Samsung Galaxy J5 User Manual & Setup Guide

Unboxing and assembling your Samsung Galaxy J5
What's in the box?

Inside the box* you should find:
1 x Samsung Galaxy J5
1 x Battery
1 x Mains power adaptor
1 x USB lead
1 x In-line earphones and pack of replacement earbuds
1 x Information pack

*some box contents may vary

The Galaxy J5 takes a micro-SIM card, which needs to be installed underneath the back cover. To expand the storage space by adding a microSD (memory) card, you'll need that to hand as well.
Insert the SIM and memory cards

To insert the micro-SIM and memory cards, you will need to remove the back cover. With the back of the phone facing you, and the camera lens towards the top, you will see a small notch in the back cover to the left of the camera. Use your fingernail in this notch to lift the back cover away from the body of the J5. If the battery has already been inserted, please remove it.

The micro-SIM and microSD cards share the same slot, which sits above the battery compartment. The micro-SIM should be inserted first, with the gold-coloured contacts facing down, and the cut-off corner first.


If you're installing a microSD card, this slides into place into the upperslot, above the micro-SIM card. When you insert the memory card, make sure that the metal contacts of the card are facing down, in to the phone, as cards can get stuck if inserted incorrectly.

Replace the battery, making sure to line up the metal contacts with those in the battery housing. Finally, replace the back cover, pressing it home around the edge to fix it securely into place.

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Set up your phone for the first time

Before you start setting up your phone, please check that you have inserted your SIM card correctly. If you need help with doing this, check the section above.
At any time during the setup you may see a SIM service pop-up on screen asking you to select your mobile network from a list; tap on the correct network name then press OK to make it disappear.
The first screen of the setup wizard will ask you to Select your language. Choose your preferred language by scrolling through the menu (English UK is the default option) and then tap the yellow circle.
The next screen prompts you to connect to a nearby wireless network. If you don't see any network names, check the switch at the top is on (showing green). If it isn't, tap the switch to turn it on. In the list of networks shown, tap on the name of the wireless network you wish to connect to.
When prompted, enter the password for the Wi-Fi network. This is usually shown on a sticker on your router, and may be referred to as a WEP key, WPA key or wireless passphrase. Passwords are case-sensitive, and you can check your typing by ticking the Show password box. When you're ready to proceed, tap Connect.

Once the screen shows you've connected, you will be able to see a Wi-Fi symbol next to the signal bars at the top of the screen. The signal strength may vary, so not all the curved bars may be lit up, but as long as the symbol is there you're connected. Tap Next to continue.
If you want to use the handset you will have to read and agree to the EULA (End User License Agreement). Untick the box if you don't wish to send anonymous diagnostic data to Samsung, then tap Next.
If you left the box ticked in step 6, a dialogue box will open on screen to verify that you agree with the terms of the EULA. To proceed, tap Agree.
Tap & Go is a handy way to transfer your Google account and data from one NFC equipped Android phone to another. You can tap Learn more to do this, but as most Android devices are not NFC capable, for the purposes of this setup we'll Skip this.

On the next page you will be asked to sign in to your Google account (an email address ending in gmail.com or googlemail.com). Having a Google account unlocks some great features of the phone; without one you can't browse the Play Store or sync your contacts to your Google email address. If you haven't already got a Google account you can create a new account for free. If you don't wish to add a Google account at this point (not recommended) can you Skip this. To sign in, enter your Google address and tap Next.
The next step is to enter your Google password in the space provided, then tap Next. If you're creating a new account, complete the form, filling the details in as you go.
You will have to accept the Terms of Service and Privacy Policy in order to use the J5. Inspect them if you wish by tapping on the links, and when you're happy to agree, tap Accept.
The Play store offers paid-for as well as free content and you will be invited to set up a billing method. To securely register a credit or debit card to pay for content, or redeem a Play Store voucher tap the appropriate option. You may also be offered the option of having purchases billed through your mobile network, if they allow this. To skip setting up a payment method at this stage, select Remind me later. Once you've made your decision, tap Next to move on.

If you have set up your Google account on a previous Android device (either tablet or phone) and allowed backups to be made, you will be offered the chance to import that data to your new J5. Tapping Restore from this backup will allow you to choose the device you wish to import a backup from, and you can also choose which apps you transfer across. To do this, make your choices then tap Next.
If you don't want to import a backup from a previous Android device, choose Set up as new device in the backup section and tap Next. This will allow you to start afresh with your new phone.
A modern smartphone has lots of information on it, and you will be permanently logged in to your email, social media and other accounts to allow easy access to them. For this reason, it's always wise to set up a screen lock to keep your data away from prying eyes. To do this, tap Set screen lock now, otherwise tap Skip to bypass this (not recommended).
Different screen lock methods afford different levels of security. Pattern lock allows you to draw a pattern over a grid of dots, a PIN is a numerical code, and a Password is, well, a password! To proceed, tap the screen lock type you'd like to set up (you can always change this later).

