This is how you can make your phone last longer

Sick of replacing your phone every year? These are five ways you can keep your phone in relatively pristine condition for an affordable price.

Replacing your phone every year can be an extremely costly endeavour. Picture: iStock

There are two types of people: the ones that upgrade their phone every time a new model is announced, and the ones that are still carting around a phone released in the 2010s.

It’s understandably a point of contention when your partner has an old, but reliable phone with dozens of cracks on its surface area and yours has never touched a surface without it being securely sealed in a phone case.

Either way, we all want our phone to last as long as possible. These are five ways you can keep your phone safer for longer.

Tempered screen protectors can protect your phone if it is dropped.

1. Use a screen protector and a case

Modern mobile phones have two layers: a glass screen and an LCD screen underneath it. Replacing the glass screen is a fairly simple process, and more affordable than replacing the whole display.

If you drop your phone and black blobs, green blobs, or flashing lines appear you are going to need to replace the LCD screen as well as the glass screen. In most modern phones the repair will usually set you back at least $400.

The best way to protect your phone from damage is by installing a screen protector and by putting a case on it. The only exception to this rule are Nokia phones, one of the few phones with a remarkable resilience when dropped from almost any height.
For almost every other modern phone a tempered screen protector and any case made by OtterBox will keep the phone relatively safe from damage when dropped.

Keeping your phone away from water can extend its longevity. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Simon Bullard.

2. Keep your phone away from sand and water

The majority of modern phones are water resistant, however they are not completely waterproof. A brand new phone will have a degree of water resistance, however a ill-timed drop can shift or damage the display adhesive, allowing water and sand to potentially damage the internal components of the phone.

If a damaged phone is opened and the display adhesive seal is not reapplied, your phone will have a higher chance of particles entering its interior. Taking your phone into the shower or putting it down on the sand when at the beach just introduces unnecessary risk to the longevity of your phone.

It is better to keep your phone indoors during high temperatures.

3. Your phone battery isn’t made to withstand high temperatures

A phone battery will become less effective over its lifetime. Most phone manufacturers now recommend only charging your phone to 80 per cent, not to 100, to extend the longevity of the phone battery.

Mobile phones should only be used sparingly during high temperature days as excess heat can damage the battery. If multiple applications are running on your phone during a heatwave your phone can overheat and will shut down all background applications to protect the phone.

It can be hard to hear phone calls when dust has accrued inside your phone speaker.

4. Clean your charger port and speakers

Over time your phone speaker and charging port can build up with dust which can dull audio and lead to difficulty charging your phone.

Toothbrushes and pipe cleaners are cheap options that can be used to remove dust from charging ports and speakers, however, cleaning both parts should be done with care to avoid damaging the phone.

It can be extremely frustrating when your phone is not responsive.

5. Transfer files to your computer

Your phone will run less efficiently if the storage is almost full. It may be slower and take longer to open applications. Every few months you should transfer photographs and videos you don’t need to immediately access to a computer or a hard drive to help your phone run smoother.

Alternatively, some cloud providers allow you to free up phone space with just one click by keeping the original copy only on the drive. The only downside to this method is you will need access to Wi-Fi or mobile data to be able to view the files you have saved to the cloud.