Why Cell Phones Overheat—and How to Avoid It

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Electronics are generally designed to function up to 35°C; above that temperature, functionality is impacted, says expert. Electronics are generally designed to function up to 35°C; above this temperature, functionality is impacted, says expert GETTY IMAGES You’re at the park or at the beach on a very sunny day and, suddenly, your cell phone stops working because it’s overheated. Why do these appliances suffer from heat and what can we do when this happens? Just as we struggle to carry out our daily activities when it’s too hot, so does the processor in our phones — an internal chip responsible for its main functions. “The things inside that really make everything work, unfortunately, generate heat,” says Roz Wyatt-Millington, senior lecturer in electronics and electrical engineering at Leeds Beckett University in England. “And as the device gets hotter, the processor tries to prevent it from overheating, and as a result, it ends up slowing everything down.” Roz says that electronics are generally designed to work up to 35ºC. “Batteries store energy and are designed to work at certain temperatures. The hotter they get, the harder they have to work and the more energy they use,” she says. In other words, battery life drains faster, especially since it’s harder to cool down. Roz says we often turn up the screen brightness when we’re out in the sun, which can also take a toll. “That sucks power out of the device and basically it ends up overloaded.” And, if you’ve noticed a slight change in your phone’s screen, extreme heat could be behind it. “If it’s an old phone and there’s a small blemish on it, the heat will enlarge it,” she says. Roz adds that screen protectors generally retain more heat, which isn’t great in hot conditions. ALSO READ: Learn Why Cell Phone Chargers Get Hot And How To Avoid Explosion What To Do To Cool Your Phone Don’t Charge It “If it’s too hot, when you’re charging your phone, you’re generating heat. When your phone is charging, it gets hot. warmer,” explains Roz. Choose the ideal location “Keeping it out of direct sunlight helps. Don’t leave it in the car, keep it in the shade as much as possible. Put it in front of a fan if you can.” Don’t overload it This applies to both the inside and the outside of the phone. Take it out of the protective cover and turn off all unnecessary functions. “If you are not using the GPS, if you are not using other features, turn it off. Because the less things you actually use, the less energy the device will use, the less heat it will generate”, he says. Save energy The less energy you use, the better your phone will be. “Sometimes simply, if your phone is really having issues, turn it off for a few minutes, let it cool down, then turn it back on.” But don’t use a fridge or freezer… “Don’t put it in an ice pack, because that doesn’t help.” Rapid changes in temperature can be very bad for phones, and ice can cause water to get trapped in it. Roz says the phones have overheating mechanisms to keep them from “destroying themselves, which can happen in extreme heat.” See more technology tips: Old photos in Street View: understand WhatsApp releases new protection against account theft; see how it works Got a nude leaked? Practice is a crime; learn how to report

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