Do phone batteries die faster in cold weather?
When extreme cold is in the forecast, it's important to have cold-weather plans and supplies for the house, the car, the family, and pets.
It’s not just you: cold weather really does drain your cell phone battery faster!
When extreme cold is in the forecast, it's important to have cold-weather plans and supplies for the house, the car, the family, and pets. Winterizing and gathering emergency supplies is just part of cold-weather survival.
Phones have evolved to become essential sidekicks: communicating, scheduling, computing, and entertaining all take place on phones, no matter what time of year it is. When it comes to winter preparedness, the emergency uses for phones are many. So what's the story on extreme cold and cell phones?
Do cell phone batteries die more quickly in cold weather?
As it turns out, the answer is both yes and no. According to Battery University, "The performance of all batteries drops drastically at low temperatures." According to Appledystopia's explanation, the cell phone battery probably isn't discharging faster in extreme cold; it may just be shutting down. Because the battery's internal chemical reactions don't function well in the bitter cold, the battery could die even if the battery power isn't gone.
How cold is too cold?
In an ideal world, cell phones would always be used at room temperature, but in real life, cell phones need to be available no matter what the weather. So how cold is too cold? Most cell phones will operate normally at temperatures at and above freezing. But using your phone outdoors in sub-freezing weather may expose the battery to enough of a chill that it could malfunction.
What can be done about it?
Keeping your phone in a case can help the phone to retain heat. Putting the phone in your pocket if you have to be outside in subfreezing weather should keep the phone warm enough to operate normally. It also makes sense to have an external charger on hand and be aware of your phone's battery-saver options. If you need to charge a phone that has died suddenly in the cold, it's a good idea to warm the phone indoors, if possible, before charging it.
Anything else?
When considering extreme cold, another thing to be aware of is your phone's screen. LCD screens are actually "liquid crystal displays." Not surprisingly, liquid crystal is a kind of liquid that does not always usually operate in intense cold. So, again, keeping the phone warmer-than-freezing makes sense.
Ready for anything?
Because your phone's battery or screen could have problems in the bitter cold, try to keep your phone out of the freezing weather when possible. If you have to be outside in extreme weather, be sure to have a way to keep your phone warm and charged. As with any cold-weather preparedness, staying in tune with the local forecast, getting a little knowledge, and doing some planning will help you and your cell phone to be ready for anything!
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