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
page 117.
To check the current software version of your device
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings > About phone > Android version.
Please use the nano SIM card included in the box. This new card allows you to use the
Wi-Fi Calling feature and other enhanced device features. For help transferring contacts
from your previous SIM card, please ask a retail store representative to help you.
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.
Screen protection
Before using your device, remove the transparent protection
protruding tab.
It is recommended to protect your device with a Sony-branded screen cover or protector
intended for your Xperia™ model. The use of third party screen protection accessories
may prevent your device from working by covering sensors, lenses, speakers, or
microphones and it can invalidate the warranty.
film by pulling up on the
Starting your device for the first time
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 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 the Play Store™ application,
which gives you access to the Google Play™ 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™.
•
Synchronize email, contacts and the calendar using Gmail™.
•
Chat with friends using the Hangouts™ application.
•
Synchronize your browsing history and bookmarks using the Google Chrome™ web
browser.
•
Identify yourself as the authorized user after a software repair using Xperia™ Companion.
•
Remotely find, lock or clear a lost or stolen device using the my Xperia™ or Android™
Device Manager services.
It is crucial that you remember your Google™ account username and password. In some
situations, you may need to identify yourself for security reasons using your Google™ account.
If you fail to give your Google™ username and password in such situations, your device is
locked. Also, if you have more than one Google™ account, make sure to enter the details for
the relevant account.
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
start your device. Or you can go online and create an account at
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 outward. 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 the 37 page.
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.
2
Flick left or right to browse the panes, then tap .
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 Homescreen, 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, 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
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.
2
Select the desired option under SHOW APPS.
Own order
is selected under
SHOW APPS
.
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 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 favorites bar, and
the recently used applications window, which lets you switch easily between all recently
used applications. Some applications are closed when you press to exit 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.
1Recently used applications window – Open a recently used application
2Favorites bar – Use a shortcut to access applications or widgets
3Task navigation key – Open the recently used applications window and the favorites bar
4Home navigation key – Exit an application and go back to the Homescreen
5Back navigation key – Go back to the previous screen within an application or close the application
To open the recently used applications window
•
Press .
To close all the recently used applications
•
Tap and then tap Close all.
To open a menu in an application
•
While using the application, press .
A menu is not available in all applications.
Small apps
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.
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.
To minimize 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 favorites bar
•
Touch and hold a small app and drag it to the desired position.
.
To remove a small app from the favorites bar
•
Touch and hold a small app, then drag it to
To restore a previously removed small app
1
Open the favorites bar, then tap .
2
Touch and hold the small app you want to restore, then drag it into the favorites
bar.
To add a widget as a small app
1
To make the favorites 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 Homescreen. They also
function as shortcuts. For example, the Weather widget allows you to see basic weather
information directly on your Homescreen. But when you tap the widget, the full Weather
application opens.
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 lockscreen
1
From your Homescreen, tap , then find and tap Settings > Security
2
Mark the
3
To lock the screen, press the power key.
4
To activate the screen, briefly press the power key.
5
Swipe inward 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.
Allow widgets on lock screen
checkbox.
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 lockscreen
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 customization menu appears.
2
In the customization 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 Homescreen
•
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.
3
Enter the new folder name and tap Done.
Background and themes
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.
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 lockscreen
1
From your Homescreen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings > Personalization > 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
4
.
Tap
When the record screen window is open, tap . The timer for recording appears.
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
to record a still picture.
to resize the window, and tap
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
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
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 you trust.
You can view the permissions granted to a downloaded application by tapping the application
under Settings > Apps.
.
Downloading applications from other sources
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
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.
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 WiFi® 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 pre-installed
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.
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 .
.
Use Wi-Fi® connections to surf the Internet, download applications, or send and receive
email. 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
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.
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings.
3
Drag the slider beside
It may take a few seconds before Wi-Fi® is enabled.
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings.
3
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
Wi-Fi
next to the Wi-Fi® network name.
next to the Wi-Fi® network name.
to the right to turn on the Wi-Fi® function.
password. is displayed in the status bar once you are connected.
To edit some advanced options such as proxy and IP settings, mark the Show
advanced options checkbox and then edit as desired.
8
Tap Save.
Contact your Wi-Fi® network administrator to get the network SSID and password.
Increasing 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).
