Two places to never leave Samsung phone when charging – and three other mistakes make it even riskier

SAMSUNG has warned users over two common charging mistakes.

It’s bad for your phone – and potentially physically dangerous too.

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Many of us will charge our phones overnight because it’s convenient.

But you need to make sure that you’re not bringing it into the bed with you while it’s on charge.

Your phone could get hot when charging, with serious consequences.

“It is important to take some precautions when charging,” Samsung warned in a battery memo.

“Do not leave the device on a blanket, sofa, etc.”

The phone-maker added, “Do not leave the device on the pillow.”

One of the big problems with this is that your phone getting hot is very bad for the battery.

Heat isn’t good for the physical battery cell, and can permanently affect its charge capacity.

So if your phone is constantly overheating, you’ll find that its maximum battery life gets worse over time.

But fire experts have extensively warned about the dangers of charging at night.

“Never charge a battery or device under your pillow, on your bed, or near a couch,” said the New York City Fire Department in a fire safety memo.

“Lithium-ion battery fires have caused deaths, serious injuries, and devastating damage to property.”

It’s also important to keep your phone out of direct sunlight.

Samsung also recommends using genuine Galaxy phone chargers, avoiding plug adapters, and steering clear of “damaged cables or plugs.”

There’s a long list of other situations where your Samsung Galaxy phone might end up getting too hot.

Samsung’s official list of reasons why your phone might heat up includes:

• During the initial setup after purchase or when restoring data.
• When downloading large files.
• When using apps that require more power or using apps for extended periods.
• While multitasking or when running many apps in the background.
• When using a large amount of data for syncing with the cloud, email, or other accounts.
• When the device is placed in direct sunlight.
• When using the mobile hotspot and tethering feature.
• When using the device in areas with weak signals or no reception.
• When charging the battery with a damaged USB cable.
• When the device’s multipurpose jack is damaged or exposed to foreign materials, such as liquid, dust, metal powder, or pencil lead.
• When you are roaming.

If your phone gets too warm, it may start to not work properly.

“If the device overheats or reaches a certain temperature, a warning message will appear to prevent device failure, skin irritations and damages, and battery leakage,” Samsung explained.

“To lower the device’s temperature, the screen brightness and the performance speed will be limited and battery charging will stop.

“Running apps will be closed and all calling and other features will be limited, except for emergency calls, until the device cools down.”

A second message may even appear that will signal the device is turning off.

If a forced shutdown occurs, it means your phone was extremely hot – and was at risk of damage.

You should also avoid charging your phone if you see a “water drop” icon on the display.

That means your phone is wet and shouldn’t be charged.

Alamy