In our example we're setting up a PIN, but Pattern and Password locks are set up in much the same way. Using the keyboard, enter the PIN you wish to set then tap Done.
Re-enter the PIN (so you don't set the wrong one by accident) and again tap Done.
Notifications will usually appear when your phone is locked, to show you that you have email, messages, or information from apps like social media. You can choose whether to Show content from these, Hide content (but show that you have received something) or you can not show notifications. Make your choice (which can be changed later through Settings) then tap Next.
The next page is about background services your Google account can perform. Backup allows your Google account to back up your handset's apps and settings, which is extremely useful when it comes to upgrading or replacing a lost or damaged handset, and therefore something we would recommend. Untick this box if you want to decline this. Tap More to scroll down to see the other services.

Location settings relate to letting your phone (and Google) know where in the world you are, which will help improve internet search results, and satellite navigation apps will thank you for it. You will also be invited to improve Android by providing anonymous feedback. Untick any of the options on this screen if you wish to opt out of them, and tap Next to continue.
You will then be asked about using a Samsung account. This is optional, but gives you access to exclusive apps and content from Samsung, as well as special offers from them. If you've set this up on a previous Samsung handset, tap Sign in. If you're new to Samsung, you can tap Create account to set one up for free or use your Google account to do so. You can, of course, Skip this and do it later if you wish.
If you're signing in, enter your Samsung account ID (this will be an email address) and your Samsung account password into the boxes on screen and tap Sign in. If you're creating a new account, complete the form to sign up. If you're skipping using a Samsung account, tap Skip to confirm this.
The final screen is to enable Easy mode. This is a simpler layout, with less information on each screen and larger text and icons. Tap the switch to enable this if you wish, and tap Finish to exit the wizard and start using your new phone.


At the bottom of the phone, below the screen, there is a button in the middle. This is the Home button, and will always bring you back to the home screen. Either side of this are touch-sensitive areas which also act as "buttons", and these are used to help you navigate around your new phone. The area to the left shows you Recent apps that you have opened, which are still running in the background allowing you to switch between them easily, and the area to the right is the Back button, which takes you back one step in any app or menu.

The icon on the front screen that you will probably use most of all is the Apps icon. This gives you access to all the apps on your new phone, as well as the settings menus. It looks like a grid of small squares, and is usually found in the bottom right-hand corner of the screen (unless you move it!).

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Connecting to Wi-Fi and mobile networks

Your new Samsung Galaxy J5 is a powerful piece of kit, but without an internet connection many of its finest features are redundant! Fresh apps can't be downloaded, existing apps can't be updated, even your social networks and email accounts can't retrieve new data! Make sure your phone is working to its fullest by using our short guide below.
Connecting to a Wi-Fi network
From the home screen, tap the square Apps icon or swipe down from the top of the screen.
Find and tap the Settings icon to view your phone's configurable settings.
In the Connections section, tap the Wi-Fi line to open the Wi-Fi settings.
You will see a list of nearby Wi-Fi connections you can access. Tap on the one you want to connect to (if it's your home Wi-Fi it should be close to the top of the list).
Enter your wireless password when prompted. Remember, passwords are case sensitive, so ensure you enter it correctly! Wireless passwords are usually found on a sticker on the underside of your router, and may also be called a WEP key, WPA key, or wireless passphrase. Tick the Show password box to verify you've entered the password correctly and press Connect.

If the password was entered successfully, you will now see the word Connected below your network's name, and a Wi-Fi symbol on the status bar at the top of the J5's screen.
If you've connected to the wrong network or can't access the internet after you connect to Wi-Fi, press and hold your finger down on the name of your wireless network. After a couple of seconds you will see a box asking if you want to Forget network or Modify network config. Choose to forget the network, then pick the network name you wish to connect to and type the password again.
Connecting to mobile internet

An active mobile internet connection is indicated by a letter (or letters) next to the signal bars, on the top row of the display. The letters you could see are G, E, 3G, H, H+ or 4G, and these denote the various speeds of the data connection. This will vary depending on your network, and where you are at the time. The arrows flicker when data is being transferred, but the key thing to remember is that if the letter is there, your data connection is configured correctly.
From the home screen, tap the Apps icon or swipe down from the top of the screen.
Tap on the Settings icon.
If your J5 is connected to a Wi-Fi network, you won't be able to see whether your mobile internet connection is working correctly. In the Connections section, tap Wi-Fi.
Tap the switch to turn Wi-Fi off (don't forget to turn it back on again after you've finished setting up your mobile internet connection!) Tap the back button at the bottom of the phone to go back to the main settings screen.

