Motorola moto G8 PLUS User manual

User Guide

© 2021 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. All other product or
service names are the property of their respective owners.
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.
You can also read this help on your phone at 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 7
Prepare for emergencies 8
Make it yours 10
Learn the basics 11
About your home screen 11
About your lock screen 12
What's new in Android 10? 12
New to Android? 15
If this is your first smartphone 15
If you had an iPhone 16
About your Google account 17
Status bar icons 18
Phone terms you should know 22
Get around on your phone 24
Learn gestures 24
Move between apps and screens 25
Use quick settings 26
Turn screen off and on 29
Adjust volumes 29
Frequently used tools 31
Turn flashlight on and off 31
Take screenshots 31
Control phone with your voice 32
Get directions to a location 33
Use Time and Weather widget 34
Manage time spent on your phone 35
Work with text 39
Use onscreen keyboard 39
Cut, copy, paste text 40
Use voice typing 41
Fill in forms automatically 41
Personalize your phone 42
Home screen 42
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Change wallpaper 42
Customize your Favorites tray 42
Add widgets, shortcuts, or folders 43
Remove widgets, shortcuts, or folders 45
Remake your home screen with launchers 45
Lock screen 47
Use a screen saver 47
Sounds 48
Set ringtones 48
Enhance sound 49
Avoid interruptions with Do Not Disturb 50
Stop phone from speaking 53
Other sound settings 55
Silence “Hello Moto” during power up 55
Turn off charging sounds 55
Apps 56
About your apps 56
View two apps on screen 60
View notifications 61
About Moto experiences 62
Manage your apps 64
Install or update apps 64
Manage or delete apps 66
Protect against harmful apps 68
Search and browse 69
Search the web 69
Search your phone 71
Browse websites 72
Text messaging 74
About text and multimedia messages 74
Read, send, manage text messages 74
Add attachments 76
Save attachments from text message 77
Turn group messaging on or off 77
Change default messaging app 78
Control notifications for text messages 78
Change text message reply to incoming calls 78
Get text messages on your computer 79
Email 81
Read, send, manage emails 81
View email attachments 82
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Preview inboxes from home screen 83
Add email signature 83
Control email notifications 83
Calendar app 85
About the calendar 85
Find calendar events 85
Create and manage events 86
Control notifications for calendar events 86
Clock app 88
Set alarms 88
Use timer or stopwatch 88
Set date and time 90
Photos app 92
Share photos and videos 92
Upload photos and videos 92
Calls, contacts, voicemail 94
Phone calls 94
Answer calls 94
Make calls 95
During a call 96
Make video calls 97
Make conference calls 98
Make calls over Wi-Fi 98
Block calls and texts 100
Turn call waiting on and off 101
View and delete call history 102
Make emergency call from locked phone 103
Contacts 104
Add contacts 104
Edit or delete contacts 105
Star your favorite contacts 106
Sort contacts 106
Share contacts 107
Voicemail 109
Use voicemail 109
Send all calls from contact to voicemail 110
Music 111
Listen to music 111
Transfer Play Music library to YT Music 111
Transfer music files 111
Connect a MIDI device 112
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Battery 113
Charge phone 113
Extend battery life 113
Use Battery Saver mode 114
Show battery percentage in status bar 115
Storage 116
About storage options 116
Manage phone storage 116
Manage SD card 117
Find downloaded files 118
Recover recently deleted files 119
