This is the Xperia™ Z3 User guide for the Android™ 4.4 software version. If you're
not sure which software version your device is running, you can check it via the
Settings menu. For more information about software updates, see
on page 124.
device
To check the current software version of your device
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings > About phone > Android version.
Make sure you insert the nano SIM card into the nano SIM card holder before inserting it into
the device. Also, don’t confuse the nano SIM card slot with the memory card slot.
If you insert the nano SIM card while the device is powered on, the device restarts
automatically.
1
Detach the cover for the nano SIM card holder.
2
Using a fingernail or other similar object, drag out the nano SIM card holder.
3
Place the nano SIM card in the nano SIM card holder, then reinsert the holder.
4
Re-attach the cover.
Make sure you reinsert the nano SIM card holder in the correct orientation. When you drag the
holder out to insert the nano SIM card, do not turn the holder around.
To insert the memory card
1
Remove the memory card slot cover.
2
With the gold coloured contacts facing down, insert the memory card into the
memory card slot, then re-attach the memory card slot cover.
Turn off the device, or unmount the memory card from Settings > Storage >
Unmount SD card.
2
Remove the cover of the memory card slot, then press against the edge of the
memory card and release it.
3
Draw the card outwards to remove it fully.
Starting your device for the first time
The first time you start your device, a setup guide opens to help you configure basic
settings, sign in to some accounts, and personalise your device. For example, if you
have a Sony Entertainment Network account, you can sign in to it here and get set up
straight away. And you can download Internet settings.
You can also access the setup guide later from the Settings menu.
To turn on the device
Make sure that the battery is charged for at least 30 minutes before you turn on the device for
the first time.
1
Press and hold down the power key until the device vibrates.
Press and hold down the power key until the options menu opens.
2
In the options menu, tap Power off.
3
Tap OK.
It may take a while for the device to shut down.
Why do I need a Google™ account?
Your Xperia™ device from Sony runs on the Android™ platform developed by
Google™. A range of Google™ applications and services is available on your device
when you purchase it, for example, Gmail™, Google Maps™, YouTube™ and Google
Play™, the online store for downloading Android™ applications. To get the most out
of these services, you need a Google™ account. For example, a Google™ account is
mandatory if you want to:
•
Download and install applications from Google Play™.
•
Synchronise email, contacts and the calendar.
•
Chat with friends using the Hangouts™ application.
•
Synchronise your browsing history and bookmarks.
For more information about Android™ and Google™, go to
www.sonymobile.com/support
To set up a Google™ account on your device
1
From your Home screen, tap
2
Find and tap Settings > Add account > Google.
3
Follow the registration wizard to create a Google™ account, or sign in if you
already have an account.
.
.
You can also sign in to or create a Google™ account from the setup guide the first time you
start your device. Or you can go online and create an account at
www.google.com/accounts
Charging your device
Your device has an embedded, rechargeable battery that should be replaced only by
Sony or an authorised Sony repair centre. You should never try to open or take apart
this device yourself. Opening the device can cause damage that will void your
warranty.
The battery is partly charged when you buy the device. You can still use your device
while it is charging. Read more about the battery and how to improve the
performance in
Plug one end of the USB cable into the charger (or into the USB port of a
computer).
3
Plug the other end of the cable into the micro USB port on your device, with
the USB symbol facing up. The notification light illuminates when charging
begins.
4
When the device is fully charged, disconnect the cable from your device by
pulling it straight outwards. Make sure not to bend the connector.
If the battery is completely discharged, it may take a few minutes before the notification light
illuminates and the charging icon appears.
Battery notification light status
GreenThe battery charge level is greater than 90%
Flashing redThe battery is charging and the battery charge level is less than 15%
OrangeThe battery is charging and the battery charge level is less than 90%
Scroll quickly, for example, in a list or on a web page. You can stop the scrolling
movement by tapping the screen.
