Tuesday Tip: How to Keep Your Devices Cool This Summer

Summer is in full swing here in Georgia! If you’re feeling hot, so are your devices—and the ones your kids are carrying to school. Here’s how you can keep your valuable smartphones, tablets, and other tech cool and running smoothly all summer long:

• Charge devices indoors where it’s cool. Charging your phone or tablet warms up both the battery and the device. When it’s 90°F or hotter outside, charging in that heat can quickly push a device past its safe temperature, risking overheating and failure.
• Avoid using devices in direct sunlight, especially those with dark cases. Letting the sun beat down on your tech—especially on hot days—can cause plastic and metal to melt or warp before you even notice what’s happening.
• Install a reliable anti-malware app. For Android users especially, running trusted anti-malware keeps viruses and malicious apps from overworking the device’s CPU and other components, helping your device stay cool.
• Delete unused apps. Many apps run in the background without you knowing, making your device’s CPU work harder and generate unnecessary heat. Removing unused apps reduces this load.
• Never leave your devices in a hot car. Even if you park in the shade, the temperature inside a car can soar up to 170°F or more. As the sun shifts, your shaded car may end up in direct sunlight, dangerously overheating everything inside. If you absolutely must leave a device in the car, put it in an insulated bag and stash it in the trunk, not the main cabin.

You can’t control the summer heat outside, but these simple actions help keep your devices cool, protected, and running smoothly. Enjoy the rest of your summer—and a great start to the school year!