Motorola moto g13 User manual

User Guide

© 2023 Motorola Mobility LLC. All rights reserved.
MOTOROLA, the stylized M logo, MOTO, and the MOTO family of marks are trademarks or registered
trademarks of Motorola Trademark Holdings, LLC. LENOVO is a trademark of Lenovo. Google, Android,
Google Play and other marks are trademarks of Google LLC. microSD Logo is a trademark of SD-3C, LLC.
Certain features, services and applications are network dependent and may not be available in all areas;
additional terms, conditions and/or charges may apply. Contact your service provider for details.
All features, functionality, and other product specifications, as well as the information contained in this help
content, are based upon the latest available information and believed to be accurate at the time of release.
Motorola reserves the right to change or modify any information or specifications without notice or
obligation.
Some images in help content are examples only.
To read this help on your phone, go to Settings > Help.

Contents
Set up phone 1
About your hardware 1
Insert and remove SIM and SD cards 2
Copy data from old phone 4
Manage dual SIMs 6
Set up voicemail 7
Set up email 8
Make it yours 9
Learn the basics 10
About your home screen 10
About your lock screen 11
New to Android? 12
If this is your first smartphone 12
If you had an iPhone 13
About your Google account 14
Status bar icons 15
Phone terms you should know 18
Get around on your phone 21
Learn gestures 21
Move between apps and screens 22
Use quick settings 23
Turn screen off and on 25
Turn off phone 26
Capture your screen 27
Take screenshots 27
Record your screen 27
Discover useful tools 29
Turn flashlight on and off 29
Control phone with your voice 29
Get directions to a location 30
Use clock and weather widget 31
Manage time spent on your phone 33
Work with text 36
Use onscreen keyboard 36
Cut, copy, paste text 37
Use voice typing 38
Fill in forms automatically 38
Personalize your phone 39
Home screen 39
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Change wallpaper 39
Use widgets, shortcuts, or folders 39
Arrange apps and control icon's look 43
Allow or prevent home screen rotation 44
Remove Google feed 44
Remake your home screen with launchers 44
Lock screen 46
Use a screen saver 46
Use apps 47
Open, close, switch apps 47
View two apps on screen 47
View notifications 48
About preloaded apps 50
Get, delete, manage apps 55
Install or update apps 55
Manage or delete apps 57
Protect against harmful apps 59
Search and browse 61
Search the web 61
Search your phone 63
Browse websites 63
Text messaging 65
About text and multimedia messages 65
Read, send messages 65
Manage, delete messages 68
Change default messaging app 70
Change text message reply to incoming calls 70
Get text messages on your computer 70
Email 72
Read, send, manage emails 72
View email attachments 73
Preview inboxes from home screen 74
Add email signature 74
Control email notifications 74
Calendar app 76
About the calendar 76
Find calendar events 76
Create and manage events 77
Control notifications for calendar events 78
Clock app 79
Set alarms 79
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Use timer or stopwatch 79
Set date and time 80
Photos app 82
Share photos and videos 82
Upload photos and videos 82
Contacts, calls, voicemail 84
Contacts 84
Add contacts 84
Edit or delete contacts 85
Star your favorite contacts 86
Sort contacts 86
Share contacts 87
Phone calls 89
Answer calls 89
Make calls 90
During a call 91
Make video calls 93
Make conference calls 93
Block calls and texts 93
Turn call waiting on and off 95
View and delete call history 96
Make emergency call from locked phone 97
Voicemail 98
Use voicemail 98
Send all calls from contact to voicemail 99
Music 100
Listen to radio 100
Listen to music 102
Transfer music files 102
Connect a MIDI device 103
Settings 104
Network and internet 104
Connect to Wi‑Fi networks 104
Connect with Wi-Fi Direct 105
Use Airplane mode 106
Control data usage 106
Share your internet connection 107
Add a Private DNS service 110
Connected devices 111
Connect with Bluetooth 111
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Make contactless payments 112
Share or receive with NFC 113
Share files and links with nearby Android phones 114
Transfer files between phone and computer (USB) 116
Cast screen or media to TV 117
Print from your phone 119
About wireless sharing 120
Display 123
Adjust screen brightness 123
Use Dark theme 123
Adjust colors at night 123
Choose color mode 124
Change screen timeout 125
Stop automatic rotation 125
Change text and icon size 125
Set lock screen preferences 126
Sound & vibration 128
Adjust volumes 128
Set ringtones 129
Enhance sound 130
Silence calls & notifications 131
Stop phone from speaking 133
Silence “Hello Moto” during power up 134
Turn off charging sounds 134
Turn touch sounds on/off 134
Hear other notification sounds 134
Notifications 136
Turn notifications on/off 136
Control notification sound 138
Control which apps read your notifications 139
View notification history 140
Battery 141
Charge phone 141
Extend battery life 141
Use Battery Saver mode 142
Show battery percentage in status bar 143
Storage 144
About storage options 144
Manage phone storage 144
Manage SD card 145
Find downloaded files 146
Recover recently deleted files 147
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Upload music to cloud 147
Upload photos and videos 148
Scan documents and make copies 148
Location 150
Use location services 150
Accessibility 152
Visual assistance 152
Hearing assistance 155
Dexterity assistance 156
Use accessibility shortcuts 157
Apps 159
Set or change default apps 159
Adjust special app access 159
Passwords & accounts 160
Add or remove accounts 160
Change name & info in your Google account 161
Sync apps with your Google account 161
Control what info Google collects 162
Security 164
About security 164
Protect against harmful apps 165
Make sure your phone can be found 165
Lock and unlock phone 166
Set screen lock 166
Adjust lock options 167
Unlock with trusted devices 168
Unlock with your face 169
Unlock at trusted places 170
Keep phone unlocked while it's on you 171
Use fingerprint security 171
Pin an app screen 173
Lock SIM card 174
Privacy 176
Adjust app permissions 176
Control access to your mic and camera 176
Hide your password or pattern 177
Safety & emergency 178
Prepare for emergencies 178
System 180
Languages & input 180
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Customize the keyboard 180
Use multiple languages 181
Gestures 183
Change System navigation 183
Customize Power button gesture 183
Turn flashlight on and off 183
Twist phone to open camera 184
Back up phone 184
Users and guests 186
Share your phone 186
Add, modify, remove users 187
Add or delete guest 188
About phone 189
Record your IMEI number 189
Find legal and product information 189
Fix issues 190
Hardware issues 190
Phone is slow or unstable 190
Phone feels warm or hot 190
Phone won't turn on 191
Phone restarts or crashes 191
Screen is frozen or won't respond 192
Screen displays wrong colors 192
SD card issues 193
Call and SIM issues 195
Issues making/receiving calls 195
Issues during calls 196
Battery issues 199
Charging issues 199
Battery drains too fast 199
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB issues 201
Bluetooth issues 201
Wi-Fi issues 203
Can't transfer files or connect to computer 204
Account and sign-in issues 206
Forgot unlock code 206
Can't sign in to Google 206
Account sync issues 206
App issues 208
App or widget issues 208
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Camera issues 209
Messaging issues 210
Gmail issues 212
Play Store issues 212
Maintenance procedures 213
Update Android software 213
Reset Wi-Fi, cellular data, and Bluetooth 213
Reset phone 214
Get more help 215
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About your hardware
Hardware diagram
1. Tray for SIM and SD card
2. Headset jack
3. Earpiece
4. Front camera (Learn more in Camera help.)
5. Proximity sensor
6. Volume up/down button
7. Power button and fingerprint sensor
Set up phone 1

