Why does your phone get hot and how to stop it?

 

Britain's heatwave isn't just affecting people's bodies, but their electronics too.

Unlike humans, phones can't sweat, which is good for phone owners but not good for these devices.

The temperature increases, and the processor reduces it

This is like how we make extra efforts to work at the same speed in extreme heat, where the same thing can happen to the phone's processor, the internal chip responsible for its main functions.

The internals that make everything work, unfortunately, also generate heat as they do so," says Dr Rose White-Millington, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering at Leeds Beckett University.

"When the device gets hotter, the processor tries to keep itself from overheating and ends up slowing everything down as a result."

From 100 percent to empty battery

Electronics, in general, are designed to work up to 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), says Dr. Rose.

Batteries store energy and are designed to operate at a certain temperature. The hotter they are, the harder they work and the more energy they use.

Which means the battery life runs out faster, especially since it's harder to cool.

We often turn on the brightness of the screen when we are out in the sun, which can also have an effect, says Dr. Rose

Screen burn

If you see a slight change in your screen, the temperature may be having an effect.

"If the phone is old, if it has a small error, the heat will increase it," says Dr. Rose.

He adds that screen protectors can often keep more heat inside, which isn't great in hot weather.

What you can do to keep your phone cool

Do not put it on the charger.

If it's hot, you're heating up when you charge your battery. And when your device is charging, it ends up getting hotter," explains Dr. Rose

What you can do to keep your phone cool

This applies to both the inside and outside of the phone. Remove it from its case and turn off all the functions you don't need.

"If you're not using GPS, if you're not using other things, turn them off. Because the less things you're using, you're going to use less energy, and therefore you're going to generate less heat," says Rose.

Make it light

This applies to both the inside and outside of the phone. Remove it from its case and turn off all the functions you don't need.

"If you're not using GPS, if you're not using other things, turn them off. Because the less things you're using, you're going to use less energy, and therefore you're going to generate less heat," says Rose.

Put the phone in low power mode

The less power your phone uses, the better.

"Sometimes, if your phone is having problems, turn it off for a few minutes, just let it cool down, then turn it on again.

But don't use it, don't refrigerate it.

Rapid temperature changes can be very harmful to the phone, and ice can cause water retention.

Phones have overheating systems, Dr. Rose says, to prevent them from "degrading themselves, which can happen in extreme temperatures."