Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 User Manual & Setup Guide

If you need a manual or help with the setup of your Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3, check out our user guide to start using your handset, connect to the internet and more!

1. Unboxing and assembling your Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3
2. Set up your phone for the first time
3. Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks
4. Find out how to add your email accounts
5. How to add and import contacts to your Alcatel
6. Using the Play Store to find new apps
7. Securing your Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 with a lock screen
8. How to make phone calls on your Alcatel
9. Send text & picture messages
10. Sending emails and attachments on your Alcatel
11. How to set alarms on the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3
12. Read our tips to learn more about your phone

click here for Alcatel's OneTouch Idol 3 user manual

Unboxing and assembling your Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3

Inside the box* you should find:

• 1 x Alcatel Idol 3
• 1 x Mains charger
• 1 x USB lead
• 1 x Wired Headphones
• 1 x Information pack

*some box contents may vary

The Idol 3 takes a micro-SIM card, which should have been given to you at point of sale. If you wish to expand the storage space available by adding a microSD (memory) card, you'll need that to hand as well.

Insert the SIM and memory cards

The Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 is a unibody handset, which does not have a removable back cover. Instead, the cards are placed into a tray which slides into the side of the phone. To insert the SIM and memory cards into your new Idol 3, you'll first need to find the SIM removal tool which is attached to the underside of the lift-up flap in the box.

Once you've found the SIM tool, look at the left-hand edge of the handset, just below the power button. You should be able to see the outline of the removable tray with a pin-hole at the lower end of it. Press the Sim tool's pin into this hole against a spring to eject the tray.

There are two recesses in the tray to hold the cards. The micro-SIM card goes into the recess at the inner end, which will slide back into the phone first. The card should be placed with the gold-coloured contacts facing down, and the cut-off corner towards the flanged end of the tray.

The microSD (memory) card should be placed into the recess which lies next to the flanged outer end of the tray. Again, the gold-coloured contacts should be facing down, and the card orientated so that the narrow end enters the phone's body first.

With the cards located in the tray, carefully slide the tray into the slit in the edge of the phone, and press it home until the flanged end is flush with the phone's body. You're now ready to turn on your new Idol 3 and get it set up!.

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Set up your phone for the first time

If you have a question about your phone and can't find the answer here, why not post a comment at the bottom of the page and share it with us!

1. At any time during the setup you may see a SIM provider pop-up on screen asking you to select your mobile network from a list; this is to install mobile data settings to allow your handset to connect to the internet. Tap on the correct network name and OK this, and it will disappear.
2. The first screen of the setup wizard proper asks you to Select your language. Choose your preferred language by dragging your fingertip up and down the list of languages, then tap Get started. You can tap Skip all to bypass the setup wizard if you wish, but if you are new to Android we wouldn't recommend this.
3. The next screen prompts you to connect to a wireless network. In the list of networks shown on screen, tap on the name of the wireless network you wish to connect to. If you don't wish to connect to Wi-Fi at this time, you can skip this by tapping the right arrow.
4. When prompted, enter the password for the Wi-Fi network. This is usually shown on a sticker on your router, and may be referred to as a WEP key, WPA key or wireless passphrase. Passwords are case-sensitive, and you can check your typing by ticking the Show password box. When you're ready to proceed, tap Connect.

5. Once the screen shows you've connected, you will be able to see a Wi-Fi symbol on the top line of the display next to the signal bars. The signal strength may vary, so not all the curved bars may be lit up, but as long as the symbol is there you're connected. Tap Next to continue.
6. You will then be asked about allowing the handset to use the mobile data connection, when you are away from your home Wi-Fi network. Most mobile phone contracts now come with an amount of data included, so to use this leave the Data enabled box ticked. To prevent your handset using mobile data, tap to untick the box. Data roaming should be left disabled, as this is a setting to allow you to connect to mobile data when abroad. When you're ready to proceed, tap Next.
7. Your Alcatel Idol 3 will try to detect the time from your mobile network, but not all network providers support this. If the time and date appear incorrect you can change them by tapping the Automatic setting at the top, turning that setting off, then tapping the Date and Time lines to adjust them. When you're happy that the time and date are correct, tap Next to proceed.
8. On the next page you will be invited to set up your Google account (an email address ending in gmail.com or googlemail.com). As the Idol 3 is an Android handset, having a Google account unlocks some great features of the phone; Without one you can't browse the Play Store or back up your contacts, for starters! To add your Google account tap Set up now, or tap Skip to skip this.

