GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — As the temperature drops this winter, it's important to keep your phone's battery life from also dropping.
Wireless carrier UScellular says lithium-ion batteries in smartphones contain liquid and when extreme cold temperatures are introduced, the molecules shrink, causing potential issues for displays, buttons and battery life.
Here are some tips to protect your phone from the big freeze:
1. Keep your device fully charged to avoid the battery being completely drained in outdoor temperatures. Consider having a portable charger with you.
2. Keep your device in a case. Think about it like a winter jacket, you wouldn’t go outside without one, so don’t do that to your phone.
3. Keep your device in a pocket. Humans are a natural source of heat, so when you’re out in the cold, try to keep your device in a coat pocket rather than a purse or bag. This will help protect the device from the shock of the freezing temps.
4. Let your device warm up before you try to use it. For optimal performance, users should avoid storing devices in frigid places, such as a parked car. If a phone powers off due to the cold, give it time to warm up to room temperature before turning it back on. Never use heating aids like a blow dryer.
“We typically think of hot temperatures causing issues for smart devices but extreme cold can do the same. Anything below 32 degrees is going to start slowing down your phone,” said Christine Paulsen, Director of Sales for UScellular in Wisconsin. “We use our smart devices for nearly everything these days, so it’s important to keep them protected in extreme temperatures so they maintain their functionality.”
