The average smartphone has a lifespan of two to three years, though it can survive longer if properly cared for. However, you can do much to keep your smartphone from getting damaged or dying before it’s time. Check out our tips for maintaining your smartphone in pristine condition for as long as possible before acquiring a new, used, or upgraded model.

• Get a protective case.

When you purchase a new phone, you should first get a case for it. While many people enjoy the smooth rear of their fresh new smartphone, you won’t like it if it cracks. A decent case should be solid and sturdy, shockproof, and waterproof. Apple has developed a new line of magnetic cases called MagSafe that iPhone 12 customers may want to consider purchasing. A case fitted over the back of your smartphone will ensure that it sustains little to no damage if you drop it.

• Use a screen protector.

A screen protector is also recommended if you want to preserve your phone in good working order for as long as possible. Phone screens can get fingerprint smudges, scratches, and cracks if they don’t have a screen protector. Having a screen protector adds a layer of protection to your phone. The protector itself may have scratches and cracks, but if it’s a decent one, these will not be reflected on your phone’s screen beneath. Screen protectors can be manufactured from a variety of materials, including:

• Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) – This material offers the tiniest scratch and impact resistance, yet it is inexpensive, light, and thin.
• TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane) -TPU is a more flexible material that requires users to smooth out air bubbles after application but produces a relatively durable surface.
• *Tempered glass-*Tempered glass is without a doubt the most excellent option. Tempered glass is thicker and more rigid than plastic guards; thus, it will protect your screen from scratches and other noticeable damage.
• Maintain cleanliness.

Keeping your phone clean is essential for your health as well as the health of your device. When your phone is covered in dust, its performance suffers. Wipe your screen gently with a soft screen-cleaning cloth and an appropriate screen cleaner. Then, open the case now and again to clean the phone and remove dust. Phones are ten times more filthy than toilet seats, so you’ll want to learn how to eliminate all those nasty germs!

• Look after the battery.

Many people’s phone batteries are the first to die. Purchasing a phone with solid battery life is a significant first step, but you also need to know how to maintain your battery. Maintaining the health of your phone’s battery will increase its longevity. Most battery maintenance depends on how you charge your phone, but there are a few other things you can do to keep your battery running smoothly. Check out our ideas for helping your battery last longer and our complete guide to charging your phone correctly to avoid replacing it.

• Maintain app and system updates

Your phone will prompt you to download and install apps and system upgrades on both iPhones and Android smartphones. The system update for iPhones is currently iOS 14, while Android smartphones are running Android 10.

Your system is updated with security features, bug fixes, and other improvements to keep your phone running at peak performance. If you do not download these, you will not only be vulnerable to virus infection, but your smartphone will be slower. Similarly, programs occasionally request updates from the Apple Store or the Google Play Store. These will run more smoothly and be free of any problems.

• Remove all unused apps.

The more data you load onto your phone, the slower it may get. If you have several apps on your phone that you no longer use, uninstall them to clear up space and prevent your device from updating or running them in the background.

• Expand storage

You could expand its capacity with an external SD card if your smartphone supports it. This allows you to free up internal memory on your device, which should result in improved performance. However, as with unused apps, the more you store in your phone’s storage, the more strain you put on it to be responsive. Clearing this will allow you to store more data, photographs, apps, and videos without interfering with your smartphone’s overall performance.

• Avoid dropping it.

Avoid dropping your phone whenever possible, especially on hard surfaces. Your phone is more likely to survive a drop if a case and a screen protector protect it. Without these levels of defense, your phone could be smashed and broken, rendering it unusable or unfixable by your maker.

• Avoid excessive temperatures.

Too much heat or cold might degrade your smartphone’s performance by harming the battery. Batteries do not fare well at severe temperatures and should be turned off and allowed to cool down if they become too hot. This is also why you should avoid overcharging your phone because it can overheat.

• Keep Your Phone Dry.

Water and telephones do not mix, as we all know. Stay away from situations that could bring the two together. Don’t chat on your phone while it’s raining, don’t eat or drink near it, and keep it away from open water (such as a pond, the beach, or toilets).

There’s a lot of advice on this topic, and the availability of publications may lead you to believe that saving your phone, in this case, is a foregone conclusion. However, every phone is unique, as well as every spill. In addition, most phones these days lack replaceable elements such as batteries. Therefore, this guide will not save every telephone.

1. Immediately turn off your phone.

Because of water’s famed conductivity, passing an electrical charge through any wet electrical circuit is sure to produce problems. However, wetting an off-circuit is far less dangerous than soaking an active one. And simply because an electrical gadget becomes wet does not mean it is damaged. If you’re lucky, your phone was turned off before any substantial damage was done.