9. Tap & Go is a method for transferring information from your old Android handset to your new Idol 3, which relies on your old phone being NFC equipped. As many Android handsets don't have NFC capability, we'll Skip this for now (if you want to try it out, you can tap Learn more to see if your data will transfer).
10. If you haven't already got a Google account, tap create a new account and fill in the form to set up a Google account for free.
11. To sign in with an existing Google account, type your Gmail address in the space provided and tap Next.
12. Enter your password in the box provided, then tap Next. If you're creating a new account, complete the form.

13. You will have to accept the Terms of Service and other legal agreements in order to sign in to your Google account. Inspect them if you wish by tapping on the links, and when you're happy to agree, tap Accept.
14. If you haven't got any payment details set up on your Google account you may be asked to enter some, in order to make purchases in the Google Play Store. To skip this step, choose Remind me later and tap Next.
15. You're then asked if you wish to sign up for, or sign in to, an Alcatel account. This isn't a necessary part of the setup, so if you don't want to sign up for another account tap Skip.
16. The next page is about background services your Google account can perform. The options are all ticked by default, so if you wish to opt out of any service here untick the box. The first section is allows the Idol 3 to Back up to your Google account which is extremely useful when it comes to upgrading or replacing a lost or damaged handset, and therefore something we would recommend. Tap More to see the other options.

17. Location settings relate to letting your phone (and Google) know where in the world you are, which will help improve internet search results, and satellite navigation apps will thank you for it. You can also help improve location services by allowing the handset to check for Wi-Fi networks even when Wi-Fi is turned off. The final option allows the Idol 3 to send back anonymous information to Google. Untick any of these if you wish to opt out of that service, and when you're ready to proceed tap Next.
18. If you enabled Location services on the previous screen, you can choose the level of accuracy you'd like to set. Higher accuracy is better for precison location, but may adversely affect battery performance. If you prefer, you can tap the switch at the top disable this setting if you wish (not recommended). When you're happy with your choices, tap Next.
19. That's the setup wizard completed. Tap Finish to reveal your new Alcatel Idol 3's home screen.
20. You will see a message showing you how to edit your apps and widgets by touching and holding it. Tap OK to dismiss this and you will then see the home screen of your new phone.

The icon on the front screen that you will probably use most of all is the Apps icon. This gives you access to all the apps on your new phone, as well as the settings menus. It looks like a grid of small squares, and is in the centre of the bottom row of icons on the screen.

Below the screen you will find a Home button which, when pressed, will always bring you back to the home screen. Either side of these are touch areas which also act as buttons, and illuminate when the screen is active. The triangle to the left is the Back button which will always take you back one screen. The square on the right is the Recent Apps button, which allows quick access to apps that are still running in the background.

Now that you have completed the setup wizard, read through the other chapters in this guide to learn how to receive emails on your handset, download apps, and import your contacts!

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Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks

If you have a question about your phone and can't find the answer here, why not post a comment at the bottom of the page and share it with us!

Connecting to a Wi-Fi network

1. From the home screen tap the Apps icon, then tap the Settings icon (it looks like a cog or gear).
2. In the Wireless and networks section of the settings, tap Wi-Fi.
3. If you don't see any network names displayed on screen, check the switch at the top. To turn it on, tap the switch (it will display blue when it's on). With Wi-Fi on, locate and tap on the name of the network you want to connect to.
4. Enter your wireless password when prompted. Remember, passwords are case sensitive, so ensure you enter it correctly! Wireless passwords are usually found on a sticker on the underside of your router, and may also be called a WEP key, WPA key, or wireless passphrase. If you wish to check your typing, tick the Show password box to verify you've entered the password correctly, then press Connect.
5. If the password was entered successfully, you will now see the word Connected below your network's name, and a Wi-fi symbol on the status bar at the top of the Idol 3 4G's screen.

Connecting to Mobile Internet

An active mobile internet connection is indicated by a letter (or letters) next to the signal bars, on the top row of the display. The letters you could see are G, E, 3G, H or H+, which denote the various speeds of data connection. This will vary depending on your mobile network and where you are at the time, but the key thing to remember is that if a letter is there, your data connection is configured correctly.

1. From the home screen, swipe down from the top, or tap the Apps icon in the bottom right corner.
2. Tap on the Settings icon.
3. To check the data connection settings, you will need to turn of the Wi-Fi connection. Tap Wi-Fi.
4. Tap the switch at the top of the Wi-Fi settings page to turn it off (don't forget to turn it back on later!) then tap the Left arrow at the top of the screen to go back to the main settings menu.