In the Connections area of the main settings, tap Mobile networks.
In the Mobile network settings, tap Access Point Names (APNs are the settings that configure the internet connection on your Galaxy J5).
Look at the list of network names in the settings, ensuring that the correct one is selected by tapping in the circle to the left of its name to turn the indicator green.
If enabling the correct APN has worked, you'll see data indicator letters next to the signal bars at the top of the screen.

If your network name isn't listed, tap More in the top right-hand corner of the screen, then tap Reset to default.
A warning will appear telling you that resetting the defaults will erase any saved APNs. Tap OK to allow this.
You will then see a list of all the network settings that the Galaxy J5 can pull from the SIM card. Choose the correct network from the list by tapping on the circle, then tap OK to select that network.
Tap the circle to put a green dot in it, which activates those settings. You should now be connected to mobile internet through your SIM card. Check the top line of the display for the data indicator.


If these options still don't work, then you can enter new APN settings manually by tapping Add at the top of the screen and completing the form. We have produced a guide to APN settings for all major UK networks to help you, but if your provider is not listed you may need to contact them directly for further assistance and troubleshooting.

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Find out how to add your email accounts

Your new Samsung Galaxy J5 can manage multiple POP, IMAP and Exchange email accounts with a minimum of fuss. Follow our guide below to start receiving your emails on your new smart phone!
Add a Google (Gmail) account

We covered setting up a Google account in the initial setup, but if you didn't complete it then you can add one now.
Swipe down from the top of the screen, or tap the Apps icon.
Tap on the Settings icon.
Scroll down to the Personal section of the main settings screen, and tap Accounts.
This screen will show any accounts which are already set up on your J5. To add a Google account, tap Add account.

On the list of account types, tap Google to start adding a Gmail account to the phone.
To sign in with your existing Google account, enter the address in the space provided and tap Next. If you are new to Android tap Create a new account to set up a free Google account.
To sign in, enter your Google password into the space provided then tap Next. If you are creating a new account, complete all the boxes on the on screen form in order to set the account up.

You must agree to the Terms of service and Privacy Policy in order to use the Google account on your new Galaxy J5. Tap a link to inspect to inspect them, and when you're ready tap OK to proceed.
The Google account can be used to back up your apps and settings. If you'd prefer not to do this untick the box, and tap Next to proceed.
You will then be asked to set up payment details in order to purchase premium content, including chargeable apps and other media, from the Play Store. This is optional, as many apps are free. Select your billing option or choose Remind me later to skip this, and tap Next.


The newly-added Google account should now show in the Accounts list, and your emails will start to arrive in the Gmail app very shortly (it's in the Google folder on the Galaxy J5's home screen).
Add a different type of email account
Open the App Tray by pressing the Apps icon, or swipe down from the top of the screen, then tap on the Settings icon.
Scroll down to the Personal section and tap Accounts.
When the accounts list opens (showing any accounts already on your J5) tap Add account.
If you have an Exchange email account (often used by employers, or education providers) choose Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. To have all your mail delivered into one app (which we'd recommend) tap Personal (IMAP) or Personal (POP3) depending on the type of account you have. If you want your mail delivered into a separate app to your Gmail, tap Email.
The steps here are for Personal account setup, but Email sets up in the same way. Type in your email address and tap Next.

On the next screen, enter the password for your account and tap Next.
If all goes well and the account sets up, you will be able to alter the account options to choose how often your handset checks for new mail, and how much mail to keep on your new phone. When you are happy with the settings, tap Next.
You will then be asked to give the account a name, and also enter your name which will appear on outgoing emails. Tap Done to finish the setup.
You should now see the account listed in the Accounts section. If you added your account by choosing Personal then your mail will be delivered into the Gmail app, which is in the Google folder on the home screen. If you chose Email when setting up the account, your mail will be delivered to the Email app, which you can find in the Apps tray.


If your account failed to set up automatically, you will be returned to the main email setup page with your email address and password in the boxes. In order to add your email account to the Galaxy J5 you will have to do a Manual Setup. In order to do this, you will need to know the type of account you have (POP3, IMAP or Exchange) and additional, account specific information.

This additional information will include the account Username, Password, and also incoming & outgoing mail server settings, all of which will have to be entered onto the on screen form. If your account is an Exchange account, you will need to know domain and Exchange server information.