If you’re like most people, you probably spend a good amount of time on your phone. Whether it’s for work, talking to friends, or just scrolling through apps in your free time, we’re all deeply connected to our smartphones. Smartphones have come a long way in a short amount of time, and we all know how much they’re worth. Most phones are expensive and made with nonrenewable resources, so everyone must take good care of them. It might seem like there’s no way to lengthen a phone’s lifespan, but it is possible.
Follow these tips to make your smartphone last longer.
Repair, Don’t Replace
When something breaks, many of us have a habit of just getting it replaced, rather than going to the effort of fixing it. While sometimes a phone might be broken beyond repair, this isn’t always the case. If you’ve dropped your phone or it’s having problems, you could be able to fix it still. Getting rid of slightly damaged phones that can be fixed is incredibly wasteful. By taking your phone to a repair shop, you can help make it last longer and reduce the number of smartphones being wasted. For example, David Bakke with National Air Warehouse told us “Batteries do break down over time and replacing them is typically not that expensive.” Many times people having issues with their phone battery just chuck it up as a loss. They then ho out and spend hundreds on a new phone when all they needed was a new battery!
Use a Screen Protector
Rorie Devine, CEO and Founder of *GRO.TEAM told us that his #1 tip to making a phone last longer is using a screen protector. “Always ensure to use screen protectors and covers to save it from breaking after falling on the ground.” Many times replacing a screen can be very costly and at that point you may just be better off getting a whole new phone. Most people with smartphones have experienced a cracked screen before. Smartphone screens can crack extremely easily, it often feels like you don’t have to do anything at all to crack them. A serious crack in your screen can immediately ruin your phone, but even a minor crack can damage the phone over time. Not only do cracks cause damage, but they can also make it difficult for you to see or use your phone. It can seem hard to prevent this from happening, but it’s simple if you use a screen protector. Using a screen protector is an inexpensive way of keeping your phone safe, and you can easily apply one yourself.
Invest in a Good Case
In addition to getting a screen protector, you should also buy a sturdy case for your phone. Many of us have a case on our phones, but sometimes this is purely for aesthetic reasons and not to keep them safe. There are many phone cases available that look nice, but will also be effective at keeping your phone protected if it falls or faces any other type of damage. Some phone cases will even keep your phone safe from water damage if you accidentally spill something or drop it in water. This is one of the best things you can do to help protect your phone from potential damage, which is often just a part of life with a smartphone. Majid Fareed from FJackets told us that the best thing you can do for your smart phone is invest in a quality, protective case. “Buy Accessories to Protect your Phone! Most phones break because they have a huge glass screen with little bezels whenever people their phone screen breaks and screen repair costs around 80% of smartphone price.”
Charge Your Battery Correctly
We’re all guilty of letting our phone battery drop almost all the way down before we plug it into the charger. This can seem harmless, but it can actually cause your phone to die before its time. Letting your phone get to a lower battery percentage, like 1%, and then charging it can make your battery less effective over time, and eventually, you could need to replace the phone because of this. Another bad charging practice is charging your phone longer than it actually needs. Like letting your phone battery get too low, this can cause stress on your battery and impact its ability to stay charged. Once your phone is charged, there’s no reason to keep it plugged in. Many people recommended keeping your phone battery charged anywhere from 40% to 80% most of the time to keep your battery working properly. Nayan Malpani with aTrendHub also told us to “Always charge the phone with the company’s charger and also do not give it to others.” This seems like a simple ask, but using generic or low quality cables to charge your smart phone can hurt it’s battery life in the long run.
Recycle Your Phone When It’s Unusable
Of course, even the best care can’t prevent your phone from eventually getting too old or broken to use anymore. After you’ve put in the effort of being responsible while you’ve owned the phone, you want to continue that once your phone is no longer usable. When your phone has reached the end of its life, make sure that it gets recycled properly. This prevents harmful toxins from ending up in landfills and allows expensive phone parts to be reused in future devices. If your phone still works, but you want to treat yourself to an upgrade, see about donating it to someone who could benefit from a used smartphone.
Newtech Recycling can help make sure your old devices are recycled responsibly. If you have old phones you need to get rid of, contact us to learn more.