Cellphone batteries die faster in the cold. Here’s how to make yours last longer

Winter weather is sweeping the nation, and if you’re one of the millions of Americans in frigid temperatures, you may notice your cellphone isn’t holding a charge like usual.

That’s because your cellphone, and other gadgets, aren’t made for extremely cold weather.

Apple and Samsung, for instance, recommend not using their phones in temperatures below 32 degrees, as “cold conditions outside of its operating range might temporarily shorten battery life and could cause the device to turn off,” Apple said.

You can blame it on the lithium-ion batteries that power most cellphones.

“Lithium-ion batteries suffer so badly in freezing temperatures because they have very little internal resistance,” Hanumant Singh, an electrical engineer at Northeastern University, told Wired.

Less resistance means that lithium-ion batteries produce less “waste energy” as heat, but that lack of heat means the batteries don’t perform as well in cold temperatures, according to the outlet.

The batteries use a chemical reaction to make power, but when the chemicals get cold, it makes it more difficult for the reaction to occur, KXAN reported. This means the battery can’t create enough energy to power your phone.

The cold also increases resistance in the battery, meaning it wastes more energy and has to work harder to keep your phone going, Sciencing reported.

Depending on the temperature, your phone can die pretty quickly. An extreme example? Using your phone in -35 degree weather could cause a full battery to be completely depleted in about five minutes, Wired reported.

The good news is there are steps you can take to prolong the life of your phone battery in extreme cold.

How to make your phone battery last longer in cold weather

Nothing will preserve your battery better than shutting off your phone while in extremely cold temperatures, Sciencing reported, though you’ll likely still have to give it a charge when you’re back inside.

If turning off your phone isn’t an option, keep the device as close to your body as possible, perhaps in an internal coat pocket where your body heat can keep it warm, according to the outlet.

You can also try changing your phone to battery-saving mode, tech news site Digital Trends reported. This is typically done under a phone’s settings feature.

A thermal case may also be a good option, as they’re designed to insulate your phone from extreme hot and cold, device insurance company Asurion said. But be warned, most aren’t waterproof.

Once you’re back inside with your device, be sure to let it warm up to room temperature before you give it a charge, Asurion said. Charging it while it’s still cold can damage the battery.

You should also take care to avoid using external heat sources — such as hand warmers — to warm up your phone, according to Digital Trends, as too much heat can harm the battery, as well.

This story was originally published February 16, 2021 at 9:10 AM with the headline "Cellphone batteries die faster in the cold. Here’s how to make yours last longer."