It’s no surprise that overheating can affect and damage your smartphones, tablets, and laptops. But, did you know that the dropping temperatures outside can take a toll on them as well? All smartphones, tablets, and laptops have been designed to work within safe temperature ranges. Below is a chart showing some of these safe ranges.

These temperatures refer to the optimal usage temperature or outside environment of the device.  When your devices are used in temperatures outside of these safe ranges, you may experience a few problems.

Here are just a few of the problems you may experience on chilly days and some tips to keep your devices safe.

• Battery Drain: This is probably one of the most common side effects of the cold weather. When cold, device batteries can drain faster than normal. According to BatteryUniversity.com it’s because cold temperatures actually slow the electrical current in your device’s battery, causing the capacity to diminish. The good thing is that these problems are only temporary, and the battery should behave normally when the device is warmed up. So always make sure your devices are fully charged before leaving the house. You should also keep a charger, charging cables, or alternate power supply on-hand in case your battery does die. You wouldn’t want to be stuck in a snow drift and not be able to call for help!

• Screen Issues: In cold temperatures, LCD displays on smartphones and tablets can become slow to respond. You may experience delayed touchscreen reactions and smudging or ghosting of images. Also, the cold weather makes the screen panel more rigid, which makes it more likely to shatter if dropped. If your screen is already cracked, the cold weather could make it worse. Just like a cracked car windshield, the cold can cause the cracks to expand. To protect your devices, make sure they have a heavy duty and waterproof protective case to help to protect them in the winter. There are also some cases that offer thermal protection to help keep your devices warm. For laptops, look for a case that’s well-insulated and padded.

• Internal Component Damage: Many devices contain delicate electronic parts that cannot withstand extremely cold temperatures. Some components can become brittle and crack in the cold. Some devices also have difficulty reading SIM cards, using disk drives, or executing any number of processing operations in the cold. According to Userbytes.com, many drives use lubricant to keep them spinning at a designated speed. In cold temperatures, the lubricant can thicken or harden, making drives unable to spin at the appropriate speed. This can cause boot-up failures which can further damage a device. Finally, just like how your glasses fog over when you come inside from the cold, the same thing can happen to your devices. However, the condensation can occur inside your device or underneath your display screen. This could cause sensitive electrical components to short circuit or corrode.
  
  
• Other Recommendations: When you head out into the cold, keep your electronic devices in a pocket close to your body if possible. This will help protect it from the snow or other precipitation. Your body heat will also help to keep your devices warm and lessen the effects of the cold.  If you must take your devices out, limit their use and exposure to the direct cold. Don’t leave devices in your car overnight or for long periods of time in cold weather. This could permanently damage some of their components. When you go inside, let your devices warm up before you turn them on. Your devices should be at room temperature before you boot them up.