If your phone is basically our lifeline, you are not alone. However, phones are fragile. Just like any other machine, they need constant upkeep and maintenance to last long and work efficiently. That is why you need to be careful about some of your phone usage patterns.
Both your phone’s hardware and software components require equal attention, and there are some habits you can cultivate to ensure that you don’t contribute to your phone’s aging. Here are the most basic guidelines you can follow to take good care of your phone.
Stop Using Counterfeit Chargers
Your charger is probably something you use every day. While it is definitely true that chargers are rather easy to lose or displace, it still wouldn’t be the best idea to use a charger that isn’t suitable for your phone. Of course, using chargers that are incompatible or with a different pin type is entirely out of the question.
Counterfeit company chargers are worse as they can mimic the appearance of an ideal charger, but they could be unsafe to use. Besides, a majority of them are mass-produced with a one-size-fits-all principle, which can prove to be severely incompatible with your phone.
Avoid Using Your Phone While it’s Charging
Healthy charging practices are perhaps the most important to cultivate. If you want your phone to last long and not cause much trouble, you need to review how you deal with your phone in the first place. And, let’s be honest, you DO tend to use your phone while it’s sometimes charging, don’t you?
Well, having multiple apps running while you are charging your phone can make it very difficult for your phone to receive and hold the charge. Constant power drain will only hinder your phone’s efficiency and it won’t find the time to recharge itself without anything eating up its functionality.
Stop Leaving Your Phone to Charge Overnight
Even though charging your phone overnight will likely not affect it, there is a chance you will experience a shorter battery life as a result. You may want to unplug the phone at night since it doesn’t need to be fully charged at the end of the charge. The smart phone charger automatically stops charging once the battery voltage reaches its capacity.
The only thing to remember is that unplugging your phone when it’s fully charged is still considered environmentally friendly. In addition, even though there is no practical problem with leaving the battery plugged in, in theory, the battery’s aging process is accelerated when the battery is charged to 100 percent every day.
When your smartphone reaches 75 percent battery life, the single most important thing you can do is to put it on the charger. Receiving and holding a charge will drastically decrease if you wait until the battery is 25% depleted. Your phone battery will not work to its full potential if you constantly charge it at 25 percent. In contrast, you can still charge your phone up to 2,500 times using the charger set to 75 percent.
Furthermore, it’s not a good idea to drain your battery to 100 percent and then to charge it back up again. Throughout the day, charging your phone for a few minutes at a time will make it last much longer.
Don’t Let Your Phone Overheat.
Batteries made of lithium-ion are susceptible to heat damage, a problem common to most smart phones. Avoid leaving your phone on the dashboard, where it will be exposed to a lot of direct sunlight.
Further, research suggests that playing graphically intensive games while charging your phone can damage the battery. Setting the temperature of the charging port to between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius is recommended.
Resort to Cloud Storage to Avoid Data Clogging
You should utilize cloud storage to ensure that your phone does not become clogged with too much data. As a result, you can maintain a lean and effective device, which mitigates the risk of data loss in the event of a failure. For best results, make regular backups of your smartphone and utilize any free cloud storage you may receive.
Make Sure You Update Your Phone Regularly
Update your phone’s operating system and third-party apps as soon as they’re released so that your phone runs as fast and smoothly as possible. They’re quick and easy to do, and they can be worth the effort: from fixing bugs and resolving security issues to bringing new features and improving overall performance, so your device works more smoothly and quickly.
It is recommended that both Android and iPhone users enable automatic app updates. You can check for system updates on an Android phone by opening the Settings app and searching for Software Updates. As an alternative, you can wait to receive a notification when an update is pending for your phone and then select the appropriate option. You can set your phone to install updates for iPhone users when it is updated automatically.
Invest in Strong Protective Covers
Your phone’s exterior needs protection just as much as the software components do. In fact, you might likely drop your phone every now and then, and it can severely damage the hardware parts external as well as internal to the phone. Investing in a sturdy phone case that can cushion blows will work wonders. It can absorb the shock that dropping your phone or bumping into something with your phone in your pocket can generate.
Similarly, a temper glass cover can go a long way in protecting your phone screen. It keeps it from shattering or suffering heavy damage, and as a result, the display technology doesn’t get ruined.
Avoid Downloading from Shady Sources
You are probably well aware that shady downloading sources can be an invitation for malware to infect your device. A good antivirus or protective software is a must for your devices. However, whether you download a file or install an app, ensure that the source is safe and trustworthy. Unreliable internet portals can be extremely harmful to both your device, as well as for the safety of your personal data on the internet.
Get your phone insured
Phone insurance is generally the last thing individuals think of. However, this is one of the most crucial things to consider, especially when you shower most of your month’s income on buying a phone. Can you buy a new one immediately after it is stolen or lost? That sounds quite impossible. Mobile phone insurance offers you financial cover at such times, saving you from the burden of exorbitant expenses.
Conclusion
If you know the best practices for getting the most from your smartphone, you won’t need to upgrade regularly. Even more, ways are available to lower your expenses if you look elsewhere. Don’t forget that your financial choices today could have a big impact on the rest of your life, including your retirement.
Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals
Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
