How to lock a Samsung Intensity cell phone

Unlike flip phones, cell phones like the Samsung Intensity are subject to accidental keypad-pressing and dialing when they are in your pocket, purse, or even a holster. To avoid unintentionally using up your voice or data minutes, you can lock your phone and temporarily disable the keypad.

There are two ways to lock a Samsung Intensity -- the standard keypad lock and the security lock.

To use the standard lock:

You can lock your phone at any time from the main screen by holding down the "0" key for about two seconds. The keypad will immediately lock, and you won't be able to use any functions or make any calls (except for calling the local emergency number). To unlock the phone, press the right option button (in the upper right corner of the keypad, next to the End button) followed by the Menu / OK button.

You can also set up Auto Key Lock, which will automatically lock your keypad after the backlight turns off. The Auto Key Lock setting can be found in the menu under Settings & Tools > Phone Settings > Auto Key Lock.

To use the security lock:

The security lock also prevents your keypad from being used, but it requires a code to be entered in order to unlock the phone. To enable the security lock, go into the main menu and select Settings & Tools > Phone Settings > Security > Lock Phone Now. (You'll need to know your phone's security code in order to access this setting; by default it is typically the last four digits of your phone number.)

To unlock the phone, press the right option button and then enter your phone's security code, followed by the Menu / OK button.

You can set your phone to go into security lock mode as soon as you turn it on by enabling Phone Lock Setting under the Security menu. Every time you turn your phone on, you'll need to enter the security code in order to unlock it. However, once you unlock it, it will remain unlocked until you either manually lock it or turn it off and then back on.

(Originally posted on FixYa.com, March 2011)