5. In the Wireless & networks section, tap More.
6. Next, tap Mobile Networks.
7. On the Mobile network settings screen, tap Access Point Names. These are the settings that configure the internet connection on your Idol 3.
8. If you see your network's name and there is an empty circle beside it, tap the circle to enable the correct setting. Once enabled you will see a blue dot in the circle. Check for the data indicator.

9. If your network name isn't listed, you can reset the settings. Tap the Menu button at the top of the handset (three dots in the top right corner).
10. In the pop-up menu, tap Reset to default.
11. You will then see a list of all the network settings that the Idol 3 can pull from the SIM card. Choose the correct network from the list by tapping on the circle, then tap OK to select that network.
12. Once you've got the correct settings, check again for the data indicator at the top of the screen.

If these options still don't work, then you can enter new APN settings manually by tapping the + symbol at the top of the screen, and then completing the form. We have produced a guide to APN settings for all major UK networks to help you, but if your provider is not listed you may need to contact them directly for further assistance and troubleshooting.

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Find out how to add your email accounts

Gmail account setup

We covered setting up a Google account in the initial setup, but if you didn't complete it then you can add one now.

1. From the home screen, tap the Apps icon to open the Apps tray.
2. Locate and tap on the Settings icon.
3. In the Personal section, tap on Accounts. This will show any accounts already set up on your Idol 3.
4. Tap Add account.

5. On the list of account types, tap Google.
6. A Google account is an email address ending in @gmail.com or @googlemail.com. If you haven't already got a Google account, tap create a new account and fill in the form to set up a Google account for free.
7. If you already have a Google account, enter your Gmail address where prompted and then tap Next.
8. Enter your Password into the space provided then tap Next.

9. You must agree to the Terms of service and Privacy Policy in order to use the Google account on your new Idol 3. Tap a link to inspect any which you would like to look at, then tap Accept to proceed.
10. The Google account can be used to back up your apps and settings. If you'd like to opt out of this untick the box, then tap Next.
11. You may be asked to set up some payment details in order to purchase premium content, including chargeable apps and other media, from the Play Store. This is optional, as many apps are free. Select your billing option, or choose Remind me later to leave this for later, then tap Continue.
12. The newly-added Google account should now show in the Accounts list, and your emails will start to arrive in the Gmail app very shortly (it's in the Google folder on the home screen).

Email Setup

1. From the home screen, tap the Apps icon then tap on the Settings icon.
2. In the Personal section, tap Accounts.
3. You will see any accounts that are already set up on your Idol 3. Tap Add account.
4. If you have an Exchange email account (often used by employers, or education providers) choose Exchange. If your email is a regular POP3 or IMAP account, tap Email.
5. Most email accounts can be configured quite quickly, simply type in your email address and tap Next to continue.

6. On the next screen, enter the password for your email account and tap Next.
7. If all goes well and the account sets up, you will be able to alter the account options to choose how often your handset checks for new mail, and other options. When you are happy with the settings, tap Next.
8. You will then be asked to give the account a name (your email address will show by default, but you can edit this). You will also be asked to enter your name, which will appear on outgoing emails. Enter this, then tap Next to finish the setup.
9. You should now see your newly-added account listed in the Accounts section.

If your account failed to set up automatically, you will be returned to the main email setup page with your email address and password in the boxes. In order to add your email account to the Idol 3 you will have to do a Manual Setup. In order to do this, you will need to know the type of account you have (POP3, IMAP or Exchange) and additional, account specific information.

This additional information will include the account Username, Password, and also incoming& outgoing mail server settings, all of which will have to be entered onto the form. If your account is an Exchange account, you will need to know domain and Exchange server information.

We have written a guide to email server settingsfor most of the popular UK email providers to help you complete these, but if your mail provider is not listed, or your Exchange email account is provided by your company, you may need to contact them directly for detailed assistance.

If you are still having difficulty adding your email account, why don't you check out our support options and give us a call at any time 24/7 on 0800 049 3040

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How to add and import contacts to your Alcatel

Need to move contacts from another smartphone to your new Alcatel Idol 3? Let us help, with our handy guide to tranferring your phonebook to an Android handset. No matter which handset you're migating from, whether it's iOS, BlackBerry, Windows Phone or Android, we're here to support you every step of the way! Click on the link to read our full and comprehensive guide.

