Mobile device setup tips.

Before you trade in or give away your phone, you'll want to make sure you clear your data, pictures, music and apps off the device so the person who gets your phone doesn't have access to them. Learn how to do that by reading our article "Prep your phone for trade-in and perform a factory reset."

The process for backing up your contacts, photos, documents and other files will vary from device to device. We've gathered backup instructions for some of the most common devices and compiled them in our "Backing up mobile devices article."

ENS, IMEI and serial numbers are unique identifiers that can be used to distinguish one device from another. For tips on how to locate your device's ESN, IMEI and serial number, please visit our article "Finding the ESN/IMEI/serial number on mobile devices."

A secure password is one of the best things you can do to ensure your data does not fall into the wrong hands. For tips on creating a secure password, see our article "How to make a strong password."

There are several reasons you might want to temporarily disable the lock screen on your device. For example, if you're planning on taking the device in for repairs, a technician will need unhindered access to your phone's features. To learn how to do this, see our article "How to disable a mobile device's lock screen."