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 cellular data
connection to access the Internet (if you have set up and enabled a cellular data
connection on your device). By adding a Wi-Fi® sleep policy, you can specify when to
switch from Wi-Fi® to cellular data.
1
Turn on Wi-Fi®, if it is not already on.
2
From your Home screen, tap
3
Find and tap Settings > Wi-Fi.
4
Press
.
5
Tap Advanced.
6
Mark the Network notification checkbox.
1
From the Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings > Wi-Fi.
3
Tap the Wi-Fi® network that you are currently connected to. Detailed network
WPS (Wi-Fi® Protected Setup) is a computing standard that helps you establish secure
wireless network connections. If you have little background knowledge of wireless
security, WPS makes it easy for you to set up Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption
to secure your network. You can also add new devices to an existing network without
entering long passwords.
Use one of these methods to enable WPS:
•
Push button method – simply push a button on a WPS-supported device, for example, a
router.
•
PIN method – your device creates a random PIN (Personal Identification Number), which
you enter on the WPS-supported device.
1
From your Home screen, tap
2
Find and tap Settings > Wi-Fi.
3
Turn on Wi-Fi® if it is not already on.
4
Tap
, then press the WPS button on the WPS-supported device.
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap Settings > Wi-Fi.
3
Turn on Wi-Fi® if it is not already on.
4
Tap
> WPS PIN Entry.
5
On the WPS-supported device, enter the PIN that appears on your device.
.
Sharing your mobile data connection
You can share your mobile data connection with other devices in several ways:
•
USB tethering
– share your mobile data connection with a single computer using a USB cable.
•
Portable Wi-Fi® hotspot
– share your mobile data connection simultaneously with up to 10 other devices,
including devices that support WPS technology.
To share your data connection using a USB cable
1
Deactivate all USB cable connections to your device.
2
Using the USB cable that came with your device, connect your device to a
computer.
3
From your Home screen, tap
4
Find and tap Settings > More… > Tethering & Mobile Hotspot.
5
Mark the USB tethering checkbox, then tap OK if prompted. is displayed in the
status bar once you are connected.
6
To stop sharing your data connection, unmark the USB tethering checkbox or
disconnect the USB cable.
Find and tap Settings > More… > Tethering & Mobile Hotspot.
3
Tap Mobile Hotspot settings > Set up Wi-Fi hotspot.
4
Enter the Network name (SSID) information.
5
To select a security type, tap the Security field. If required, enter a password.
6
Tap Save.
7
Tap and mark the Mobile Hotspot checkbox.
8
If prompted, tap OK to confirm.
appears in the status bar once the portable Wi-
Fi® hotspot is active.
9
To stop sharing your data connection via Wi-Fi®, unmark the Portable Wi-Fi
hotspot checkbox.
To allow a WPS-supported device to use your mobile data connection
1
Make sure that your device is functioning as a portable Wi-Fi® hotspot.
2
From your Home screen, tap
3
Find and tap Settings > More… > Tethering & Mobile Hotspot > Mobile Hotspot
.
settings.
4
Under Set up Wi-Fi hotspot, make sure that your portable hotspot is secured by a
password.
5
Tap WPS Push Button, then follow the relevant instructions. Alternatively, tap >
WPS PIN Entry, then enter the PIN that appears on the WPS-supported device.
To rename or secure your portable hotspot
1
From the Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap
3
Tap Mobile Hotspot settings > Set up Wi-Fi hotspot.
4
Enter the
5
To select a security type, tap the Security field.
6
If required, enter a password.
7
Tap Save.
Settings
Network name (SSID)
>
More…
>
Tethering & Mobile Hotspot
for the network.
.
Controlling data usage
Adjusting data usage settings can help you keep greater control over data usage but cannot
guarantee the prevention of additional charges.
To turn data traffic on or off
1
From your Home screen, tap .
2
Find and tap
3
Drag the slider beside Mobile data traffic to turn data traffic on or off.
When data
connections.
Settings
traffic is turned off, your device can still establish Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth®
To set a data usage warning
1
Make sure cellular data traffic is turned on.
2
From your Home screen, tap .
3
Find and tap Settings > Data usage.
4
To set the warning level, drag the warning line to the desired value. You receive a
warning notification when the amount of data traffic approaches the level you set.