How To Protect Your iPhone From Cold Weather

While we’ve made it through January and survived the coldest (and shortest) days, there’s still plenty of winter left, especially if you live somewhere like Minnesota where it’s possible to get snow in May. If you live in a cold weather state, you’ve probably experienced that horrifying moment when your phone’s battery drains and shuts down after only a few minutes outside. If you hail from a warmer state, like California, this guide can be just as useful if you decide to take a journey to where 'white Christmas' dreams actually come true.

A Jacket for Your iPhone

While having an iPhone case is always a good idea, it can also function as a base layer against cold weather. Cases made of leather and wood are a great first step, but investing in a heavy duty case for outdoor winter activities will keep your phone a little warmer and dry. If you lose your phone while on a ski run, having bright colors can make retrieval a little easier as well. Plus with snow falling and lights twinkling, your Instagram feed will thank you.

Body Heat – Not Just A Song By Selena Gomez

While fancy phone cases and jackets are nice when outside, sometimes simple body heat can do the trick just as easily. However, not all body heat is created equal. Parents may have to constantly remind their kids to wear a hat to conserve heat, it’s really your core that will help keep your phone safe and sound. If you can attach your phone to your core either through a shirt with a pocket or a running band, you’ll have a better chance of keeping your phone nice and warm. Also keeping your valuables close to your heart will have us all one step closer to becoming like the characters in Her.

Put The Screen Away – It’s Good For You Anyway

By far the least popular advice but best tip for keeping your phone safe and sound is simply using it less. If you keep it in your pocket nestled with a mitten, in most conditions it will not reach the 32 degrees Fahrenheit lowest operating temperature standards. If you plan to be outside for quite some time, keeping your phone tucked away snug as a bug in a rug will save battery and keep it warmer than having it out in the open. While you won’t be able to snap as many pics or create the perfect Snapchat story, you will have an operating phone rather than an expensive, flavorless popsicle.

When The Worst Comes To Pass

So you didn’t take my advice. Or you did, but you live in a place where any temperature above 10 degrees equates to shorts weather. Your first step, as always, is to NOT panic. There are automatic safegaurds in place to shut your phone down if it becomes too hot or cold. In the case of extreme cold, your phone shouldn’t suffer any serious damage. Undoubtedly though, you will want to warm it up as fast as you can. Whatever you do, don’t try to restart your phone. This can mess with the circuiting and could actually cause your phone to fry faster than this. If you can’t get back to your car, warming hut or a place where things don’t turn into ice cubes in 5 minutes, find a way to have your phone close to your body or simply keep it in your pocket and warm it up once you get home.

Stay Frosty!

The cold weather will be with us for a bit longer but you don’t have to sacrifice your phone for it. Hopefully these tips will help you better protect your iPhone in the Winter. Here’s to hoping that in a few years, Apple will give us a phone that can survive any extreme temperatures the weather decides to throw our way.

If you need any more tips, here’s a great video highlighting all you need to know about cold weather and your iPhone.