Protect your smartphone: Summer heat hazards and safety tips

During the summer, we enjoy spending time outdoors, enjoying the beautiful weather. It's a great time to enjoy the sun and nature. We often bring various electronic devices, such as smartphones or smartwatches, but not everyone realizes that high temperatures threaten electronics, especially smartphones. Sudden temperature increases can have serious consequences.

A few basic safety rules can help protect your devices. First and foremost, you should avoid exposing devices directly to intense sunlight. Leaving phones, laptops, or other devices in the open sun is not advisable.

High temperatures and direct sunlight can cause electronic devices to overheat. The effects can vary widely, including reduced performance, deformation of plastic cases, or damage to displays. Batteries are particularly vulnerable—overheating can shorten their lifespan, reduce capacity, and cause chemical leaks or explosions. The easiest way to prevent this is by reducing your equipment's exposure to the sun.

Electronics should also be protected in cars. On hot days, the interior of a vehicle quickly heats up, especially on the dashboard. Leaving devices in such conditions can harm them and cause battery explosions and fires. It's worth paying attention to the temperature of your smartphone, for example, when using it for navigation—a good idea is to ensure that the cool air vent is also aimed at the phone.

After parking, it's worth taking smaller devices, such as phones, with you for safety. Larger equipment, like a laptop, can be placed in the trunk, where it will not be exposed to direct sunlight.

If your device overheats, you should turn it off to prevent further damage. Then, you need to wait until the temperature drops to a safe level before turning it back on.