How to look after your mobile device

Almost all Australians now own a smartphone and this is often a significant investment. We also store a lot of personal and important information on our phones. So it’s important to take care of your phone and maintain it properly.

Here are some tips on maintaining your mobile:

• Keep it charged: Remember to keep your battery charged so you don’t find yourself in a situation where you can’t make a call or send a text in an emergency. Also, always use genuine batteries and chargers from your phone manufacturer or a reputable retailer. Going for the cheap option of a counterfeit battery, phone or charger can be dangerous. And remember to keep your mobile battery out of landfill by safely recycling it with MobileMuster when it reaches the end of its lifecycle.
• Secure it:  Our phones are replacing our wallets and so we need to treat our phones as we would treat our wallet and enable the security features on our phones such as PINs, passwords, fingerprint or facial recognition. This will prevent someone else from using your phone and running up charges as well as protect any personal information that may be stored on your device e.g. banking details, credit/debit cards, contacts and photos. If your phone is lost or stolen, contact your service provider immediately to block both the SIM card and the phone’s unique IMEI.
• Clean: Mobiles can be cleaned with a soft cloth. Avoid using harsh detergents, solvents or harsh chemicals.
• Keep it dry: Keep your phone dry as liquids and high humidity can damage most phones.

And if your mobile does get wet or falls into water:

• Quickly retrieve it and dry it. (If your phone is connected to its charger and a power source when it falls into water, turn off the power source first to avoid an electric shock)
• Turn the phone off immediately (leaving it on can cause a short circuit).
• Open up any compartments, covers or sockets on the phone and remove the battery and SIM card (SIMs are usually able to recover) and gently dry with a towel.
• Place the phone in uncooked rice (or similar desiccant) in a sealed container as this will assist in drying it out completely. Leave the phone in the rice overnight.
• Most mobiles will have an indicator that will show if your phone has been water damaged (check with your manufacturer or service provider) and this will let you know if your mobile can be saved.
• Don’t use a hairdryer or heat source to dry your phone as this could damage it further.

• Protect your screen: Using a cover for your mobile is a good idea as it can prevent a cracked screen or scratches. Rough treatment can damage the circuitry in your mobile so avoid dropping or unnecessarily shaking your phone.
• Keep it at the right temperature: Avoid exposing your phone to extreme changes in temperatures as this can cause condensations and damage the phone.
• Don’t expose your mobile to heat sources. Never leave your mobile device sitting in direct sunlight or in a hot car – especially during summer months. Most devices will show a warning if they are overheating. If your device has been exposed to heat, take it to a cooler place and remove any cover/case to ensure it is well ventilated.

Finally, your phone’s manufacturer is always the best source of information for any issues regarding how to maintain or care for your phone, so check the manufacturer’s website if you have any questions.