How to Re-lock an Unlocked Cell Phone
By Charlie Gaston
From the bookbag to the purse to the briefcase to the car, a standard cell phone travels far and wide in a given day. And with the amount of private information, phone numbers, and messages that are generally stored on a cell phone, it is a good idea to set up and activate an automated locking feature to prevent others from picking up your phone and accessing it without your knowledge. Learn how you can re-lock you unlocked cell phone with just a few simple instructions.
Turn on the phone. Press the red or green phone symbol that indicates the phone function. Hold for two to five seconds until the phone powers on.
Press "Menu." Many cell phones have a pre-set Menu button available on the phone, while others offer an easy to access Menu icon that appears on screen when the phone powers.
Go to "Call Settings." Scroll through the menu options until you local the "Call Settings" function. Click to access the menu options that follow.
Go to "Automatic Screen Lock." The wording should remain constant among cell phone brands but may vary slightly. Look for key words like "Lock," "Phone Lock," or "Screen Lock."
Select "On." By selecting the "On" option, you agree to lock the phone when the phone becomes inactive for a period of time. Choose to lock the phone automatically after 30 seconds, 60 seconds, 2 minutes, or 10 minutes depending on the options available on your cell phone. You must enter a password at this time or opt to leave the phone accessible by pressing the "Lock" button.
Contact your cell phone carrier if you wish to re-lock a SIM card. If your SIM card was locked and is only available to a specific cell phone carrier (as almost all cell phones that are purchased under a calling plan or pay as you go service are), you must contact your cell phone carrier to add the settings that will lock the phone under that particular cell phone carrier. Factory settings need to be restored with a software that can only be obtained by that cell phone carrier, and in some cases, third party vendors who charge a fee to mimic the process used by cell phone carriers.
Tips
- There is a fee to lock and unlock a cell phone. You must enter a PIN number or password to open the cell phone for use.
Writer Bio
Charlie Gaston has written numerous instructional articles on topics ranging from business to communications and estate planning. Gaston holds a bachelor's degree in international business and a master's degree in communications. She is fluent in Spanish and has extensive travel experience.