How to help your phone better endure sub-zero temperatures – six tips

“The chemical reactions generating electricity in a phone battery slow down and some of the energy is used for warming the battery itself instead of it being converted into electricity. This is why the battery may wear out faster in sub-zero temperatures compared to plus degrees. However, the cold does not really damage the battery,” says Jesse Kieksi, Head of Devices at DNA. 

The faster draining of the battery can therefore be seen as a kind of defence mechanism against the cold attacking from the outside. You should also keep in mind that you should not charge your phone while it is still ice cold. In the worst case, charging a cold battery may damage it permanently.

In addition to the battery, freezing weather may affect the touchscreen operations of smartphones. Keiksi remarks that especially the screen’s touch sensitivity and delays in operations may increase as the temperature decreases. Sub-zero temperatures may also cause moisture to accumulate on the screen, which may affect its operations. As far as the smartphone screen is concerned, you should also keep in mind that you cannot usually use them while wearing gloves, so a touchscreen pen, for example, is a good tool for saving your fingers when you need to use your phone outdoors in freezing weather.

How to make a battery last?

1. The best tip to make your phone battery last in freezing temperatures is to simply charge it fully before going out.
2. If there is no time or place to charge at quick notice, you should put the phone in a case or pouch that warms it.
3. A waterproof case for the phone is a great tool to fight the moisture accumulating on the screen as a result of temperature fluctuations. Moisture can be particularly damaging if the phone is not water or splash-proof, so a waterproof pouch comes in handy on longer skiing trips, for example.
4. If you cannot find a warm protective case, you should hide the phone from the cold, for example, in the inside breast pocket of your winter coat. This way both the coat and body heat protect the device from the cold and the cold cannot get to it so easily. Other pockets that are in contact with your body are also a great place to keep your phone.
5. Most phones, unfortunately, are not made to withstand especially harsher temperatures dozens of degrees below zero. Therefore, the recommendation for freezing cold weather is that you simply should avoid taking your phone out of your pocket. If you want to save your battery, you should check messages and other notifications only when you are back indoors.
6. A backup power bank is a loyal companion even in winter, and it provides power for your phone quickly and easily. However, you should keep in mind that power banks are also batteries, so their operating efficiency can also be reduced if the temperature is too low.

Further information for the media:

Jesse Kieksi, Head of Devices, DNA Plc, tel. +358 (0)44 044 9484, jesse.kieksi@dna.fi

DNA Corporate Communications, tel. +358 44 044 8000, communications@dna.fi