AT&T 8525 FAQs

How long should it take to charge my battery?
Your battery can take up to 3 hours to fully charge using the AC charger. It will take much longer using the USB as that is the trickle charge function.

Why wont my device power on?
Your battery may be drained or is not seated correctly. Tyr removing and reinserting the battery. If no success, try charging the device using the AC Charger. You will see an Amber LED on the device if it is charging.

Why does it take so long to charge my device using the USB?
The USB cable acts as a trickle charger so it will take longer than if you were using an AC charger. While the USB will work, it is recommended to use the AC charger, especially if the battery level reaches 10% or below.

My battery doesn't stay charged for very long. What can I do to preserve power?
There are a few settings that you can change on your device that will preserve battery life. Turn off accessories that you are not actively using such as Bluetooth and WiFi (which can be disabled in the Comm Manager on your device).
Lower the settings for your Backlight by going to Start>Settings> Backlight.
Turn off any unnecessary audible notifications (email, SMS, etc.)

My device wont recognize my SIM
Verify with your wireless carrier that your SIM is active.
Remove and Reinsert the SIM in your device.

My device shows "No Service" or "Invalid SIM". What is wrong?
If you are getting "Invalid SIM" this could mean that your SIM has not been activated by your wireless carrier. Please contact your carrier. If you are getting "No Service" try turning the device off and back on, changing locations and contacting your carrier to verify coverage.

Why does my device freeze and sometimes crash?
The main reason for a device to slow down and crash is the lack of available memory. To free up memory, shut down applications that you are not active y using by going to Start>Settings>System tab>Memory>Running programs. As memory is made available, the device will return to normal function. Also, You can configure the button to shut down running programs and free up the memory space that’s occupied by them.
1. Tap Start > Settings > System tab > Task Manager.
2. On the Button tab, deselect the "Enable the "X" button to end running programs" check box.
3. Tap OK.
Note When the Enable the "X" button to end running programs check box is not selected, tapping the "X" button will only close a program screen. The program is not ended and continues to run in the background, using up memory.

What bands does the 8525 support?
The 8500/8525 is a quad-band GSM device, supporting the 850/900/1800/1900 MHz and UMTA 850/1900/2100 frequencies for travel both domestically and abroad.

Why am I not able to connect to GPRS/EDGE?
You may have traveled outside of the coverage area. Contact your wireless carrier to verify coverage.
Perform a Soft rest on the device.
You may have incorrect settings in your device. Contact your wireless carrier for assistance programming your device.

How do I set a custom ring tone on my device?
Your device can support the following audio formats: *.wma. *.mp3. *midi. *.rmi. *.amr. *.awb. *.m4a.
To set an Audio file as your ringtone:
From a MicrosSD Card:
Locate the file on your SD card, Tap and hold the file and select "Set as Ringtone" from the pop up menu.

From your desktop:
Using Activesync, select "Explore".
Open the "Windows Mobile-based device"
Open the Windows Folder.
Open the "Rings" folder.
Drag and drop file into the "Rings folder".
To set the file as your ringtone, go to Start>Settings>Sounds & Notifications>Notifications Tab>Select file from drop down.

What does a Hard Reset do and how is it performed?
A Hard Reset restores the device to its default settings — the way it was when you first purchased it and turned it on. Any programs you installed, data you entered, and settings you customized on the device will be lost. Only Windows Mobile software and other pre-installed programs will remain.
To perform a hard reset
Power the device OFF.
Press and hold the left and right Soft Keys
Keep the two buttons pressed, and at the same time, use the stylus to lightly press and hold the RESET button. If successful, you will get a black screen with white text asking you to confirm the reset.

When should I perform a Hard Reset?
A Hard Reset should only be performed after all other troubleshooting has been exhausted.

How can I set up a custom tone for SMS, MMS, email, etc.?
Your device can only support .wav files for custom alerts.
To set an Audio file as your Alert:
Using Activesync, select "Explore".
Open the "Windows Mobile-based device"
Open the Windows Folder.
Open the "Rings" folder.
Drag and drop file into the "Rings folder".
To set the file as your ringtone, go to Start>Settings>Sounds & Notifications>Notifications Tab>Select file from drop down.

How do I turn Bluetooth ON/OFF on my device?
Access Comm Manager (Start>Programs>Comm Manager) or use the Comm. Manager shortcut button located on the right side of the device, just below the Power button.
Tap the Bluetooth Icon to enable/disable the Bluetooth function.
To preserve battery power, disable Bluetooth when not in use.