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Using the Play Store to find new apps

If you want new games and apps to enjoy on your Idol 3, you should start off in Google's Play Store. This is where the majority of media for your smartphone can be found, from books and films to music and software! Check out our guide for help finding and installing fun apps on your Android smartphone, and even rediscovering apps you've enjoyed in the past! Click the link to read more.

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Securing your Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3 with a lock screen

If you have a question about your phone and can't find the answer here, why not post a comment at the bottom of the page and share it with us!

1. From the home screen on your phone, tap the Apps icon, then the Settings icon.
2. Scroll down the settings menu and in the Personal section, tap on Security.
3. To set up lock screen security, tap screen lock.
4. Choose what type of unlock method you'd like to use; Swipe is the default method which is quite insecure, Face unlock uses a basic biometric facial scan, Pattern allows you to draw a pattern on a grid of dots, PIN is a numerical code, Password is a longer, more complex security code, and finally Eye-D uses a biometric image of your eyes (I tried this, it made me feel like a Bond villain!). To proceed, tap your chosen method.

5. In our example we're entering a PIN, but a password is set in much the same manner. Enter your chosen code via the keyboard, then tap Continue (facial unlock, pattern and Eye-D will all require you to set a PIN as a backup).
6. Confirm your unlock PIN or Password by entering it again, then tap OK.
7. When the screen is locked, notifications show you when you've received emails, messages and more. You can choose to Show all notification content, Hide sensitive content (you'll see you've received a message for example, but not the message itself) or Don't show notifications. Tap to select your preference, then tap Next.
8. To change how soon the PIN or Password you've just set is required, tap Automatically lock and choose the security time-out you'd like to set.

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How to make phone calls on your Alcatel

The first step to making a phone call is to open the Phone icon from the home screen by tapping on it. This is usually in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

1. The phone app will open to the Speed Dial screen, which provides buttons to dial your favourite contacts quickly and easily. To mark a contact as a favourite, tap the star when you have that contact's details open.
2. If you prefer, you can search your contacts directly from the Phone app by tapping Contacts at the top. Whenever you have the contact you'd like to call on screen, tap the phone icon on their contact and the Pop Star will dial them!
3. To use the phone dialler keypad, tap the blue keypad icon at the bottom of the screen (which has 10 dots representing the phone digits on it). Enter the number, then tap the green phone icon to make the call.
4. The keypad can also be used to spell out the name of a contact. Use the numbers which correspond to the letters shown to spell the name (in our example we're spelling out "Danny" by tapping "32669") and the Idol 3 will find them in your contact list, just tap their name to call them! If you know more than one person with the name you're searching, you'll need to tap the correct contact from the suggestions.

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Send text & picture messages

Locate and tap the Messaging app from your home screen. The icon is a white speech bubble with three dots on it. If you have unread messages, you will see a red badge in the corner showing you have unread items.

1. To compose a new message, tap on the compose button, which is an orange circle at the bottom of the screen.
2. Now you're looking at a blank text message. Pick the recipient by tapping in the Type name or number box.
3. You can enter a mobile number directly using the numeric keyboard, or you can start to type a contact's name. If you're entering text, matching contacts will appear below as you type. Tap on the contact you're trying to text to select them as the recipient. You can add further recipients if you wish to send the same message to multiple people.
4. Now you've chosen who you're messaging, it's time to type out what you want to say. Tap into the Enter message box and using the keyboard, type your message. If you're just sending a text message, tap the Send arrow to the right of the message box to send it on its way.

How to Add an Attachment to Send an MMS Message

5. If you want to add an attachment, such as a picture, video or sound recording, tap the paper clip to the left of the text entry box. Choose what to attach by tapping on the correct icon (if you're sending a picture or video, it will be sent as a multimedia message, and you may be charged for this - check with your mobile network about costs!).
6. If you're adding a picture from your phone, you will be asked where to Open from. Choose the location of your file, using the menu icon (three bars) at the top if necessary to navigate through your folders.
7. When you've found the item you wish to attach, tap it to select it.
8. Once you've attached your item, it will display in the body of the message, allowing you to add further text before you send it. There will also be a banner advising you that your message has been converted to a multimedia message, and MMS will show above the green Send icon, which you need to tap to despatch your message.

How to Delete a Message Thread

If you'd like to delete a thread of messages from your handset, open the Messaging app and locate the thread you'd like to delete by finding the other person's name in the message list.

