How to keep your smartphone cool during a heat wave
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Illustration: Natalie Peeples/Axios
Your smartphone may be feeling the summer heat just as much as you, especially during the record-breaking heat wave overtaking much of the U.S. this week.
Why it matters: Extreme heat, in addition to being a public health threat and an economic blow, could damage your phone.
- And with human-caused climate change making heat waves more likely and longer lasting, you may want to know how to extend your phone's life span.
Zoom in: Many smartphones, like iPhones and Androids, are designed to work in temperatures between 32° and 95° F, according to Apple and Samsung.
- High temperatures can cause a device to change its behavior so that it can cool itself down.
- If a device gets too warm, some features might become temporarily disabled, and in extreme conditions, the device itself might become temporarily disabled.
- Leaving a smartphone in very hot conditions can permanently shorten its battery life and damage other parts.
State of play: If a temperature warning screen appears, turn the phone off, move it to a cooler environment away from direct sunlight and allow it to cool down.
- To avoid reaching that point and to keep your smartphone functioning properly in the heat, refrain from using it continually in direct sunlight.
- Don't leave it in a parked car or near a heat source.
- Remove your phone case, as some covers can trap the heat.
- Use the low-power mode, which disables some background activity.
The bottom line: "Smartphones are getting more powerful and more powerful, all inside a small form factor with no active cooling (fans) like laptops," iFixit repairability engineer Carsten Frauenheim told Axios.
- "Pair that with direct sunlight and outdoor heat, and you've got a toasty device," he added.