What Bluetooth headsets are recommended for use with the AT&T 8525?
Below is a list of tested and recommended Bluetooth headsets for use with the AT&T 8525:
Jabra BT250v
Plantronics Voyager 510w
Nokia CK-7W
Plantronics Discovery 640
Motorola HS820
Plantronics Explorer 320
Sony Ericsson HBH-608

Can I work with two Bluetooth devices at the same time?
A key differentiator is Bluetooth v2.0 support which allows for up to six active Bluetooth connections simultaneously. For example, a user could have a tethered connection to a PC via Bluetooth, while having a conversation on their Bluetooth headset, or use a Bluetooth GPS accessory for navigation while on a call on their Bluetooth headset.

How do I pair my device with another Bluetooth device?
Press the Comm Manager button located on the upper left side of your device (just above the volume control) and then Tap on the Bluetooth Icon to turn it ON/OFF.
Go to Start>Programs>Comm Manager and then Tap on the Bluetooth Icon to turn it ON/OFF.
First, turn Bluetooth on by going to Comm Manager and then Tap on the Bluetooth Icon to turn it ON. Next, tap Settings>Bluetooth settings.
If you want your device to be discovered by another device, check the "Make this device visible to other devices" box.
If you want to have your device discover other devices, tap on the Devices tab and then Add New device. make sure that the other device is set to discoverable mode. Once your device finds the other device, highlight the device you want to pair with and tap Next. The device will ask you for a passkey. Enter in a short passkey of your choice and tap next. The device that you are trying to pair with will ask for that passkey to be entered. Once this is done, the devices are paired.

How can I send/receive files using Bluetooth?
Bluetooth has to be enabled. To receive, go to Start>Settings>Connections Tab>Beam and select "Receive al incoming Beams". To send, locate the file that you want to send. Tap and hold your stylus on the file and from the pop up menu, select Beam.

How do I change my Today screen?
Go to Start>Settings>Today.

How do I modify my Date and Time settings?
Select Start > Settings > System >Clock & Alarm > Date and Time. Here you can modify the time zone, date, and time on your device. The 8525 supports NITZ or Network Time.

How do I set a picture as my wallpaper on the device?
You can set a picture that you have saved on your device as your wallpaper by going to Start>Settings>Personal tab>Today>Check the "Use this picture as Background" box, and browse for the photo and then tap OK.

How do I adjust the backlight on my device?
Go to Start>Settings>System tab>Backlight

How do I adjust the text size on my device?
Go to Start>Settings>System Tab>Screen>Text Size tab. Note: Text size may not be changed ion all programs.

Something is wrong with my display; it goes dark after a few minutes of inactivity but my device is still powered on. What is happening?
The device is going into hibernation. The device is still powered on, but the screen has gone to sleep to preserve power. To "wake" the device up, just tap the Power button once.

My display/screen's image is inverted, faded or discolored, what can I do to fix it?
Perform a Soft reset by pressing the Stylus into the Reset hole located on the bottom of the device by the IR port. If the screen issue persists, perform a Hard Reset.

I want to sync my device with my MAC, am I able to use Activesync to do this?
Activesync is NOT compatible with the MAC OS. While you are unable to use Activesync, there are 3rd party softwares that will allow you to sync with a MAC.

I am unable to load a 3rd party application on my device. What can I do?
Verify with the software provider that the application is compatible with your device/operating system. Contact the software vendor for further assistance.

How can I tell how much free memory I have left on my device?
On your device, go to: Start>Settings>System tab>Memory.

Is there a setting to auto-switch between GPRS/EDGE/UMTS and Wi-Fi?
The device will automatically switch to the fastest connection that is available without changing any settings.

How do I turn on/off Wi-Fi?
Press the Comm Manager button on the upper right side of your AT&T 8525. Tap the Wi-Fi icon to turn Wi-Fi on/off.

Why can't I connect to the internet when using Wi-Fi?
he proxy server must be turned off in order to connect to Wi-Fi. You can change the proxy server setting by performing the following: Start>Settings>Connections>Set up my proxy server. Ensure the box "This network uses a proxy server to connect to the Internet" is unchecked.

What are the options for external memory for my device?
The device can support up to a 2GB MicroSD card.

