Troubleshooting for Nokia products

The screen gets switched off during a phone call when the proximity sensor is covered. This is done to avoid accidental touch screen actions when you are in a call. To switch the screen on, hit the power (lock) key.

If the screen gets switched off immediately when dialing a number or receiving a call, check that the proximity sensor area at the upper front of the screen is not covered by any kind of protective film or tape.

You can take the following steps to check the issue. If the screen keeps switched off, the protector may not be of the right size and will block the sensor on the upper part of the front side. Then either remove the protector or cut off the plastic from the blocking area.

1. Make or receive a call with the phone.
2. Once the phone is in a call place your hand 1cm above the screen and display will switch off.
   
3. Remove your hand and display shall switch back on.
   
4. Repeat the test steps 1,2,3 for 3 times to verify the proximity sensor function.

Many features in your Nokia Lumia phone increase the demand on battery power and reduce the battery life time. For example if the signal strength of the mobile network varies much in your area, your phone must scan for the available network repeatedly. This increases the demand on battery power.

You can set your phone to automatically save power when the battery charge level is low. To check the battery status, and switch battery saver mode on, go to Settings > battery saver. Windows Phone 8: To choose when you want battery saver mode to be activated, switch Battery saver toggle to On and tap advanced.
Note: When Battery Saver is on, your phone will no longer: automatically receive email and calendar updates, update some Live Tiles and allow apps to run in the background.

If you are listening to music or otherwise using your phone, but do not want to make or receive calls, switch airplane (flight) mode on under the Settings menu.

To save battery power, note the following: 

Background apps

1. Set your phone to check for new mail less frequently or even by request only. On the start screen, open up the email account you want to modify, and tap the three dots (...) in the right bottom corner of the inbox screen, and then tap Settings > sync settings and change the setting for Download new content.
2. Some apps may run in the background unnecessarily. On the start screen, swipe left, tap Settings, swipe to applications and tap background tasks. Tap the app you want to block, and tap block. Especially Lumia 520, 620, 720, 810, 820, 822 and 920 users; please check that Nokia Drive+ Beta app is blocked (set to Off) in background tasks.
3. Close the apps you are not using, to do that, press Back key. For example, when you are finished taking a picture, press the Back key to exit the camera viewfinder. 
   

The screen

1. Set the screen switch off after a short time, go to Settings > lock screen (Lock+wallpaper) and change the setting for Screen times out after.
2. Lower the screen brightness, go to Settings > brightness > Level. Switch the Automatically adjust to Off and select the level. 
3. Nokia Lumia Amber Windows Phone 8: Change the setting for Nokia Glance Screen, go to Settings > display+touch. Swipe left to glance, and select Standby screen either Off or Timed.

Use network connections selectively

1. Switch Bluetooth off when you do not need it, go to Settings > Bluetooth, and then slide the Status (Searching and discoverable) toggle to Off.
2. Use a Wi-Fi connection to connect to the internet, rather than a mobile data (E, G, 3G, H+, 4G) connection.
3. Stop your phone scanning for available Wi-Fi networks if those are not available, go to Settings > WiFi (Windows Phone 8: Advanced), and uncheck the box next to Notify me when new networks are found.
4. Switch off location services if not needed – so the phone will not look up your location frequently in the background (Settings > Location services > Off).
5. Use NFC on only when needed. To switch the tap+send feature off, go to Settings > tap+send, and switch NFC sharing toggle to Off.
6. Switch off Connect with Xbox LIVE when you not need it, go to Settings, swipe to applications and tap games.
7. Windows Phone 8: Stop your phone connecting to Xbox Music cloud collection go to Settings > Applications > Music+Videos, and switch all relevant settings off. 
   

Anything else I need to know?

• Always charge the battery fully. Check Settings > battery saver > battery information. Note that older chargers may not fully charge the battery.
• Mute unnecessary sounds and functions, such as key press sounds and vibra. To do that, go to Settings > ringtones+sounds.
• Use wired headphones, rather than the loudspeaker.
• Make sure that your phone is running the latest software to get battery related improvements. Please check also that your phone apps are up-to-date. 

The instructions to save power on your Lumia phone presented on this video (English) from Nokia Care.

If the battery drains faster even there is no active feature or applications, try to switch off the power and then switch back on. The battery may also be worn out and needs to be replacing with a new one.

