What to do with Note 7: Refund or exchange
If you have a Galaxy Note 7 in your possession, switch it off and do not charge it. Ideally, take your SIM card out and use another phone in the meantime if you have a spare. If you have photos or other documents on the device which you'd like to retrieve, you'll have to do this at your own risk.
If you've not been contacted by Samsung or the retailer you bought it from then don't wait around, contact them about a refund – which you are entitled to since the Note 7 is a faulty product. Some networks may offer you an alternative smartphone instead of a refund so ask if that's what you prefer.
Please follow these links for information from Samsung, EE, Three and Carphone Warehouse. If you're looking for Note 7 alternatives, check out our best phone 2016 chart.
Update 11 October (part 2): Just hours after the below news, Samsung has decided to kill the Galaxy Note 7 for good. "We can confirm the report that Samsung has permanently discontinued the production of Galaxy Note7," the firm said in a statement.
Update 11 October: Following the continued issues with Note 7 batteries, Samsung has finally decided to stop sales completely, and the exchange programme, while it investigates further. This could well be the end of the Note 7 for good but we'll be keeping an eye on the situation going forward. For now, power down and do not use the Note 7 if you have one. Take it back to the retailer for a refund or to exchange it for a different model.
Samsung said: "We are working with relevant regulatory bodies to investigate the recently reported cases involving the Galaxy Note7. Because consumers’ safety remains our top priority, Samsung will ask all carrier and retail partners globally to stop sales and exchanges of the Galaxy Note7 while the investigation is taking place."
"We remain committed to working diligently with appropriate regulatory authorities to take all necessary steps to resolve the situation. Consumers with either an original Galaxy Note7 or replacement Galaxy Note7 device should power down and stop using the device and take advantage of the remedies available."
Update 10 October: After seemingly replacing phones and batteries successfully, Samsung has halted production of the Note 7 due to more problems. Via The Verge, a total of three replacement device have caught fire. Two US mobile networks have stopped selling the phone. Until Samsung sorts out this major issue we don't advice purchasing a Note 7. Samsung said: "We are temporarily adjusting the Galaxy Note7 production schedule in order to take further steps to ensure quality and safety matters."
Head to this Samsung page if you have a Note 7 which needs replacing or contact the retailer you purchased it from for a full refund.
Samsung Galaxy Note 7 recall: What you need to do now
The Note 7 should have gone on sale on 2 September, but Samsung instead took the decision to halt sales when faced with a battery cell issue, and began offering to replace handsets that had already shipped to customers.
According to an official statement from Samsung, "there have been 35 cases that have been reported globally and we are currently conducting a thorough inspection with our suppliers to identify possible affected batteries in the market. However, because our customers’ safety is an absolute priority at Samsung, we have stopped sales of the Galaxy Note 7."
A company statement on the Samsung Korea site appears to suggest this delay will push back the on sale date by a couple of weeks, and the latest reports suggest the Note 7 will be shipping once again in October (Samsung will be replacing Note 7 handsets in the UK from 19 September).
The Note 7 will begin shipping on 1 October in Korea, by which time the company expects the recall to be 80 percent complete, and in the US on 21 October and the UK and Europe on 28 October.
However, we're hearing reports that where the phone has gone back on sale customers have been finding issues with it overheating and quickly losing battery power, even while charging.
We've seen reports of faulty Note 7s setting fire and causing serious damage to their owner's belongings - for example, one faulty model destroyed its owner's Jeep when it set alight inside it:
Here's another Galaxy Note 7 that appears to have got a little warm:
We're now seeing reports that handsets bought in China (originally left out of the recall since their batteries were sourced elsewhere) are catching fire. According to CNN Money, a new Galaxy Note 7 bought in late September in China burst into flames while charging, and Samsung is said to be investigating the incident. Four incidents have now been reported in China, though two have been rebutted by Samsung.
Samsung Electronics USA's president has offered an apology, and urges customers to have their Note 7 handsets replaced no later than Wednesday 21 September.
