With temperatures below freezing and snow showers, it is freezing in the Netherlands and Belgium for the first time in years. Even during the day, temperatures sometimes do not exceed zero degrees. We give you extra information and tips to protect your iPhone against the freezing cold.
It is good to know that the battery performs less well in these cold conditions and it is advisable to store your smartphone carefully when you are outside.
Freezing temperatures and iPhone
Can an iPhone withstand the cold weather? In principle yes, but you must keep in mind that extreme conditions are not a good idea. The Apple environmental requirements are clear. You can use the iPhone at temperatures from 0 to 35 °C. When it is completely turned off, you can store the device at a temperature of -20 to 45 °C. For mountain and winter sports it is good to know that the iPhone has been tested up to 3000 m altitude and up to this point it worked fine.
You can of course still use the smartphone outside these temperatures, but it is advisable to do this for as short a time as possible. If you accidentally leave your iPhone in the car or lose it, it could easily break due to the extreme circumstances.
iPhone battery drains faster due to freezing cold
As described above, it is better not to expose the iPhone to temperatures below zero degrees for a long time. If you do this, you will notice that the iPhone battery drains faster. This is due to the use of the lithium-ion batteries.
This type of battery works with a chemical reaction to generate electricity; the cold makes this process slower, causing the battery to perform less well. It may even be that the smartphone switches off spontaneously because it cannot be properly supplied with energy.
Protect your iPhone from the cold
If you want to use your smartphone in the freezing cold, it is always advisable to use an iPhone case. This will cause it to cool down less quickly. When you no longer use the iPhone, it is best to store it in the inside pocket of your jacket, at least as close to your body as possible. Your pants pocket or bag is a less good idea because they let more cold through.
There are also special ones heat bags which you can use to keep an inner pocket warm. However, this is only advisable in extreme circumstances, for example when you go mountain climbing, ski for a long time or when you spend the night outside. It is not recommended for a winter walk of a few hours, because the temperature differences are too great for the iPhone.
Other iPhone tips for freezing temperatures
- Let the iPhone warm up for a few minutes before using it indoors
- Control your iPhone hands-free via Siri, earphones or AirPods
- Do not leave the iPhone in a car
- On the road for a long time? Take one or more power banks with you
- Make sure you can also charge your iPhone in a car
- Avoid fast charging due to large temperature changes
Charging iPhone after the freezing cold
To safely charge your iPhone in freezing cold, first wait until the device has slowly reached room temperature (acclimatize for at least 20-30 minutes in an inner pocket or bag, without placing it directly near a heat source to prevent condensation), because charging in extreme cold slows down the process, blocks it temporarily or can damage the battery due to chemical reactions that do not work properly below zero degrees.
Preferably use a standard charger instead of fast charging, which generates extra heat and increases the risk of component expansion, and if possible choose wireless charging (MagSafe or Qi2) if the port is cold or damp; only continues to charge if the screen responds normally and avoid power banks that are also cold themselves, because they perform less efficiently.