Tech Tip: Winter can be wet and slippery. Water damage is a real concern for your smartphone. Keep it safe! don’t get it wet.

Every summer I remind people to be careful not to get their phones wet. When its raining or if by the pool, water damage is a real concern. People sometimes forget though that snow is just as damaging to your phone. Dropping your phone in a snowbank (When the snow starts falling) only gives you a few extra seconds to wipe down your phone before the snow sneaks into the electronics. Once wet, the odds of rescuing it start going down.

If your phone does get wet, turn it off right away. Remove the battery if you can. (Many phones have batteries you can’t remove unfortunately) Put your phone in a bag of rice for at least 24 hours to get the moisture out. This will give you the best chance of recovering it.

A few things to remember: Winter gloves make it hard to use your touchscreen phone, and also make your hands a little clumsier. Cold hands also make it hard to hold your phone and increase the risk of dropping it.

What can you do in the Winter to keep your phone intact?
There are gloves you can buy which will work with touch screen phones. These gloves tend not to be as bulky while still providing some protection for your hands from the elements. I would also recommend using voice dialing, voice dication and other voice commands where possible. Its easier to press 1 button to access the voice options than it is to type with cold hands.

Make sure your coat as a pocket that is easily accessible for your phone, that also provides some protection from the cold and moisture. If its a particularly wet day (or you decide to shovel the snow while listening to music on your phone) consider putting your phone in a zip lock bag in your pocket. That will also help keep the moisture out.

Stay warm and dry this winter and keep your phone safe.