We depend on our phones for so many things—so don’t they deserve to be treated with a little TLC? Here’s how to protect your phone from damage.
You take your phone everywhere, but are you taking care of it? While they may feel compact and indestructible, they’re not, and you need to look out for your phone since it can’t look after itself. Most smartphone damage comes from simple oversights that can be eliminated through developing better habits. To keep your phone working and in one piece, here’s how to protect your phone from damage.
Buy a Phone Case and Screen Protector
Before you unpack that smartphone from its case, make sure there’s a cozy and loving home awaiting it—namely, a heavy-duty phone case. Dropping your phone is a matter of when it happens, not if, and some new owners have experienced the heartbreak of dropping a new phone fresh from the box. Take it out carefully and install it in the phone case. Purchase a screen protector as well. Even if a screen survives a drop, it’s rarely sightly afterward. Most screen protectors also prevent gross smudges by being oil-resistant.
Avoid Water
Whether you’re spending a day at the lake or doing your morning grooming in the bathroom, putting your phone anywhere near water carries the potential for disaster. Keep it away from water sources or ensure it’s protected by sealing it in a watertight and sealable plastic bag. Plastic sheathing is also available, as are plugs stuck into ports, jacks, and grills to prevent water from creeping in. Water and smartphones never mix; that goes for everything from puddles to mists to oceans. You’ve got to keep them separated.
Shocks and Surges
Electricity is your phone’s friend and enemy. Electricity keeps it working, but too much can damage it. The interior workings of your phone are kept protected from electricity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) through shielding made from certain metalized materials. A buildup of static electricity that sparks when you touch your phone probably won’t affect it, but don’t run the risk. Run a humidifier in your home and try to disperse static electricity before handling electronics. Recharge the phone through a surge protector, especially during electric storms, which can cause power surges likely to destroy data or even fry your phone.
Keep It Out of Your Back Pocket
Here’s a big thing to remember about how to protect your phone from damage. It may look breezy, cool, and fashionable, but never keep your phone in your back pocket. Even if you think you’re a careful sitter, you run the risk of sitting back and breaking the screen, bending the body or otherwise crushing the entire device. Keep your phone out of your back pocket. Store it somewhere else if you can, like a purse or shirt pocket—anywhere it can’t be bent or crushed. Also, while it’s uncommon, smartphones can catch fire if they’re not allowed to “breathe.” Store them in a cool and airy pocket or parcel and try not to put them away too hot!