1. Depth camera (moto g13) or ultra-wide/depth camera (moto g23)
2. Main camera
3. Macro camera
4. Flash
5. Microphone
6. USB-C port to charge phone, transfer files, and share data connection with tethered devices.
7. Speaker
Care for your phone
To clean the screen:
•While this does not disinfect your phone, the best way to keep your phone clean is to wipe it thoroughly
with a dry soft cloth. Avoid abrasive cloths, including paper towels and other materials with rough
surfaces.
•If the screen gets drops of liquid on it, wipe it with a clean, dry cloth.
To disinfect your phone:
•It is okay to use wipes or cloths moistened with 70% isopropyl alcohol to gently wipe your screen.
•When disinfecting or cleaning your phone, turn it off and avoid getting any moisture in its openings,
including the charging port, headphone jack, microphones and speakers.
•Don't submerge your phone in any cleaning agents, avoid using any cleaners with bleach or abrasives,
and avoid spraying cleaners directly on the screen.
Insert and remove SIM and SD cards
About the SD card
Your phone supports an optional microSD card up to 128 GB.
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A Class 2, 4, or 6 card is sufficient.
Your phone uses the card as portable storage for media files: photos, videos, and music. Because it's
portable, you can easily swap the card and its content between devices. After you insert the card, be sure to
update settings within media apps (like camera, music, and podcast apps), so they use the card to store
content you create or download.
You can't store apps on the SD card because it is portable storage.
Insert or replace cards
1. If you want to remove the SD card, eject it first.
2. Insert the tool into the hole in the tray and gently push to pop it out.
3. Insert or remove the cards as needed.
To use an SD card and a SIM card:
To use two SIM cards (dual-SIM models only):
Set up phone 3