Use the following guidelines to increase your battery life time:

• Turn Bluetooth off when you do not need it.
• Specify that your Nokia phone does not scan, or scans less often, for available Wireless LAN (WLAN) networks in the backround when you do not need WLAN connections (to turn off scanning, disable Show WLAN availability in Wireless LAN settings). 
• If you have set Packet data connection to When available in connection settings, and there is no packet data coverage (GPRS), your Nokia phone periodically tries to establish a packet data connection. To prolong the operating time of your Nokia phone, select Packet data connection > When needed.
• The Maps application downloads new map information when you scroll to new areas on the map, which increases the demand on battery power. Prevent the automatic download of new maps.
• If the signal strength of the cellular network varies much in your area, your Nokia phone must scan for the available network repeatedly. This increases the demand on battery power.  If the Network mode is set to dual mode in the network settings, the Nokia phone searches for the UMTS network. To use only the GSM network, select Network mode > GSM. 
• The backlight of the display increases the demand on battery power. In the display settings, you can change the time-out after which the backlight is switched off, and adjust the light sensor that observes lighting conditions and adjusts the display brightness.
• Leaving applications running in the background increases the demand on battery power. Close the applications you are not using.
• Turn off vibrate function of your Nokia phone, using just the ring tone.
• Avoid using moving or animated pictures or videos for your Nokia phone's background.
• Turn off your Nokia phone whenever you do not plan to answer any calls, for example while you are sleeping.

• Make sure your phone is running the latest software. For downloads and assistance, go to your local Nokia website's support page.

If the battery loses the power fast even though there is no features consuming the power, the battery may be wearing out and you need to replace it with a new one. 

First, it is normal for the Nokia phone display to go blank during an update.

However, it may be that the PC update application Nokia Suite has lost contact with your Nokia phone and the phone display is suspended.

Do the following:

1. Disconnect the Nokia device from the USB cable and remove the phone's battery for 5 seconds. For phones with a non-removable battery (like N8-00 and E7-00), press the power button for 8 seconds until you feel it start to vibrate and wait for the phone to start up again (and skip the next step).
2. Re-insert the battery then press and hold the phone power button for 1 second.
3. Re-connect the Nokia phone to the USB cable and wait for 10 seconds.
4. Try Nokia Suite again

If there is still no response,   take your Nokia device to your nearest Nokia Care point. If the device is within its warranty period, Nokia will repair the device under the usual warranty terms and conditions.

Note: If the Nokia device is not within its warranty period, Nokia is not liable for any loss as defined within the End-User Software Agreement.

It is possible to fix many phone problems yourself in a few minutes – including phone freezes or does not switch on, application crashes, sound problems and a blank display. To save yourself time, try these three fixes.

1. Restart your phone

If the phone hardware is jammed, you should first try restart your phone. This does not reset the Microsoft Account (Windows Live ID) or remove any consumer data.

Option 1: To perform the power reset for phones with integrated battery (phone has a special electronic circuit which switches off the power when the key combination is pressed):

1. Switch the power On (if possible) and disconnect the charger.
   
2. Press the Volume Down + Power Key and hold them for 15 seconds.
   
3. You will feel vibration.
   
4. The phone will reset and boot up automatically.
   

Option 2: To perform power reset for phones with removable battery:

1. Remove the battery and reinsert it.
   
2. Boot up the phone normally.

2. Update the software

You might not be using the most recent software for your phone. Updating to the latest version of your phone may resolve your issue.
You can check for the availability of Lumia software updates in your region here.

3. Reset your phone

Warning: This erases all the personal content in the phone, including apps that have been purchased and downloaded (may be re-downloaded again), and restores the factory settings.

To reset your phone to the state in which the phone was in the first time you turned it on, go to Settings > About and then Reset your phone.

If you lose your phone, you can reset your phone remotely. In this option you need have the Find My Phone feature enabled and your phone must be connected to mobile network.

1. Login to http://www.windowsphone.com.
2. Click on the drop down menu right next to your name, and select the device that you would like to erase.
3. At the top left corner, you will see the name and model of the Windows Phone.
4. Click on Erase your phone.

