We rely on our smartphones for so many things these days, having one overheat and shut down during a shift could be problematic, to say the least. The following advice will help avoid that catastrophe.

Why is my phone overheating? The power and functionality of today’s smartphones cause them to consume more energy, giving off more heat and making them more susceptible to overheating. Samsung advises avoiding “extreme temperatures, as this may damage the device or reduce the charging capacity and the life of the device and the battery.” Manufacturers recommend keeping a battery charged between 20%-80%. Constantly running a smartphone with the battery below the 20% threshold can cause it to wear out prematurely and can induce “premature death” of the battery over the long term.

A smartphone’s screen is its second most fragile component, when it comes to heat damage. Off or on standby, its panel is black and therefore absorbs a maximum of light rays. A screen consists of a layer of glass which dissipates heat very poorly; underneath there is an extreme concentration of electronic components. These components contain metal, which expands with heat, potentially causing damage.

What NOT to do in hot weather:

  • It’s best not to update a phone’s operating system or download and install software in extreme heat. This makes massive demands on a device’s communication chip and processor. The installation of a large amount of data also monopolizes the processor for several minutes – which can cause the battery to discharge quickly and spike in temperature when it is already hot. For the same reasons, you should not watch streaming videos or download heavy content in a heat wave.
  • Do not restore from another phone or from the cloud. Similarly, restoring or initializing a phone from a cloud backup or another phone is strongly discouraged. Consecutively installing software or storing a large amount of data in a short time will hog CPU and worsen battery temperature.
  • Try to avoid charging your smartphone when it is already hot to the touch. Charging a phone produces heat noticeable on the phone itself and the charger. During a charge, chemical exchanges accelerate, releasing heat.
  • Avoid fast chargers. Using a fast charger can cause the same problems as normal charging but with a multiplier effect. By reducing the charging time, a battery will increase its internal temperature.
  • Don’t charge wirelessly. Wireless charging reduces the life of your smartphone and significantly increases temperature. The heat comes from the energy lost between the phone and the wireless charger.
  • Try to avoid protective shells that prevent heat dissipation. A shell, whatever its material, will reduce the ability of the smartphone to dissipate its temperature. The thicker it is, the more insulating it will be and the more likely it will prevent the phone from returning to an acceptable temperature.
  • Limit the use of energy-consuming apps. Some apps exchange a lot of data with servers and consume a lot of energy. These are mainly communication apps, social networks and geolocation – like Google, Facebook, WhatsApp, Amazon Alex, YouTube, Tiktokand Amazon Shopping.
  • Do not put a hot phone in a fridge or freezer. As previously mentioned, electronic components expand with heat and contract too quickly in a fridge or freezer. They are also humid environments that will could cause damage.

What to do in case of high heat:

  • Place your smartphone on a flat, lint-free, ideally cold surface. This should allow yoursmartphone to dissipate heat as quickly as possible. DO NOT place your phone on a metal or stone surface that stores heat from the sun.
  • Have the battery repaired (and/or changed). A battery worn out by numerous and bad charge cycles will discharge faster when overheated.
  • Remove malware and other viruses. Using an antivirus app and uninstalling unnecessary software limits the use of the SoC and memory, reducing stress on the battery. Also: Close background software.
  • Deactivate notifications. They quickly consume energy by communicating with the servers.
  • Set the phone at “low power” mode or temporarily place it in airplane mode, suspending electrical traffic and allowing it to cool down.
  • Consider prioritizing 4G over 5G. The 4G network is much slower than 5G, but that extra speed can also heat up your phone if you are downloading.
  • Avoid uncertified chargers and cables. They may cost more, but uncertified ones maybe too powerful, causing the battery to wear out faster. An undersized cable, especially with fast charging, can also cause overheating.
  • Do not leave your device in a car on a hot day that’s not climate controlled. The passenger compartment of a car can rise between 60 and 80 degrees in an hour on a sweltering day.
  • Do not leave your device in direct sunlight for an extended period of time. The sun’s UVA and UVB can damage the screen but also the battery or internal components. A simple sheet of paper on the screen can reduce heat absorption and preserve your smartphone. Certain functionalities can also add heat to the situation – like GPS or playing a graphics-intensive game.

Source: Gearrice

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