Locking and unlocking the screen
When your device is on and left idle for a set period of time, the screen darkens to
save battery power and locks automatically. This lock prevents unwanted actions on
the touchscreen when you are not using it. When you buy your device, a basic screen
swipe lock is already set. This means that you have to swipe in any direction from the
middle of the screen to unlock it. You can change the security settings later and add
other kinds of locks. See
Screen lock
on page 41.
To activate the screen
•
Briefly press the power key .
To unlock the screen
•
Place a finger on the middle of the screen and swipe in any direction.
To lock the screen
•
When the screen is active, briefly press the power key .
Home screen
The Home screen is the starting point for using your device. It's similar to the desktop
on a computer screen. Your Home screen can have up to seven panes, which extend
beyond the regular screen display width. The number of Home screen panes is
represented by a series of dots at the lower part of the Home screen. The highlighted
dot shows the pane that you are currently in.
To go to the Home screen
•
Press .
To browse the Home screen
Home screen panes
You can add new panes to your Home screen (up to a maximum of seven panes) and
delete panes. You can also set the pane that you want to use as the main Home
screen pane.
To set a pane as the main Home screen pane
1
Touch and hold an empty area on your Home screen until the device vibrates.
2
Flick left or right to browse to the pane that you want to set as your main Home
screen pane, then tap at the top corner of the pane.
To add a pane to your Home screen
1
Touch and hold an empty area on your Home screen until the device vibrates.
Touch and hold an empty area on your Home screen until the device vibrates.
2
Flick left or right to browse to the pane that you want to delete, then tap .
Application screen
The Application screen, which you open from the Home screen, contains the
applications that come pre-installed on your device as well as applications that you
download.
To view all applications on the Application screen
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Flick left or right on the Application screen.
To open an application from the Application screen
•
Flick left or right to find the application, and then tap the application.
To open the Application screen menu
•
When the Application screen is open, drag the left edge of the screen to the
right.
To move an application on the Application screen
1
To open the Application screen menu, drag the left edge of the Application
screen to the right.
2
Make sure that Own order is selected under SHOW APPS.
3
Touch and hold the application until it magnifies and the device vibrates, then
drag it to the new location.
To add an application shortcut to the Home screen
1
From the Application screen, touch and hold an application icon until the
screen vibrates, then drag the icon to the top of the screen. The Home screen
opens.
2
Drag the icon to the desired location on the Home screen, then release your
finger.
To arrange applications on the Application screen
1
To open the Application screen menu, drag the left edge of the Application
screen to the right.
To search for an application from the Application screen
1
To open the Application screen menu, drag the left edge of the Application
screen to the right.
2
Tap Search apps.
3
Enter the name of the application that you want to search for.
To uninstall an application from the Application screen
1
To open the Application screen menu, drag the left edge of the Application
screen to the right.
2
Tap Uninstall. All uninstallable applications are indicated by .
3
Tap the application that you want to uninstall, then tap Uninstall.
Navigating applications
You can navigate between applications using the navigation keys, the favourites bar,
and the recently used applications window, which lets you switch easily between all
recently used applications. Some applications are closed when you press
while others are paused or continue to run in the background. If the application is
paused or runs in the background, you can continue where you left off the next time
you open the application.
to exit
1Recently used applications window – Open a recently used application
2Favourites bar – Use a shortcut to access applications or widgets
3Task navigation key – Open the recently used applications window and the favourites bar
4Home navigation key – Exit an application and go back to the Home screen
5Back navigation key – Go back to the previous screen within an application or close the application
Small apps are miniature apps that run on top of other applications on the same
screen, to enable multi-tasking. For example, you can have a webpage open showing
details of currency exchange rates and then open the Calculator small app on top of
it and perform calculations. You can access your small apps via the favourites bar. To
download more small apps, go to Google Play™.
To open a small app
1
To make the favourites bar appear, press
2
Tap the small app that you want to open.
You can open several small apps at the same time.