Do the following: 

• Check that the SIM card is inserted properly.
• Check the signal strength that is indicated by the signal indicators at the left side of the Nokia phone's display. To increase your Nokia phone's signal strength, try moving your Nokia phone slightly, or move towards a window if you're calling from inside a building.
• If there is no network coverage at all, check the following:
  • you have not set your device to use 3G (UMTS) network only, use the dual mode (2G/3G) instead.
  • your phone is not in Offline or Flight mode.
• Restart your phone and recheck.
• Restart your phone to factory settings as described in your phone's user guide. Recheck.
• If you continuously experience low signal strength in a certain area, it may be that network coverage is insufficient there. Your network operator can provide you with more information on network coverage.
• If you believe that the problem may be with your Nokia phone instead of the network, contact your local Nokia Care point for inspection.

When a Nokia Lumia phone with Windows Phone 8 software is connected to a computer running Windows XP, the phone may not be recognized if the computer does not have Service Pack 3. Instead, a USB connectivity error will be displayed, or the device might be recognized as an MTP device. To fix this, do the following:

1. First, install the latest Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 to your PC. You can download the Windows XP Service Pack 3 from Windows Update or manually from the Microsoft web pages:   http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=24

2. Next, install the latest Microsoft Windows Media Player 11 to your PC. You can download Windows Media Player 11 from the Microsoft web pages:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=8163

After this, reboot your PC and you will be able to browse files in your Nokia Lumia phone with Windows Phone 8 software using a USB cable and Windows Explorer.

You need to have the Nokia Suite application installed on your PC.

To download and install Nokia Suite, visit your local Nokia website www.nokia.com/nokiasuite.

Once you have Nokia Suite installed on your computer, please do the following:

1. Start Nokia Suite.
2. Connect your phone to computer via USB cable or select Tools > Add new phone > Use bluetooth instead
3. Follow the on-screen instructions.

For more detailed information please watch the tutorial video from Nokia Care.

From 2013, the new Nokia Asha/S40 phones do not support Nokia Suite or PC suite. Instead, they use the Nokia Connectivity Cable Driver.

If your phone is unresponsive, or it gets stuck showing Nokia logo, then try this: Press and hold both the Volume down and the Power keys for 15 seconds. This should get your phone to restart properly again. If this does not help, then follow next steps to perform OS reset.

Warning: Resetting your phone will return it to the same state it was in the first time you turned it on. All your personal content in the phone, including text messages and apps that you been purchased and downloaded (may be re-downloaded again) will be erased, and the phone will be restore to the factory settings.
Here are two options to follow, depending on whether you can access your phone's settings screen or not.

Option 1: About menu

• Use this option if you can access your phone's settings.
  
• This option warns about data loss.

On the Start screen, swipe left, select Settings > About > Reset your phone.

Option 2: Hardware key combination

• Use this option if you forget or lose the password.
• Use this option if the phone fails to fully switch on when pressing the power on key.
• Note: No warning about data loss!
  

Nokia Lumia with Windows Phone 8

Step 1
Make sure the charger is disconnected.
1. Switch the power Off.
2. Press and hold the Volume down and connect the charger, if succeed an exclamation mark (!) is shown on the screen.

Step 2
Then input the keys in the following order:
1. Volume up
2. Volume down
3. Power
4. Volume down

Step 3
The phone will reset and boot up automatically. Please note that this may take several minutes.

Nokia Lumia with Windows Phone 7 

Make sure the charger is disconnected.
1. Switch the power Off.
2. Press and hold the Volume down and Camera keys.
3. Press and hold the Power key.
4. When the phone vibrates, release the power key, but continue holding the volume down and camera keys, until the phone reboots.

1. Switch Bluetooth off when you do not need it.
2. If you have switched Mobile data connection to Always on in connection settings and there is no mobile data coverage, your phone periodically tries to establish a mobile data connection: Select Mobile data connection > When needed.
3. If the signal strength of the cellular network varies in your area, your phone must scan for the available network repeatedly, which increases demand on battery power.  If Network mode is set to dual mode in network settings, your phone searches for the 3G network: Select Settings > Phone > Network mode > GSM.
4. Change the time-out period after which the backlight is switched off in screen settings, and adjusting the light sensor that adjusts the screen brightness.
5. Switch off the vibrate function.
6. Do not use animated pictures or videos for your phone background.
7. Switch off your phone whenever you do not plan to answer any calls, for example, while you are sleeping.
8. Make sure your phone is running the latest software. See more information on updating your phone software.

If the battery keeps draining fast, the battery may be wearing out and require replacing.