2. Use a moist towel to clean the phone for saltwater, beer, and other liquids.

Yes, you will get your phone wet again. However, salt water is acidic and will harm your phone if not removed. Most cell phones nowadays should be able to withstand a damp towel. Re-dry it immediately.

3. Look for oddities.

Luckily, after your phone is dry, it will continue to function normally. Or it could keep operating but with odd new quirks. So keep an eye on it over the next several days and put it through crucial duties like playing music, capturing images, and so on. If you detect any difficulties, you may need to get it repaired or replaced.

4. Dry it with a gentle towel.

You can also use a paper towel or cloth, but make sure it’s soft and free of lint.

• Place the towel outside the charging port.
• Insert no other things into the charging port. Cotton swabs, for example.
• Don’t take out the SIM card.
• Do not use an external heat source to dry your phone. As an example, consider a hair dryer. Please don’t do it.

5. Put it away for a bit.

This one is contentious. Some individuals recommend turning off your phone for at least a few days. While it may be painful to be separated from a man’s best friend, they believe that the phone will short-circuit if there is moisture inside. But, according to our expert technician Matthew Zieminski, leaving it alone won’t improve it much. “Ultimately, the only tried and true procedure to repair water damage is to take it entirely apart, clean every component with 91% purity Isopropyl Alcohol, do micro soldering repair on corroded components, and replace the battery,” he explained.

What Not to Do

• Popular internet solutions may not be the best method to rescue your gadget.
• Do not put your phone in a bag of raw rice. You know what happens when water is added to rice, and you don’t want to put starchy rice on your phone. Also, even if there isn’t enough moisture for the rice to expand, you don’t like to introduce any additional minerals into your gadget.
• Do not dry it in the sun since heat can damage the internal components.
• Similarly, please do not use a hair dryer to dry it.
• Don’t plug in your phone until it’s scorched.

• Is Phone Insurance Coverage for a Cracked Phone Screen Available?

The first step is to determine whether your phone insurance covers damaged phone screens and, if so, under what conditions. If this is the case, ordering a repair should be simple. If your phone screen is shattered, the central issue will go without it for a few days. That’s the worst it gets (although you might have to pay an excess charge). The problems with broken smartphone screens begin when you discover that you cannot obtain a replacement screen through your insurance. When this occurs, you must take control of the situation.

• Apply a Screen Protector to a Cracked Screen

Would you like to know if you can use a screen protector on a cracked screen? You certainly can, but only in particular circumstances. A screen protector is unnecessary for displays with chips and shards of glass that are loose or absent. In addition, it will not be able to attach effectively since the mirror is moving. As a result, you squandered money on a screen protector. However, installing a screen protector over a damaged screen may help keep the glass from cracking further. In addition, it could help to avoid future spidering.

• How to Repair a Broken Phone Screen

You may have discovered (or decided) that you don’t need a new phone by now. But how would you replace the screen if your phone’s display cracked?

You can probably find a DIY cure for anything thanks to the internet. Hello phone fix is a beautiful place to start because it offers instructions on repairing a damaged screen and links to the parts. It’s also worth reading our advice on fixing a damaged smartphone screen.

There are a lot of repair tutorials on YouTube. You can purchase replacement screens online from eBay and AliExpress. The advantages of a do-it-yourself repair include lower repair costs and a sense of success. It’s important to remember that without the proper preparation, you could go wrong. You can also try a local phone repair business; a Google search will show you where to find one and user reviews. Although you’ll most likely be charged by the hour, a trained technician can repair a screen fast.

• Is your phone’s screen broken? Purchase a New Device!

The most apparent option: buy a new phone. Sometimes you have to declare defeat and replace your broken device. Sure, spending so much money might be painful. However, it may be less expensive than buying a replacement and updating it a few months later. Instead of upgrading shortly, it may be wiser to do it now. If you purchase a new phone, do not do it through your carrier. Buy an unlocked edition instead; that will save you a lot of money, even though it appears to be more expensive. If you’re in the market for a new phone, check out our list of the best budget smartphones.

• Accept your broken phone screen.

Are you short on cash? Not interested in doing it yourself or paying for repairs?

Why not just keep using your phone if it’s still working and the screen doesn’t appear to be in danger of falling apart? Sure, it’ll irritate you for a while, but you’ll get used to it. Saving money on a new phone is usually a good thing. If your contract is about to expire, this is your best option. You can always use sticky tape to cover the crack in the screen. Otherwise, protect your phone with a protective case; it should last until the next upgrade.