Do you know how to care for your smartphone properly? We tend to spend quite a lot of money on our smartphones and they are our most critical possession. Yet, we often don’t know how to look after them properly to order to get the most value from them. With a little bit of smartphone care, you can ensure that your new iPhone or Android phone stays in great condition for as long as possible
Here are our top 10 tips for smartphone care:
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Keep your phone fully charged
You might think that overcharging your phone could be more harmful. But in reality, it is much better for your phone to be kept as close to 100% as possible at all times. When using your phone, you will notice that it works more sharply and smoothly when kept fully charged. In contrast, phones that drop below 50% battery may die unexpectedly due to a battery flaw.
Maximise your phone’s battery life by keeping it well charged.
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Avoid extreme temperatures
Your smartphone is designed to perform well in a wide range of temperatures. The optimal comfort zone is around 16°C to 22°C, but they often function well quite a bit below and above this range.
However, the risk of your phone overheating over 35°C is quite serious. Such temperatures can permanently damage your battery capacity. In contrast, your battery will die quickly in cold conditions, but once the phone returns to a normal temperature its performance will return to normal.
In general, a cooler storage temperature can help to promote a longer battery lifespan. If your phone is at risk of overheating, it is better to switch it off until you can cool the phone down indoors.
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Protect your smartphone with a strong case
Smartphones are delicate items. One drop on the floor could lead to the screen smashing severely…
Investing in a good quality phone cover is a must. We recommend the Otterbox phone cases which are very sturdy and strong. Although they can cost €25 to €45, they are sure to save you long-term from expensive screen repair costs.
Check out their stylish range of iPhone cases and Samsung cases here.
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Close unused apps
Smartphones aren’t like desktop computers. They have much less processing power, and therefore they often slow down when several apps are open at once.
If you notice this happening, it is beneficial to close all apps that are open in the background. To remove strain on your phone’s processor, try to only keep apps that you are currently using open.
Another idea would be to install a background task killer application, such as Smart Manager. These apps work like task manager on a desktop, and will shut down any background processes that freeze or are slowing down your phone.
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Keep the screen and audio outputs clean
If your screen is in need of a clean, use a soft dry wipe such as that of a glasses cleaner. Never use water to clean your phone, however, as water damage is quite serious and can cause internal damage.
iPhone tip: At the bottom of the iPhone, there’s a speaker on the left and a mic on the right. If you can’t hear anything from your phone or if the sound quality has deteriorated, try using a small amount of rubbing alcohol to clean out the audio holes. You could also try using an old toothbrush to scrape off any debris that may have gathered.
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Use memory management software
If your memory is constantly filling up, you may benefit from installing a memory management software application. These apps can be free or purchased cheaply from your app store, and can save you the hassle of deleting other apps or phone content.
These apps work by restoring any memory that has been lost by damage to the phone’s hard drive. They remove unnecessary data that means your iPhone or Android can run faster. They are a great way of freeing up some extra memory for more photos or music!
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Disable app notifications that you don’t need
Application notifications don’t just drain your battery severely. They can also become quite annoying and distract you from whatever you are trying to do.
It is a good idea to switch off all the non-urgent notifications. For example, you don’t really need to know straight away that someone else has liked your phone on Instagram or you’ve received another spam email…. Try turning all of these app notifications off and see how much time you can save for productivity!
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Password protection
Using a password to protect your smartphone is a security essential. Most of us remain signed into our social media applications, so having your passcode to keep all of your data safe is hugely important.
If your phone falls into the wrong hands, it will be much harder for the thief to hack into your sensitive information. With how common iPhone thefts can be nowadays, it would be silly to not use a password.
Be sure to avoid the usual passwords such as your date of birth or 1234… choose random numbers and don’t share them with anyone. With your iPhone, you can also extend your password length to 6 digits long which is another good safety feature to use.
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Anti-virus software
Detecting viruses and damaging malware has become almost automatic on personal computers, but it’s still a lot trickier on mobile devices. It can potentially be even more dangerous to have such viruses on your smartphone, considering how much personal data we store on them.
To be on the safe side, be sure to download an anti-virus application such as AVL or AVAST Mobile Security if you have an Android phone. Luckily, iPhone users are generally protected from the risk of a virus.
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Insurance
Last but not least, purchasing gadget insurance is possibly the most important step in caring for your smartphone. The cost of iPhone repair or Android repair can be extortionate
