A phone that’s performing slowly is another red flag, says Nicholas Bains, a smartphone expert at Asurion. The phone will deliberately slow down its processing so it doesn’t produce even more heat, though Bains warns that this can sometimes happen too late to prevent damage. “Your phone is able to protect itself in the moment,” he says. “But frequent and repeated exposure to high heat can have long-term effects on your phone’s performance and can permanently shorten its battery life.”
How can overheating damage your phone?
Heat presents a major risk for a smartphone’s battery. While the battery degrades naturally over time, prolonged exposure to high temperatures can wear it out prematurely, says Kyle Wiens, chief executive officer of iFixit, an electronics repair business and advocacy group. The adhesive used for phone screens can also start to loosen once temperatures exceed its melting point, Wiens says.
Paton adds that the phone’s central processing unit (CPU) can be damaged if its maximum operating temperature is exceeded. In extreme and rare cases, heat buildup can result in battery combustion, which can cause a fire or small explosion.
But most immediately, you’ll experience a loss of functionality and potentially data, as overheating causes apps to glitch or crash.
How can I protect my smartphone from heat?
Keep your phone out of direct sunlight, or anywhere else the heat might be magnified (like the dashboard of a car).
Avoid intensive phone use. The less a phone’s processor has to run, the easier it is for the device to stay cool. To minimize background activity, try using Airplane Mode.
Remove your phone case. If you don’t want to strip your handset, there are also phone cases designed to achieve better heat dissipation by using breathable materials and increased airflow.
Charge your phone in a cooler environment. Charging itself generates heat, so try to avoid it when your phone is already hot. If you must charge, don’t use the phone while it’s juicing up.
Let an overheated phone cool down gradually. Your smartphone doesn’t like heat, but it also doesn’t like extreme temperature fluctuations. Putting a phone in the refrigerator to cool it down, for example, can be as harmful as letting it overheat in the first place. “Sudden temperature changes can cause additional damage to internal components,” Paton says.