4. Push the tray back into the phone.
If you inserted two SIMs, you'll receive a notification to set them up. Swipe the notification down and touch
it to manage dual SIMs. If you see , troubleshoot the issue.
Note: If you need to activate a SIM, contact your carrier.
Fix an issue
Select an issue to see troubleshooting steps.
SIM card
SIM not recognized
Can’t make calls
Can't answer calls
SD card
Phone doesn't recognize card
Copy data from old phone
Copy data from iPhone
You’ll use Google Drive to copy files from your iPhone and iCloud account to your new phone and Google
account:
•Photos will back up to Photos.
•Contacts will back up to Contacts.
•Calendar will back up to Calendar.
1. Charge both phones and connect them to a Wi-Fi network.
2. To ensure you don’t miss any messages or calls, on your iPhone:
a. Turn off iMessage. (Settings > Messages off. Or, if your SIM has been removed, deregister your
phone.)
b. Turn off FaceTime. (Settings > FaceTime > off.)
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3. Download the Google Drive app on your iPhone.
4. On your iPhone, open Drive and then:
a. Sign in with your Google account. If you don’t have one, you can create it now.
b. Touch > Settings > Backup & reset and start the backup.
5. Wait for the backup to complete.
6. When complete, on your new phone, sign in with the same Google account (Settings > Passwords &
accounts > Add account).
Copy data from Android phone
During setup, you can copy your apps, music, contacts, messages, and more. Learn what does and doesn't
get copied.
If you no longer have your old phone or can’t turn it on, you can copy files using a backup from the cloud
with your Google account.
To copy files:
1. Charge both phones and turn them on.
2. On your new phone:
a. If this is the first time you’ve turned it on, select your language on the setup screen.
b. If you skipped copying files during setup, open the Settings app and touch Finish setting up your
device.
3. Touch Start.
4. Insert your SIM to connect to the mobile network, or touch Skip.
5. Connect to a Wi-Fi network and touch Next.
6. Follow the onscreen instructions to select the old phone or backup associated with your Google
account, and to choose which apps and data to copy.
Tip: Be sure to leave Back up to Google Drive turned on.
What gets copied from Android phone
If you copy data from another Android phone during setup, here's what gets copied:
•Apps and app data
•Music, photos, and videos
•Google accounts
•Contacts stored on your phone or SIM card
•Text messages
•Multimedia attachments in messages
•Most phone settings
•Wallpaper
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•Call history
You’ll see these when you sign in to your Google account on your new phone.
What won't copy:
•Downloads, like PDF files
•Apps that aren’t from Play Store
•Accounts other than Google accounts
•Contacts and calendars for services other than Google (such as WhatsApp)
•Ringtones
Import contacts from SIM
If you have a SIM card with contacts saved on it, you can import them into your Google account.
1. Insert the SIM in your phone.
Or, if your old phone is an Android phone and can connect to Wi-Fi, turn it on.
2. Open the Contacts app.
3. Touch > .
4. If your phone has dual SIMs, select the SIM.
5. Select where to save the contacts:
•If you have multiple Google accounts, touch and choose the account where you want to save
them.
•To save them to your phone, touch Device.
6. Select the contacts to import and touch Import.
Manage dual SIMs
About dual SIMs
When two SIMs are inserted:
•You see at the top of the home screen. If you see , troubleshoot the issue.
•Both SIMs can make and receive calls and text messages.
•Only the owner of the phone (not additional users or guests) can access dual SIM settings.
Set up SIMs
You can specify which SIM to use for mobile data, calls, and text messages:
1. Go to Settings > Network & internet > Calls & SMS.
2. Touch Calls, then select a SIM or choose Ask every time.
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3. Touch SMS, then select a SIM or choose Ask every time.
Change SIM names and color
When two SIMs are inserted, you'll see them referenced in apps like Contacts, Messages, and Phone. To tell
them apart more easily, change the default names (SIM1/SIM2) to more meaningful names. You can also
change SIM icon color to make them easy to differentiate.
1. Go to Settings > Network & internet > SIM cards.
2. Touch the SIM to change.
3. Change settings as needed.
Set up voicemail
Set voicemail password
Contact your carrier for help setting or recovering your password/PIN for voicemail.
Set mailbox greeting
Your carrier provides and manages your voicemail.
To set your greeting:
1. Touch > .
2. Touch & hold to dial into your mailbox.
3. Follow your carrier’s system prompts. If your voicemail is not set up, contact your carrier for
instructions.
Change voicemail options
1. Touch > > Settings.
(If you don't see , swipe down on the screen.)
2. Touch Voicemail.
3. If you have two SIM cards, touch the SIM for the account to change.
4. Change any of the options:
•To change voicemail service from your carrier to a different service or app, touch Advanced
Settings > Service.
•To change the number dialed to access voicemail, touch Advanced Settings > Setup.
•Your carrier might include additional options here, like notification and visual voicemail settings.
Contact your carrier for help.
Set up phone 7