Upload music to cloud 119
Upload photos and videos 120
Scan documents and make copies 120
Network and internet 122
Connect to Wi‑Fi networks 122
Use Airplane mode 123
Control data usage 124
Share your internet connection 125
Connect to VPNs 128
Connected devices 129
Connect with Bluetooth™ 129
Connect with Wi-Fi Direct 131
Tap & pay with NFC 131
Share or receive with NFC 132
Cast screen or media to TV 133
Share files and links with nearby Android phones 134
Transfer files between phone and computer (USB) 136
Print from your phone 137
About wireless sharing 138
Other settings 142
Apps & notifications 142
Change app settings 142
Choose how apps notify you 143
Display 146
Adjust screen brightness 146
Adjust screen colors at night 146
Change display style 146
Use Dark theme 147
Show apps full screen 147
See Peek Display notifications 148
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Change screen timeout 149
Stop automatic rotation 150
Choose color mode 150
Change font and display size 150
Set lock screen preferences 151
Location 152
Use location services 152
Security 154
About security 154
Protect against harmful apps 155
Be ready to find a lost phone 155
Lock and unlock phone 156
Set screen lock 156
Adjust lock options 157
Unlock with trusted devices 158
Unlock with your face 159
Unlock at trusted places 160
Keep phone unlocked while it's on you 161
Use fingerprint security 161
Pin your screen 163
Lock SIM card 164
Accounts 165
Add or remove accounts 165
Change name & info in your Google account 166
Sync apps with your Google account 166
Control what info Google collects 167
Accessibility settings 169
Visual assistance 169
Hearing assistance 171
Dexterity assistance 172
Use accessibility shortcuts 173
System 175
Languages & input 175
Customize the keyboard 175
Use multiple languages 176
Gestures 178
Customize Power button gesture 178
Change System navigation 178
Swipe fingerprint for notifications 178
Turn flashlight on and off 178
Twist phone to open camera 179
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Shrink screen for one-handed use 179
Adjust screenshot settings 180
Back up phone 180
Users and guests 182
Share your phone 182
Add, modify, remove users 183
Add or delete guest 184
About phone 185
Record your IMEI number 185
Find legal and product information 185
Fix a problem 186
Hardware issues 186
Phone is slow or unstable 186
Phone feels warm or hot 186
Phone won't turn on 187
Phone restarts or crashes 187
Screen is frozen or won't respond 188
Screen displays wrong colors 188
SD card problems 189
Call and SIM issues 192
Problems making/receiving calls 192
Problems during calls 194
Battery issues 197
Charging problems 197
Battery drains too fast 197
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, USB issues 199
Bluetooth problems 199
Wi-Fi problems 201
Can't transfer files or connect to computer 202
Account and sign-in issues 203
Forgot unlock code 203
Can't sign in to Google 203
Account sync issues 203
App issues 205
App or widget problems 205
Camera problems 206
Messaging problems 207
Gmail problems 209
Play Store problems 209
Maintenance procedures 210
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Update Android software 210
Reset Wi-Fi, cellular data, and Bluetooth 210
Reset phone 211
Get more help 212
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About your hardware
Hardware diagram
1. Tray for SIM and SD card
2. Earpiece
3. Front camera (To learn more, read help in the Camera app.)
4. Headset jack
5. Volume up/down button
6. Power button
7. Speaker
8. USB-C port for charging, transferring files, sharing connection with tethered devices.
9. Microphone
Set up phone 1

