Phone maintenance
None of this is expert advice. It's what people worked out for themselves, usually the hard way — what actually helped, and what they'd tell someone standing where you are. Take what fits and leave the rest.
If you only read a few
Toggle Airplane Mode on and then off to reset the cellular connection if you lose service or experience slow data speeds.
This forces the phone to renegotiate the connection with the network, which is faster than restarting the device.
- This does not work on all phones; one user noted their 3GS required a reset instead.
4 people, independently
Reboot or power off your phone if it is running super hot.
Phones do not like to overheat.
one person who lived it
Switch to Airplane Mode when drinking heavily with friends.
It prevents sending embarrassing drunk texts and helps you focus on real-life interactions.
one person who lived it
Avoid leaving your phone in extreme cold, such as in a car overnight at freezing temperatures.
One person experienced sudden shutdowns even at 90% charge under these conditions.
one person who lived it
Manually select a specific network when roaming to prevent the phone from constantly searching for a home signal.
Constantly searching for a home signal drains the battery.
one person who lived it
Plug phones directly into AC outlets using an adapter rather than using USB ports whenever possible.
Using a USB port can provide a direct line for weird power or unauthorized USB access.
one person who lived it
Keep your phone in Power Save or Low Power Mode to help conserve battery.
3 people, independently
Use an old phone to play music, audiobooks, or podcasts while using your primary phone for GPS navigation to avoid interruptions.
It allows for uninterrupted listening.
one person who lived it
Enable ultra power saving mode while charging to increase speed.
2 people, independently
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Consider removing your phone case while charging to reduce overheating.
Reducing overheating may help with charging efficiency.
one person who lived it