BRITS are set to bask in temperatures of up to 32C today – but it could mean havoc for your smartphone.
The Met Office has issued an amber alert for the east and west Midlands, London, the east of England and the south east and south west until Monday.
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This means there is likely to be a significant impact on health and social care services due to high temperatures, including a potential rise in deaths among those over 65 or with pre-existing health conditions.
And it’s not just ourselves feeling the heat, our gadgets do too.
Modern smartphones have special tech to deal with overheating so there’s no major concerns.
However, it might go into a standby mode if things get too hot, to give your device a chance to cool off.
It’s important your handset isn’t exposed to extremely high temperatures too often as this can damage the battery overtime, ultimately costing you money on expensive upgrades.
Here are four essential tips to keep your iPhone or Android device cool during hotter weather.
Avoid direct sunlight
It may sound blindingly obvious but the first thing you need to do is keep your phone out of direct sunlight.
This is easily forgotten when you’re doing things like driving and it’s in a cradle – especially if you’re using it for maps which will make it heat up faster.
The same goes if you’re going to the beach, keep your phone in the shade under a towel or in a bag.
Switch of background app refresh
Background app refreshing keeps your apps up-to-date in the background when you’re not using them, for example, loading the latest WhatsApp messages you’ve received.
But if your phone is already starting to heat up you’ll want to keep processes to a minimum, so you might want to switch background app refresh off.
On iPhone, head to Settings > General > Background App Refresh.
Android doesn’t call its version background app refresh but the same process can be done.
It varies from model to model, but for most stock Android phones you can find the option in Settings > Apps > All apps.
Remove the case
Your case may be acting like a bit of a coat for your phone.
So naturally, it might be a good idea to take it off – if you’re sure you won’t damage the device by dropping it, of course.
Turn off your phone
The best way to ultimately keep your phone cool is by switching it off entirely.
That way all of the processes and battery shut down.
This obviously leaves you without any connectivity for a bit, so it may not be the best permanent solution but certainly worthwhile if your phone is seriously hot to the touch already.
Alternatively, you can just stop using your phone for five minutes to give it a chance to cool down.
How to keep cool in hot weather
Most of us welcome hot weather, but when it’s too hot, there are health risks. Here are three ways to keep cool according to the NHS…
Keep out of the heat if you can.
If you have to go outside, stay in the shade especially between 11am and 3pm, wear sunscreen, a hat and light clothes, and avoid exercise or activity that makes you hotter.
Cool yourself down.
Have cold food and drinks, avoid alcohol, caffeine and hot drinks, and have a cool shower or put cool water on your skin or clothes.
Keep your living space cool.
Close windows during the day and open them at night when the temperature outside has gone down. Electric fans can help if the temperature is below 35 degrees. Check the temperature of rooms, especially where people at higher risk live and sleep.
