BlackBerry Connection Business Edition Tips & Tricks: Manage Security Options Tips & Tricks: Manage Security Options

Because you trust your smartphone with so much of your personal information, it’s important to keep that data safe. In this article, we’ll examine the password options available on BlackBerry smartphones, explaining how they can keep your data secure. Note, your IT department may have default security settings, such as requiring a password, already in place, which may override some of the options below.

Access the password options screen
To change any of your password settings, you will need to access the password options screen. This is done by following these steps:

1. Press the menu key.
2. Select the Options icon. This is represented by a wrench.
3. You should see an index of options categories. If you are already in a specific options screen, press the back button to access the index.
4. Select Password from the options index.

From the password options screen you can adjust several settings. We'll cover them one at a time.

Set a password
To set a password for a BlackBerry smartphone that doesn’t currently have a password, simply click the Set Password button. You’ll be prompted to enter a password and then enter it again for confirmation. This will automatically change the Password setting to Enabled.

Change a password
If your BlackBerry smartphone already has a password, and you would like to change it, press the Change Password button. You will first be prompted to enter your current password. After you have entered the current password correctly, you can set a new password. To do so, follow the directions listed above.

Set a maximum number of password attempts
To specify the maximum number of password attempts that can be made, click on the Number of Password Attempts option. This important safety feature prevents others from attempting to guess your password and gain access to your BlackBerry smartphone. However, be careful. If the password is entered incorrectly a greater number of times than you have chosen for the password-attempts setting, your data will be wiped from your smartphone.

Set the security timeout option
To change the amount of time it takes for a security timeout, click on the Security Timeout option. If the BlackBerry smartphone is idle for the amount of time specified in the option, your device will automatically become locked and will not function until your password is entered.

Change the Application Install settings
By clicking on the Prompt on Application Install option, you can set whether the password is needed in order to install new applications on your BlackBerry smartphone.

Lock Handheld Upon Holstering
This option, as you would expect, automatically locks the BlackBerry smartphone when it is holstered.

Lock the Handheld Anytime
It is also possible to lock your BlackBerry smartphone manually. To do this, select the Lock icon from the main menu or press and hold the * key, or Alt+Enter while on the Home screen, depending on your smartphone.

Allow Outgoing Calls While Locked
This option lets you make calls while the smartphone is locked and allows you to see your most recent calls but requires the password to access other smartphone features. Note that your smartphone is able to make emergency calls even when locked.