SAMSUNG phone owners have been urged to take practical steps to stop their gadget from dying in the summer heat.
Putting extra strain on your battery is risky and unwise, warned the electronics giant.
Samsung has released a range of tips to keep your phone going – no matter how harsh the heat.
“While using your phone, it’s normal for it to become warm or increase in temperature,” Samsung’s website said.
“This can typically happen if you are playing a graphically intense video game, video calling, or streaming, especially in hot weather.
“Heavy use or anything that puts extra strain on your battery can cause your phone to work harder than usual which can lead to overheating.”
But there are a range of steps to take to minimize the threat of your battery dying.
The most obvious one is to move your phone out of any direct sunlight.
Otherwise, too much heat can cause your phone to shut off, and it permanently damages the battery.
If it’s already hot from being in the sun, move it somewhere shady and leave it to cool down.
Another way to help your phone cool down faster is to remove the phone case.
Don’t forget to check the gadget’s power mode, particularly if your device is feeling warm.
You should switch to a power saving mode if your device is getting hot.
Closing all unused apps is another helpful tip.
That’s because apps will continue using some of the battery and processing power, despite being minimized.
Here's Samsung's official advice...
To get the most out of your smartphone’s battery, you’ll need to charge it properly.
Most Smartphones have a lithium-ion battery that lives longer when charged regularly.
Unlike the nickel batteries used in older phones, lithium-ion batteries do best when kept above a 50 percent charge.
Repeatedly allowing the battery to drain fully may shorten its life and decrease its overall capacity.
If this happens, you’ll need to charge the battery more frequently and it may last only a few hours before needing a charge, for example.
Leaving the phone connected to the charger (when the phone is completely charged) while you are using it may lower battery life if you do it repeatedly.
Turning down the brightness also helps protect battery life.
Having a brighter screen may be easier to see in the sun, but it also uses more power from your phone and can increase the temperature.
“You should make sure that adaptive brightness is turned off in your display settings,” said Samsung.
“Adaptive brightness will automatically increase the brightness when it detects sunlight.”
This can be done by swiping down from the top of the screen with two fingers to reveal the quick panel.
Next, tap the arrow next to the bar to adjust screen brightness, and simply tap the switch next to “adaptive brightness.”
Turning on the airplane mode has also been shown to help cool a phone down.
And don’t forget to check whether there are any updates available.
“App and software updates ensure that your phone is running as efficiently as possible,” said Samsung.
“If you have app or software updates waiting, try installing them on your phone.”
For motorists, don’t forget to remove your phone from the car cradle – using your device in the gadget holder is likely to make it hotter than usual, especially if the device is charging in the sun.
