Samsung shares ‘cradle’ mistake overheating your phone, slowing it down and killing battery life in list of summer fails

THE summer heat may be slowing down your phone and killing battery power - but there's an easy solution.

Samsung has a lengthy list of tips to keep your phone safe during the warmer months.

If you find your phone is getting too hot, there are a few ways to reduce the temperature.

Avoid making the dreaded "cradle" mistake, or leaving your device in a phone holder on hot days.

These tools typically mount to the windshield or dashboard, enabling hands-free use of a navigation app while driving.

While it may be helpful, a phone holder will expose your device to more sunlight - especially while using mobile data, Bluetooth, or charging.

The easiest solution is to move your phone out of the sun and leave it to cool down.

You can also remove your phone case to prevent the device from heating up further.

Another simple fix is closing any apps placing a strain on the phone's power and working memory.

Close any apps you aren't using, especially if they are graphically intensive, like mobile games.

It is also worth reducing screen brightness. While this may make it easier to see in the sun, it also siphons power from your phone, raising the temperature.

You should ensure adaptive brightness is disabled. This feature automatically increases display brightness when it detects sunlight.

Begin by swiping down from the top of the screen to open the Quick Panel.

Tap the arrow next to the bar to adjust screen brightness, then toggle off the switch next to “Adaptive Brightness."

You can also try lowering the screen resolution if the option is available on your device.

A higher resolution means more pixels are being displayed at once. This uses more memory and battery power, causing your phone to heat up.

From Settings, navigate to Display, followed by Screen resolution.

Your phone also comes with a built-in feature that optimizes performance to help your device run more smoothly.

The Battery and Device Care tool will reduce the memory being used and close any apps that are running in the background.

As a last resort, Samsung suggests temporarily putting your phone in Airplane Mode

This will disable non-essential features on your phone, which may help it cool down.

Samsung charging tip – how to charge best

Here's Samsung's official advice...

To get the most out of your smartphone's battery, you'll need to charge it properly.

Most Smartphones have a lithium-ion battery that lives longer when charged regularly.

Unlike the nickel batteries used in older phones, lithium-ion batteries do best when kept above a 50 percent charge.

Repeatedly allowing the battery to drain fully may shorten its life and decrease its overall capacity.

If this happens, you'll need to charge the battery more frequently and it may last only a few hours before needing a charge, for example.

Leaving the phone connected to the charger (when the phone is completely charged) while you are using it may lower battery life if you do it repeatedly.

Remember, a warm phone isn't always indicative of a problem.

It's normal for your phone to increase in temperature, especially if you're doing an activity that uses a lot of processing power.

This includes video calling, playing a mobile game, or streaming video.

In addition to the tips listed above, Samsung recommends updating your device to ensure it is running as smoothly as possible.