up and running pretty fast, but there are some features that might not be obvious on first glance.
What the symbols mean
Symbols for the battery level and signal strength are pretty obvious right away, but as you can see from the infographic below, there are some that aren’t necessarily as obvious. A complete list of all symbols used by Windows Phone is available on the Microsoft support pages.
Quick access to Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and data connection
To conserve battery power, you should turn on Bluetooth and WLAN only when needed. Unfortunately, there’s no direct way to the appropriate settings for Windows Phone. The Battery app will help you further here. Simply place the relevant live tile on your home screen.
By tapping on the tile, you can quickly switch all radio options on and off. The app also tells you the remaining capacity with a percentage value and the time remaining on the battery life.
Data control
As part of the App Data Sense system, you can easily see all your mobile data traffic. For limited monthly data plans, you can specify the start date and the available data volume. The app encrypts data usage of all apps individually. Apps with lots of data volume that aren’t essential should only be used when you’re using Wi-Fi, if possible.
If you’re approaching your monthly limit, Data Sense automatically lets you know how close you are to your limit, making next month’s data easier to manage.
Use a web browser with data-saving mode
While browsing, you can use the data-saving mode and save up to 80 percent of data by using a web browser. There’s a similar feature in Nokia Xpress and UC browser.
Our tip: use Internet Explorer only on wireless connections and put everything else on alternative browsers.
Copy text from the clipboard
To make copying and pasting on the touchscreen easier, you can simply copy and paste longer text areas on your Windows Phone using the clipboard.
- A short tap activates the text selection tool.
- Move the start and end point to the appropriate place.
- Copy the selected text with a tap on the copy icon.
Copying text not only works in the address bar, but also in many apps such as Internet Explorer.
Once you’ve copied the specified text to the clipboard, you can paste it anywhere else on the system or to other apps. In keyboard mode, you simply tap the Paste icon.
Position the cursor on the text input precisely
Just like on iPhone and iPad, you can place the cursor with an auxiliary tool in Windows Phone as well:
- Tap the input until a colored cursor appears.
- By sliding back and forth, you can then move the cursor to the side.
If you don’t get there right away, the following YouTube video will definitely help.
Taking screenshots
By simultaneously pressing the Windows key and the power button, you can take a photograph of the screen. The pictures automatically save in a subfolder in your photos, under Screenshots.
Search function
Hitting the search button at the bottom right will get you to Bing search. In addition to the classic search, Windows Phone also offers two handy extras.
- By tapping the clef symbol, you can start automatic music recognition
- The eye icon opens a bar code scanner for on-line product reviews
The barcode scanner turns the smartphone’s camera to detect visible codes automatically.
The music recognition works completely automatically. Just hold the phone close to the sound source.
As soon as the song is detected, Bing displays the title and album cover. You can then jump directly to the store and bring up more information.
Locate phone
By visiting the website www.windowsphone.com, you can locate your smartphone in an emergency if it gets lost. Through your Microsoft account the device is automatically located.
If you’ve just misplaced it, the Ring function will make it ring with a loud beep. This works even if the ringer is deactivated.
In case of theft, you can lock the phone or erase all data remotely, as soon as it reconnects to the internet.
Backups
Important data can be automatically backed up at Onedrive or an alternative cloud storage on Windows Phone. Additionally, however, there is also a backup feature for your apps, settings and text messages. Find the option under Settings > Backup.
Kids Corner: Limit use to certain apps
With the help of the so-called kid’s corner, you can leave your phone to third parties (like your kids) with limited functions and apps. The Kid’s Corner is an alternative menu with a fixed selection of tiles, and can be opened by a side swipe, instead of the normal upward motion.
You can access Kid’s Corner by going to Settings. Aside from all the apps, you can also search targeted videos and music.
You add individual apps via the context menu from the alphabetical app list.
Hopefully, this will help you get a better grip in Windows Phone.
Make sure to check out our entire Windows Phone Guide to get the most out of your Windows Phone.