How do I install Activesync?
Insert the "Getting Started" Cd that came with your device into your PC and follow the prompts.

I lost the CD that came with my device, where can I get a copy of Activesync?
Activesync is a free download that can be found on the Microsoft website: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/activesync/default.mspx

How do I set up Activesync?
Once Activesync is installed and your device is connected to your PC, you will be presented a configuration Wizard that will take you through the set up.

Is it possible to sync data wirelessly without a AT&T wireless data connection?
Yes, you can use Bluetooth or IrDA to sync with your PC via ActiveSync or another device which also supports Bluetooth or IrDA. It is also possible to sync directly with an Exchange 2003 Server.

Activesync is not recognizing my device, what should I do?
Be sure that you have not connected your device to your PC before you installed Activesync. If you did plug in your device before installing, uninstall Activesync and start the process over ensuring that you do not plug your device in until after Activesync has been installed.
Verify that your device is recognized by your PC in the Device Manager; if it is not, resolve that issue first.
Unplug your device from the PC for a few seconds and then plug it back in.
Perform a Soft reset on the device while it is plugged into the PC.
On the device, go to Start>Settings>Connections>USB to PC and check the "Enable advanced network functionality.

How do I access the camera function on my device?
There are 2 ways to access the camera application on your device: by pressing the Camera button located on the lower right side of the device or Start>Programs>Camera.

How do I change my Camera function to take video?
From within the Camera application, tap on the Arrow in the Upper left corner of the display to change the camera function (photo, video, MMS video, Contacts picture, Picture theme, Sport, and burst).

What encoding format for video capture is supported?
Still image: BMP, JPEG; Video: AVI, MP4 MMS Video: 3GP, MP4; Burst/Sport: JPEG

I have taken a picture and would now want to send it to my friend, how can I do that?
From the camera screen, tap the Envelope icon and choose how you want to send (via MMS or email) and tap Send. Complete the message and send.

When I try to download a lot of songs, I always get timed out and the download stops.
If you are downloading 50 or more songs to your handheld, the handheld may timeout. To bypass this: Select Start > Settings > Connections > USB to PC. Check the box for “Enable advanced Network Functionality. Select OK. You will want to unclick this box is you are getting corporate email, as it may not cause issues with VPNs and servers.

Windows Media Player wont recognize all of the music files that I loaded on my device, why?
Your device can only support the following formats:
Video format supported: WMV, ASF, MP4, AVI
Audio format supported: AMR, AAC, WAV, WMA, MP3

What types of email does my device support?
IMAP4 and POP3.

How many email accounts can my device support?
6 accounts; 1 Exchange and 5 POP3/IMAP4 accounts.

How do I send an SMS from my device?
Start>Messaging>Tap Text Message from the Inbox drop down>Select Text Message>Inbox>New. Enter the 10 digit wireless number or select a contact from Menu>Add Recipient. Enter message text and tap Send./p>

How do I send and MMS from my device?
Start>Messaging>Tap MMS from the Inbox drop down>Select MMS>Inbox>New. Choose MMS format>Enter the 10 digit wireless number or select a contact from Menu>Add Recipient. Enter message/attach media file and text and tap Send.

How do I access and use MSN Messenger on my device?
MSN Messenger is set up on your device as a default. All you need to do is tap the MSN icon on your Today screen, select MSN Messenger and sign in with your userid and password. Once signed in, just tap on the Buddy that you would like to chat with, type your message in the box that appears and tap send. **Check with your wireless carrier for applicable charges.

How do I access and use Yahoo Messenger on my device?
On your device, go to:
Start>Internet Explorer>Menu>Favorites>Media Net>Mail & Messaging>Yahoo!Messenger>Sign In.
Enter in your Username and password.
Choose your desired action from the menu presented (Check messages send message, etc).
**Check with your wireless carrier for applicable charges.

How do I access and use AIM Messenger on my device?
You will need to purchase the AIM Mobile Messenger application from AOL or use another 3rd party software.

I can't get connected to my instant messenger, what is the problem?
Verify that you are within GPRS coverage (there will be a "G", "E", "U", or "3G" in the display of your device if you are).
Check internet connectivity via Internet Explorer. If you are unable to connect, resolve that issue prior to continuing with any instant messenger application.
Verify that the service is not offline by signing into your messenger account from another device (PC).
Ensure that you have the correct user id and password.