Smartphones have become essential on every vacation to help us get around, capture memories and find new places to visit, but all of this comes with a higher risk of messing up while we’re away from home.
According to research from StaySure, one in five of us have lost or damaged a phone while on vacation, which has also become a potential disaster due to the amount of information and apps travelers use on their smartphones. Phones now typically contain virtual wallets for payments, travel documents and boarding passes, along with airline apps needed for check-in.
Yahoo News spoke with phone repair expert Kewin Charron about the risks that cause our phones to die prematurely and what to do to keep them safe.
Leaving your phone charging while it is hot
Letting your phone get too hot while charging can permanently damage its battery, and it’s crucial to make sure it’s not still hot from the beach.
Charron said: “To prevent overheating of the device, it is important to remove any cases or accessories from the phone before charging to ensure that no additional heat is retained in the device.
“While charging the phone, find a cool, moisture-free environment below 32°C (90°F).”
Putting wet phones in rice
You shouldn’t put wet phones in rice, explains Charron; Doing so can mean that small particles of rice get into your phone and damage it.
Instead, dry it with a towel and pay attention to all ports, such as those for headphones, to remove as much water as possible.
If water gets into your phone, don’t panic: place it in a dry place and lightly tap the device with the connection port facing down to remove moisture.
“Avoid using a hair dryer,” warns Charron. “Excessive heat can damage sensitive electronic devices. Instead, gently wipe the uncovered phone with a clean towel, taking care to avoid getting water into the charging port, SIM or MicroSD slots, or headphone jack “.
Leaving a phone in direct sunlight
Leaving phones in direct sunlight can seriously damage them – anything above 35°C is too hot.
“We can all be guilty of scrolling on our phones while sunbathing, but it’s very important to keep them out of direct sunlight or extreme temperatures,” says Charron.
Leaving a phone exposed to sunlight can damage the battery. Warning signs that your phone is getting too hot include the screen dimming, the screen going completely black, or the camera flash going off.
Not backing up your devices
Not backing up your devices could mean the difference between losing your trip information and valuable photos and being able to restore them instantly from the cloud, Charron explains.
“Before you get on the plane, make sure your phone is backed up to iCloud, Google Cloud, or your computer. This means that no matter what happens to your hardware, you’ll always have a version of your phone software safely saved.
“To do this, go to your phone’s system settings and look for the backup option. On Apple devices, it will be located under ‘iCloud > iCloud Backup > Backup Now. On Android, you should be able to access the backup by going to Settings > System > Backup > Backup now.
“For Android: Go to Settings > Google > Backup. Below that, you’ll probably see an option that says Back up to Google Drive with a switch next to it. (If you have Google One installed, it might say Google Backup One.) Make sure it is activated. Select “Back up now”.
Leaving sand in the ports
Carefully cleaning your phone after a day at the beach can prevent long-term problems, including overheating. It’s worth doing if your phone is exposed to any type of dust or crumbs.
Charron said: “The first thing you should do before cleaning any device is turn it off. Then, shine a light on the device to see how much dust you are dealing with. Use a soft, slightly damp, lint-free cloth to clean around the port area load.
“To remove debris inside the port, use a toothpick, moving it from side to side, making sure to be gentle as this area is very susceptible to damage. When debris comes out, wipe it off with a cloth and go back in with a toothpick clean.
“Don’t forget to keep your phone cases clean too! You should try to clean your device cases about once a week, as they can also accumulate unwanted dirt and grit.”