Touch and hold on their name, and you will see a blue circle with a tick in it. Select any other threads you may also wish to delete, then tap the bin icon at the top of the screen to delete the thread(s). You will be asked to confirm the deletion on the following screen.

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Sending emails and attachments on your Alcatel

To send an email, you must have already set up an email account on your Alcatel Idol 3. If you haven't added your account yet, please check our chapter on adding an email account for more information. To see your emails, tap the Apps icon followed by the Email icon.

1. When you can see your email inbox, tap the compose button. This is a red circle containing a white + at the bottom of the email inbox screen.
2. Tap into the To line to select the intended recipient. Start to type their name using the keyboard, and any matching contacts will appear. Tap on the correct contact to add them to the recipient list. You can add further recipients or send carbon copies to yourself or others by tapping the down arrow.
3. Enter a Subject for your email by tapping on that line and entering it via the keyboard.
4. Now that you've set it up, type your message by tapping into the main portion of the window in the middle of the screen. If you just want to send a text email, then you can send it by tapping the arrow icon on the title bar.

Add an Attachment

5. To add an attachment, tap the paper clip on the title bar. When the menu opens, you can choose what you'd like to attach.
6. Navigate through your files by using the on screen menu to find the item(s) you want, and tap to select them.
7. When sending images, you may be asked whether to resize them - handy if you're using mobile internet, as large images and video can use a lot of data!
8. Add further attachments if you wish, and compose your message. To send, tap the arrow.

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How to set alarms on the Alcatel OneTouch Idol 3

Alarms are set and amended through the Time app on your Idol 3. If your phone is showing the time on the front screen, tap it to see the app itself, If not, tap Apps and then Time.

1. When you open the app, you'll see icons across the top of the app allow you to select Alarm, Clock, Timer and Stopwatch functions. Tap the alarm clock to access the alarm settings.
2. Set a new alarm by tapping the new alarm (+) icon at the bottom of the screen.
3. Tap the desired hour, and tap OK.
4. Tap the chosen minute you'd like to set, and again tap OK.
5. Now that the new alarm time has been set (the switch is red, meaning that it's ready to go!), you can edit some other options before closing the panel.

5. If you want the alarm to repeat on multiple days (such as every weekday) tap the Repeat box and highlight the days you'd like the alarm to sound.
6. You can also edit the melody and vibration setting for each alarm, and change the Label to a more informative name.
7. When you're happy with the settings, close the detail panel by tapping on the upward-pointing arrowhead.
8. To prevent an alarm from sounding, tap the switch on the alarm. This will grey out, indicating it is not set. To set an alarm that is greyed out, tap the switch again.
9. To delete an alarm completely, tap the down arrow on it then tap the bin icon.

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Read our tips to learn more about your phone

Monitor your Data Usage

The Alcatel Idol 3 comes with a really useful monitor to help you keep an eye on your data usage. This should hopefully help prevent you from running up a large bill through using more data than your allowance.

To set this up go to Settings> Data Usage> and then click on the tab with your Network name.

Wth the settings page open, you can set your billing cycle with a drop-down menu to ensure the counter resets when your mobile bill is produces every month, and there is a tickbox to stop you from going over the limit you set.

There are two coloured sliders to help you, a red one to show your data limit and a grey one to provide you with a warning that you're getting close to your limit.

The only thing to bear in mind is that this shows the data usage as your phone interprets it, not as your mobile network calculates it. This means that you might benefit from setting the sliders a little below your actual allowance to avoid going over - at least until you see how they compare!

Check your Battery Usage

If you think your battery isn't lasting as long as it should, then there is a battery monitor built into the Idol 3 to show you just what part of your phone has used the power.

Accessing the monitor couldn't be easier. Tap on Settings> Battery and you will see an estimate of how long the available power will last (based on how you're using your phone at the time of checking).

Below the projected time of use left you will see a list of hardware and apps showing you exactly how much of the used power each element of the phone has taken. For example, if you don't connect to Wi-Fi very often but it uses a lot of power, then this could help you to decide to turn Wi-Fi off when you don't use it, saving you power, which will extend the time your phone will last before it needs charging again.

If you're running low on power and you're not sure if your battery will last, then you can switch on power saving by going to Settings> Battery and then tapping the menu icon in the top corner (three dots). This will allow you access to the Battery saver, where you can tap the switch to enable the setting. You can even choose to have Battery saver mode automatically enabled if your phone's charge drops below a preset amount.

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