To close a small app
•
Tap on the small app window.
To download a small app
1
From the small apps bar, tap
2
Search for the small app that you want to download, then follow the
instructions to download it and complete the installation.
To move a small app
•
When the small app is open, touch and hold the top left corner of the small
app, then move it to the desired location.
, then tap and tap .
.
To minimise a small app
•
When the small app is open, touch and hold the top left corner of the small
app, then drag it to the right edge or to the bottom edge of the screen.
To rearrange the small apps in the favourites bar
•
Touch and hold a small app and drag it to the desired position.
To remove a small app from the favourites bar
•
Touch and hold a small app, then drag it to
To restore a previously removed small app
1
Open the favourites bar, then tap
2
Touch and hold the small app that you want to restore, then drag it into the
favourites bar.
To add a widget as a small app
1
To make the favourites bar appear, press .
2
Tap
3
Select a widget.
4
Enter a name for the widget, if desired, then tap OK.
> > .
.
.
Widgets
Widgets are small applications that you can use directly on your Home screen. They
also function as shortcuts. For example, the Weather widget allows you to see basic
weather information directly on your Home screen. But when you tap the widget, the
full Weather application opens. You can download additional widgets from Google
Play™.
Touch and hold an empty area on your Home screen until the device vibrates,
then tap Widgets.
2
Find and tap the widget that you want to add.
To resize a widget
1
Touch and hold a widget until it magnifies and the device vibrates, then release
the widget. If the widget can be resized, for example, the Calendar widget,
then a highlighted frame and resizing dots appear.
2
Drag the dots inward or outward to shrink or expand the widget.
3
To confirm the new size of the widget, tap anywhere on the Home screen.
To move a widget
•
Touch and hold the widget until it magnifies and the device vibrates, then drag
it to the new location.
To delete a widget
•
Touch and hold the widget until it magnifies and the device vibrates, then drag
.
it to
To add a widget to the lock screen
1
From your Home screen, tap , then find and tap Settings > Security
2
Mark the Allow widgets on lock screen checkbox.
3
To lock the screen, press the power key.
4
To activate the screen, briefly press the power key.
5
Swipe inwards from the upper part of the screen until
6
If required, enter your PIN code, pattern or password to unlock the screen.
7
Find and tap the widget that you want to add.
8
Follow the on-screen instructions, if necessary, to finish adding the widget.
appears, then tap it.
The items that appear when you tap
are available by default and cannot be modified.
To move a widget on the lock screen
1
To activate the screen, briefly press the power key .
2
Touch and hold the widget that you want to move, then drag it to the new
location.
To remove a widget from the lock screen
1
To activate the screen, briefly press the power key .
2
Touch and hold the widget that you want to remove, then drag it to .
The camera icon at the bottom of the screen is there by default and cannot be removed.
Use shortcuts and folders to manage your applications and keep your Home screen
tidy.
1Access a folder containing applications
2Access an application using a shortcut
To add a shortcut to your Home screen
1
Touch and hold an empty area on your Home screen until the device vibrates
and the customisation menu appears.
2
In the customisation menu, tap Apps.
3
Scroll through the list of applications and select an application. The selected
application gets added to the Home screen.
In step 3, alternatively, you can tap
available. If you use this method to add shortcuts, some of the applications available allow
you to add specific functionality to the shortcut.
Shortcuts and then select an application from the list
To move an item on the Home screen
•
Touch and hold the item until it magnifies and the device vibrates, then drag
the item to the new location.
To delete an item from the Home screen
•
Touch and hold an item until it magnifies and the device vibrates, then drag the
item to
.
To create a folder on the Home screen
•
Touch and hold an application icon or a shortcut until it magnifies and the
device vibrates, then drag and drop it on top of another application icon or
shortcut.
To add items to a folder on the Home screen
•
Touch and hold an item until it magnifies and the device vibrates, then drag the
item to the folder.