1. LED flash
2. Laser autofocus sensor
3. Depth camera (To learn more, read help in Camera app.)
4. Main camera
5. Action camera
6. Fingerprint sensor
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 or Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes 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.
The CDC recommends cleaning and disinfecting frequently-touched surfaces daily.
Insert and remove SIM and SD cards
About the SD card
Your phone supports an optional microSD card up to 512 GB.
A Class 2, 4, or 6 card is sufficient.
Set up phone 2

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 are removing an SD card, unmount it first (Settings > Storage).
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:
Or, to use two SIM cards (dual-SIM models only):
To see if your phone supports dual SIMs, go to Settings > About phone > SIM Status. If you see SIM Slot 1
and SIM Slot 2, then your phone supports dual SIMs.
To see if your phone supports dual SIMs, go to Settings > System > About phone > SIM Status. If you see
SIM Slot 1 and SIM Slot 2, then your phone supports dual SIMs.
Set up phone 3

4. Push the tray back into the phone.
Note: If you need to activate a SIM, contact your carrier.
Fix a problem
Select a problem 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:
a. Turn off iMessage. (Settings > Messages > off. Or, if your SIM has been removed, deregister your
phone.)
b. Turn off FaceTime. (Settings > FaceTime > off.)
3. Download the Google Drive app on your iPhone.
Set up phone 4

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 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 > 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. Select how to copy:
•If you have your old phone, touch A backup from an Android phone.
•If you don’t, touch A backup from the cloud
7. 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
Set up phone 5

•Most phone settings
•Wallpaper
•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 > Settings > Import > SIM card > OK.
4. If you have multiple Google accounts, choose the account where you want to save them.
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.
Change SIM name, color, ringtone
When two SIMs are inserted, you'll see them referenced in apps like Contacts, Messages, and Phone. The SIM
name shows your carrier and, if you're using the Personal and Work profile, shows which it’s assigned to, but you
can rename it. 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 phone 6

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. Touch Advanced Settings.
4. Change any of the options:
•To change voicemail service from your provider to another voicemail service or app, touch Service.
•To change the number dialed to access voicemail, touch Setup.
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.
Set up phone 7

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.
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.
Prepare for emergencies
Set up emergency information
You can set up emergency information for first responders or others to view from your lock screen, such as your
emergency contact and medical information (blood type, allergies).
To set up your emergency information:
Set up phone 8

1. Go to Settings > About phone.
2. Touch Emergency information.
3. Set up your information.
Note: Anyone who picks up your phone can see your emergency info without unlocking your phone.
View emergency information
1. From the lock screen:
•Swipe up and touch Emergency below the keypad.
•Or, press and hold the Power button, then touch Emergency.
2. Touch Emergency information twice.
Add message to lock screen
To add your name or a short message to your lock screen for anyone who finds your phone:
1. Go to Settings > Display > Advanced > Lock screen display.
2. Touch Lock screen message.
3. Type the text to display and touch Save.
Tip: Don't put your mobile number as your contact info unless you can access your voicemail from another
device.
Send your location to emergency services
Not all carriers and countries support this feature.
If Android Emergency Location Service (ELS) works in your country and on your carrier's network and if you
haven't turned off ELS, when you call or text an emergency number, ELS sends your location to authorized
emergency responders to help them locate you.
If ELS is off, your carrier might still send the phone’s location during an emergency call. For more information,
check with your carrier.
To turn ELS on or off:
1. Go to Settings > Location > Advanced.
2. Touch Emergency Location Service.
3. Turn it on or off .
To learn more about ELS, read Google's help.
Turn emergency alerts off/on
Your phone can receive free, life-saving emergency alerts from the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA) to inform you of extreme weather or other threatening emergencies in your area, AMBER Alerts, and
Presidential Alerts during national emergencies.
Set up phone 9

When an emergency alert is sent out, appears in the status bar. Touch the notification to read the alert.
You can turn most alerts off or on (Presidential Alerts cannot be disabled) and adjust alert notification settings.
Note: Because alerts are intended to save lives, please consider carefully before turning alerts off. For more
information, visit www.fema.gov/wireless-emergency-alerts.
1. Go to Settings.
2. Touch Apps & notifications > Advanced > Wireless emergency alerts.
3. Adjust settings as needed.
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 style (font size, color scheme), 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 10

About your home screen
You see the home screen when you turn on and unlock your phone or touch .
You can add more pages to the right as needed. To add a page, drag an app shortcut or widget to the edge of an
existing page and place it on the new page.
Swipe right or left to move between pages.
Here are the parts of your home 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.
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. App list: Swipe up from the bottom of the screen to see the list of all your apps.
5. Favorites tray: Provides one touch access to your most-used apps from any home screen page. You can
customize which apps appear here.
6. Navigation:
takes you back one screen.
returns you to the home screen from any app.
lets you switch between recent apps.
Note: If you're using gesture navigation, the icons are hidden. To restore these icons, change
settings to use 3-button navigation.
7. Folder: Add folders to organize app shortcuts.
Learn the basics 11