While replacing a lost or stolen phone may not be fun, it’s a task that can be accomplished relatively easily. Replacing the email, contact information, pictures and music that were stored on that phone can prove to be an impossible task if you haven’t synchronised your phone with your PC on a regular basis. "Synchronising" quickly and easily transfers your contacts, email, calendar and other files between your mobile device and your PC.

Before synchronising, it's important to know which version of Windows your PC is running. Your synchronisation settings will be managed through ActiveSync if you have Windows XP or earlier; Windows Mobile Device Center if you have Vista.