To rename a folder on the Home screen
1
Tap the folder to open it.
2
Tap the folder's title bar to show the Folder name field.
You can adapt the Home screen to your own style using wallpapers and different
themes. You can also change the wallpaper on the lock screen.
To change your Home screen wallpaper
1
Touch and hold an empty area on your Home screen until the device vibrates.
2
Tap Wallpapers and select an option.
To set a theme
1
Touch and hold an empty area on your Home screen until the device vibrates.
2
Tap Themes, then select a theme.
When you change a theme, the background also changes in some applications.
To change the wallpaper for the lock screen
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings > Personalisation> Lock screen.
3
Select an option, then follow the instructions to change your wallpaper.
Taking a screenshot
You can capture still images of any screen on your device as a screenshot.
Screenshots you take are automatically saved in Album.
To take a screenshot
1
Press and hold down the power key until a prompt window appears.
2
Tap
You can also take the screenshot by pressing the power key and volume down key at the
same time until you hear a clicking sound.
To view your screenshot
•
Drag the status bar fully downwards, then tap the screenshot you want to view.
You can also view your screenshots by opening the Album application.
Recording your screen
You can use the screen recording feature to capture videos of what’s happening on
your device’s screen. This feature is useful, for example, when you want to create
tutorials or record videos of you playing a game on your device. Recorded video clips
are automatically saved in Album.
3Record your screen when the front camera is activated
4Access the screen recording settings
5Close the screen recording window
To record your screen
1
Press and hold down the power key until a prompt window appears.
2
3
.
Tap
When the record screen window is open, tap . The timer for recording
appears.
4
To stop the screen recording, tap the timer, then tap
.
To record your screen when the front camera is activated
1
When the record screen window is open, tap to make front camera screen
recording window appears.
2
To start recording your screen and video captured by the front camera, tap .
3
To stop recording, tap the timer, then tap
4
To deactivate the front camera screen recording window, tap .
.
When the front camera screen recording window opens, drag
tap to record a still picture.
to resize the window, and
To view the recent screen recordings
•
After your screen recordings finish, drag the status bar downwards, then tap to
view the most recent recordings of your screen.
You can also view your screen recordings in the Album application.
Status and notifications
The icons in the status bar inform you of events such as new messages and calendar
notifications, activities in progress such as file downloads, and status information
such as battery level and signal strength. You can drag down the status bar to open
the Notification panel and handle your notifications.
To dismiss a notification from the Notification panel
•
Place your finger on a notification and flick left or right.
To clear all notifications from the Notification panel
•
Tap Clear.
Notification light
The notification light informs you about battery status and some other events. For
example, a flashing white light means there is a new message or a missed call.
Icons in the status bar
Status icons
Signal strength
No signal
Roaming
LTE is available
GPRS is available
EDGE is available
3G is available
Mobile data network is available
Sending and downloading LTE data
Sending and downloading GPRS data
Sending and downloading EDGE data
Sending and downloading 3G data
Sending and downloading mobile data
Battery status
The battery is charging
STAMINA mode is activated
Airplane mode is activated
The Bluetooth® function is activated
The SIM card is not inserted
The microphone is muted
The speakerphone is on
Silent mode
Vibrate mode
An alarm is set
GPS is activated
Synchronisation is ongoing
Problem with sign-in or synchronisation
Your device is ready to connect to other ANT+™ capable devices
Notification icons
The following notification icons may appear on your screen:
New email message
New text message or multimedia message
New voicemail
Upcoming calendar event
A song is playing
The device is connected to a computer via a USB cable
Warning message
Error message
Missed call
Call ongoing
Call on hold
Call forwarding is turned on
A Wi-Fi® connection is enabled and wireless networks are available
Software updates are available
Downloading data
Uploading data
Use the Alarm and clock application to set various kinds of alarms.
Use your web browser to navigate and view web pages, manage bookmarks,
and manage text and images.
