Heatwaves not just take a toll on your body, but can also damage your phone. If the surrounding temperature reaches the 40°C mark, your smartphone may start behaving uncharacteristically. This includes a sharp rise in its internal temperature, unexpected shutdowns, heat warnings, and more. If the internal temperature of your device crosses a certain barrier, it can cause permanent damage to the battery. Here are 10 tips you can use to keep your smartphone cool during a heatwave.
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In This Article
What causes phones to overheat?
Your phone dissipates a considerable amount of energy while carrying out regular tasks. The motion of ions within the battery can cause it to warm up. The greater the stress applied to the battery, the higher its temperature will rise. Power-intensive tasks like gaming and video editing can cause your phone to heat up quickly.
Most gaming smartphones are equipped with state-of-the-art cooling systems for this very reason. These cooling chambers can keep your phone from reaching an alarming internal temperature. The surrounding temperature also plays a vital role in this regard. Your smartphone takes a while to lose its heat when the air around it is warm. On the flip side, heat dissipation happens quickly in cooler conditions.
Do not keep your phone inside a parked car
As you’re probably aware, the temperature inside a parked car can get extremely hot. This is more so the case in the middle of a heatwave. Remember not to leave your phone inside a car that’s parked under the sun. Doing so can cause irreparable damage to your device’s battery. When you’re in your home, avoid placing the phone near windows or any place where it may be exposed to direct sunlight.
Do not keep your phone in your pocket for too long
Tight, confined spaces can warm up your phone almost instantly. When your phone gets warm inside your pocket, there is no way for it to lose heat to its surroundings. If you’re outside, it is much better to keep your phone in a purse or a backpack instead of your pocket.
Limit smartphone usage under direct sunlight
Limiting your smartphone usage while you’re outside to only essential tasks will keep it cool during a heat wave. Even the most basic tasks like texting and web browsing can cause your phone’s internal temperature to rise drastically when it is exposed to direct sunlight.
Avoid power-intensive tasks
Power-intensive tasks like gaming, navigation, video editing, and video recording exert more stress on the battery, causing it to overheat. Carrying these tasks out indoors in the summer can heat up your phone faster than usual. While completely ditching these tasks is impractical, it is suggested that you perform them for a shorter duration of time and give your phone time to cool down.
Remove the phone case
Proper dissipation of heat is integral in cooling the phone down within an appropriate time window. Your phone’s back panel has a large surface area and is crucial in dissipating the heat generated by the battery and the processor. Placing it against a cool surface can bring the temperature down within seconds. Unfortunately, most phone cases and covers trap the heat and impede its dissipation via conduction. If you notice your phone’s internal temperature rising, take off the case to let the device breathe.
Turn off fast charging
Modern smartphones charge at a ridiculous speed. In the process, the battery generates a lot of heat. In ideal conditions, this heat is quickly lost to the phone’s surroundings, but in a heatwave, it can be very hard to lose. As a precautionary measure, go to Settings>Battery and turn off fast charging. Trickle charging your phone may take time, but it won’t cause it to heat up drastically.
Use the original charger
While charging your phone, it is recommended that you use the original accessories (power adapter and USB cable) that came in the box. If your phone didn’t ship with a power adapter, buy one from the manufacturer’s website. Counterfeit accessories can often cause your phone to malfunction and overheat.
Reduce screen brightness
Out of all the components, your phone’s display consumes the most power. Setting the display to the maximum brightness level not only drains the battery quicker, but also causes it to warm up faster. Turn on auto-brightness or reduce its intensity from the quick settings menu to make sure your phone’s internal temperature remains at an appropriate level.
Use an external cooling system
External cooling systems are designed to keep your phone’s temperature in check while gaming. Most high-end gaming smartphones ship with an external fan in the box. If you’re going through a heatwave, you can attach a mini fan to your phone’s back panel to cool it down. You can grab one from Amazon for as low as Rs 800.
Close background apps
Apps running in the background draw power from the battery and cause it to warm up. If you’re going through a heatwave, you should make sure that your phone is only focusing on the task at hand and not utilising its resources on background apps. Go to the app switcher and close all the background apps. Additionally, go to app settings and limit background usage for every app on your phone.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
How do I stop my phone from heating up?
To stop your phone from heating up, disable fast charging, close all background apps, reduce its screen brightness, take off the cover, and limit power-intensive tasks like gaming.
Why is my phone heating up?
Your phone heats up when it is unable to dissipate the heat generated by the battery. This can happen while charging your phone or carrying out power-intensive tasks like video recording, video editing, and gaming.
How to cool down a smartphone fast?
To cool down your phone quickly, place it in a cool place away from the sun and turn it off. For better results, make sure it is resting on a cool surface that can quickly absorb the heat emanating from it.
Can I put my smartphone in a fridge to cool it down?
A sudden rise or drop in temperature can permanently damage your phone. This is why it is not recommended to keep it in a fridge to cool it down.
How do I check my phone’s temperature?
To check the temperature of your phone, install third-party apps like CPU-Z and CPU Monitor.
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Conclusion
These 10 tips will help you keep your smartphone cool during a heatwave. If your phone’s internal temperature reaches an alarming level, do not place it inside a refrigerator. Let it cool down naturally, even if it takes some time to do so. A sharp fall in surrounding temperature can cause further damage to the battery.