Set up email
Set up personal email
You can add multiple email accounts of the following types:
•Gmail
•Personal email from other providers (IMAP/POP)
If you added a Google account on your phone:
•When you open the Gmail app for the first time, you'll see your email for that account. You're already
set up.
•To set up additional accounts, open Gmail, touch your profile icon , then touch Add another
account.
If you didn’t add a Google account to your phone and want to set up email for an IMAP/POP provider (an
address that's not Gmail):
1. Open the Gmail app.
2. Follow the onscreen instructions to enter your email address, password, and account options.
If you have problems setting up the account, read Google's help for Gmail.
Set up corporate email
If you use Microsoft Office Outlook on your work computer, your phone can synchronize emails, calendar
events, and contacts with the Microsoft Exchange server. Before you start, you'll need the following
information from your company's IT department:
•Email address
•Email password
•Domain name
•Username
•Server name
•Security type/SSL settings
•Client certificate requirement
To set up corporate email:
1. Open the Gmail app.
2. Do one of the following:
•If this is your first time opening the Gmail app, touch Add another email address.
•If you have been using Gmail with another account, touch your profile icon , then touch Add
another account.
3. Touch Exchange and Office 365.
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4. Follow the onscreen instructions to enter your email address, password, and other information from
your company's IT department.
Switch account views
In the Gmail app, touch your profile icon , then select an account.
To open each inbox with one touch from your home screen, add task shortcuts:
1. Touch & hold .
2. Drag for each account to a blank space on your home screen.
Make it yours
This topic lists things that most people want to do with their new phone, with links to instructions on how to
do them.
Personalize your phone
•Set the wallpaper.
•Add apps to your home screen.
•Adjust screen settings, like font size, rotation settings, and dark background.
•You can use either the buttons or gestures to move between apps and screens. Choose which
System navigation to use.
•Assign ringtones or photos to friends you call.
•Set your schedule for Do Not Disturb, to automatically silence your phone when you don't want to be
interrupted.
Protect your phone
•Set up a screen lock.
•Set up fingerprint security to unlock your screen safely and quickly with a touch.
•In case you lose your phone, set up Find My Device and record your IMEI number.
Other common set up tasks
•Connect with your Bluetooth devices and Wi-Fi networks.
•If you use multiple languages, set them up so they appear on your keyboard.
Set up phone 9

About your home screen
You see the home screen when you turn on and unlock your phone or swipe up from the bottom of the
screen.
Swipe right or left to move between home screens.
What’s on the screen
1. Status bar: Displays the time and icons that tell you about your phone's battery and network
connections. Swipe down to see your notifications and quick settings and to turn your phone off .
2. Widget: You can add widgets to your home screen for quick access to information or frequent tasks.
3. Shortcut: You can add shortcuts to open apps or web pages you use frequently.
4. Favorites tray: Provides one touch access to your most-used apps from any home screen page. You can
customize which apps appear here.
5. Navigation bar: Use gestures to move between apps and screens. You can replace the bar with the
navigation icons instead.
6. Folder: Add folders to organize app shortcuts.
Add/remove screens
You can add more home screens to the right. To add a page, drag an app shortcut or widget to the edge of
an existing page and place it on the new screen.
To remove a home screen, drag all apps, shortcuts, widgets, and folders off the screen. After you remove the
last item, the home screen will be removed.
Customize your home screen
Organize it:
Learn the basics 10

•Touch & hold an item you want to move, then drag it to the new location.
•Group icons into folders.
•Choose where to find your list of all apps: in the app tray or directly on the home screen.
Change how you get around: You can replace the navigation bar with the navigation icons.
Change how it looks:
•To see options for customizing wallpaper, widgets, and other home settings, touch & hold a blank space
on the home screen.
•For an entirely new look and feel for your home screen, you can install a different launcher.
About your lock screen
The lock screen appears when you're using a screen lock and you power on your phone or turn on the
screen.
From the lock screen, you can:
•Make an emergency call.
•View and respond to notifications. Double touch one to open it.
•Open quick settings. Swipe down from top of the screen for your four top settings and notifications,
then swipe again to see the rest.
•Start a voice command. Swipe up diagonally from either bottom corner.
•Go into Lockdown. Temporarily turn off notifications and fingerprint unlocking.
You can customize your lock screen to add a message and control which notifications appear.
Learn the basics 11