Use the Calculator application to perform basic calculations.
Use the Calendar application to keep track of your events and manage your
appointments.
Use the camera to take photos and record video clips.
Use the Contacts application to manage phone numbers, email address and
other information related to your contacts.
Access your downloaded applications.
Use the Email application to send and receive emails through both private
and corporate accounts.
Use the Facebook™ application to engage in social networking with friends,
family members and colleagues around the world.
Browse and listen to FM radio stations.
Use the Album application to view and to work with your photos and videos.
Use the Gmail™ application to read, write and organise email messages.
Search for information in your device and on the web.
View your current location, find other locations, and calculate routes using
Google Maps™.
Go to Google Play™ to download free and paid applications for your device.
Use the Messaging application to send and receive text and multimedia
messages.
Use the Movies application to play videos in your device and share content
with your friends.
Use the Walkman® application to organise and play music, audio books and
podcasts.
View news stories and weather forecasts.
Make phone calls by dialling the number manually or by using the smart dial
function.
Use the Video Unlimited application to rent or purchase videos.
Optimise settings to suit your own requirements.
Use the Hangouts™ application to chat with friends online.
Identify music tracks that you hear playing in your surroundings, and get
artist, album and other info.
Use YouTube™ to share and view videos from around the world.
Use the Support application to access user support in the device. For
example, you can access a User guide, troubleshooting information, plus tips
and tricks.
Google Play™ is the official online Google store for downloading applications,
games, music, movies and books. It includes both free and paid applications. Before
you start downloading from Google Play™, make sure that you have a working
Internet connection, preferably over Wi-Fi® to limit data traffic charges.
To use Google Play™, you need to have a Google™ account. Google Play™ may not be
available in all countries or regions.
To download an application from Google Play™
1
From the Home screen, tap
2
Find and tap Play Store.
3
Find an item you wish to download by browsing categories, or by using the
search function.
4
Tap the item to view its details, and follow the instructions to complete the
installation.
Some applications may need to access data, settings and various functions on your device in
order to work properly. Only install and give permissions to applications that you trust.
You can view the permissions granted to a downloaded application by tapping the application
under Settings > Apps.
.
Downloading applications from other sources
When your device is set to allow downloads from sources other than Google Play™,
you can download applications directly from other websites by following the relevant
download instructions.
Installing applications of unknown or unreliable origin can damage your device. Only download
applications from reliable sources. Contact the application provider if you have any questions
or concerns.
To allow the download of applications from other sources
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings > Security.
3
Mark the Unknown sources checkbox.
4
Tap OK.
Some applications may need to access data, settings and various functions on your device in
order to work properly. Only install and give permissions to applications you trust.
You can view the permissions granted to a downloaded application by tapping the application
under Settings > Apps.
The Google Chrome™ web browser for Android™ devices comes pre-installed in
most markets. Go to http://support.google.com/chrome and click the "Chrome for
Mobile" link to get more detailed information about how to use this web browser.
To browse with Google Chrome™
1
From your Home screen, tap
2
Find and tap .
3
If you are using Google Chrome™ for the first time, select to either sign in to a
Google™ account or browse with Google Chrome™ anonymously.
4
Enter a search term or web address in the search and address field, then tap
Go on the keyboard.
.
1Go to the homepage
2Search and address field
3Refresh the page
4Access browser tabs
5View help and options
6Go back a page in the browser history
Internet and MMS settings
To send multimedia messages, or to access the Internet when there is no available
Wi-Fi® network, you must have a working mobile data connection with the correct
Internet and MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) settings. Here are some tips:
•
For most mobile networks and operators, Internet and MMS settings come preinstalled on your device. You can then start using the Internet and send multimedia
messages right away.
•
In some cases, you get the option to download Internet and MMS settings the first
time you turn on your device when a SIM card is inserted. It is also possible to
download these settings later from the Settings menu.
•
You can manually add, change or delete Internet and MMS settings on your device at
any time. Contact your network operator for detailed information.
•
If you cannot access the Internet over a mobile network or if multimedia messaging is
not working, even though the Internet and MMS settings have been downloaded
successfully to your device, refer to the troubleshooting tips for your device at
www.sonymobile.com/support/
for network coverage, mobile data, and MMS issues.
To download Internet and MMS settings
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings > More… > Internet settings.
3
Tap Accept. Once the settings have been downloaded successfully, appears
in the status bar and mobile data is turned on automatically.
If the settings cannot be downloaded to your device, check the signal strength of your mobile
network. Move to an open location free from obstructions or get close to a window and then
try again.
To check whether mobile data is turned on or off
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings > More… > Mobile networks.
3
Check whether the Mobile data traffic checkbox is marked or not.
To add Internet and MMS settings manually
1
From your Home screen, tap
2
Find and tap Settings > More… > Mobile networks.
3
Tap Access Point Names >
4
Tap Name and enter a name as desired.
5
Tap APN and enter the access point name.
6
Enter all other information as required. If you don’t know what information is
.
.
required, contact your network operator for more details.
7
When you're done, tap
, then tap Save.
To view the downloaded Internet and MMS settings
1
From your Home screen, tap
2
Find and tap Settings > More… > Mobile networks.
3
Tap Access Point Names.
4
To view more details, tap any of the available items.
If you have several available connections, the active network connection is indicated by a
marked button .
.
Wi-Fi®
Use Wi-Fi® connections to surf the Internet, download applications, or send and
receive emails. Once you have connected to a Wi-Fi® network, your device
remembers the network and automatically connects to it the next time you come
within range.
Some Wi-Fi® networks require you to log in to a web page before you can get
access. Contact the relevant Wi-Fi® network administrator for more information.
Available Wi-Fi® networks may be open or secured:
•
Open networks are indicated by
•
Secured networks are indicated by next to the Wi-Fi® network name.
Some Wi-Fi® networks do not show up in the list of available networks because they do not
broadcast their network name (SSID). If you know the network name, you can add it manually
to your list of available Wi-Fi® networks.
next to the Wi-Fi® network name.
To turn on Wi-Fi®
1
From your Home screen, tap
2
Find and tap Settings.
3
Drag the slider beside Wi-Fi to the right to turn on the Wi-Fi® function.
It may take a few seconds before Wi-Fi® is enabled.
Tap Wi-Fi. All available Wi-Fi® networks are displayed.
4
Tap a Wi-Fi® network to connect to it. For secured networks, enter the
relevant password.
To search for new available networks, tap , and then tap Scan.
To add a Wi-Fi® network manually
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings > Wi-Fi.
3
4
5
6
7
8
.
Tap
Enter the Network name (SSID) information.
To select a security type, tap the Security field.
If required, enter a password.
To edit some advanced options such as proxy and IP settings, mark the Showadvanced options checkbox and then edit as desired.
Tap Save.
Contact your Wi-Fi® network administrator to get the network SSID and password.
is displayed in the status bar once you are connected.
Increasing Wi-Fi® signal strength
There are a number of things you can do to increase the strength of a Wi-Fi® signal:
•
Move your device closer to the Wi-Fi® access point.
•
Move the Wi-Fi® access point away from any potential obstructions or interference.
•
Don’t cover the Wi-Fi® antenna area of your device (the highlighted area in the
illustration).
Wi-Fi® settings
When you are connected to a Wi-Fi® network or when there are Wi-Fi® networks
available in your vicinity, it is possible to view the status of these networks. You can
also enable your device to notify you whenever an open Wi-Fi® network is detected.
If you are not connected to a Wi-Fi® network, your device uses a mobile data
connection to access the Internet (if you have set up and enabled a mobile data
connection on your device). By adding a Wi-Fi® sleep policy, you can specify when
to switch from Wi-Fi® to mobile data.