Modern smartphones have reached a plateau. Each new release makes only small gains, rendering frequent upgrades to new models a waste of time and money.
The good news is that smartphones now last a long time: look after yours properly and it could last seven years or more. Here’s how to make your phone go the distance.
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How to make your smartphone last longer
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Get a good case
The most frequent fate of a phone is a smashed screen or damaged back. Drops happen, but a good-quality case with proper impact protection can prevent them from becoming an expensive mistake. Most manufacturers make cases for their phones, but beefier cases are available from companies such as OtterBox, Spigen and Speck. More sustainably minded options include biodegradable cases, including those made by Wave Case and Pela. Also, consider fitting a good strengthened-glass screen protector, which will stop your screen from getting scratched and help prevent cracks.
Defender phone case
From £12.99 at OtterBox
Screen protectors
From £4.97 at Carphone Warehouse
From £19.99 at Belkin
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Get a grip (or a strap)
A phone grip can help you keep hold of even the largest of devices. There are many options, including the ever-popular Popsockets, which are essentially pop-out knobs you stick to the back of a phone with magnets or adhesive. Alternatives include phone rings and loops and hooks, though you could also consider getting a case with a lanyard to put over your wrist or around your neck or a cross-body phone strap.
Cross-body phone strap
From £33 at Casetify
From £33 at Amazon
PopGrips
From £2.99 at Etsy
From £10.99 at Popsockets
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Keep it updated
New versions of your phone’s operating system bring two things: added functionality and crucial security updates. Given that most whiz-bang features on new models are now software-based, you can often get them for your existing phone simply by updating to the latest Android or iOS and keeping your apps up to date. More importantly, these updates will keep your phone protected against security threats to help prevent criminals from stealing your data. When your phone stops getting security updates, you should stop using it.
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Clear out your storage
Most phones come with a decent amount of storage, but they can fill up over the years with photos, videos, music, apps and the general detritus of modern life. Make sure you have at least 2GB to 5GB of free storage at all times to help keep your phone running quickly.
Regularly clear out blurry or duplicate photos and unneeded screenshots. Store your photos and videos in the cloud: there are plenty of providers to choose from, such as Apple’s iCloud, Google Photos, Amazon Photos and Microsoft’s OneDrive. Delete unused apps and games. Remove old music, films and TV shows that have been downloaded for offline playback. Empty your downloads folder and clear out your messaging storage, particularly if you’re part of WhatsApp group chats, as every image, gif or video sent quickly adds up.
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Protect the battery and plan for a replacement
Batteries are consumables that wear down every time you charge them until they need replacing, so it’s important to plan for a battery replacement after a few years of use. Most modern smartphone batteries last about 500 to 1,000 full charge cycles. Each charge cycle is cumulative, so if you use 60% of the battery one day, recharge it and then use 40% the following day before recharging it, that is one full charge cycle.
There are things you can do to help extend the life of the battery. Avoid exposing it to extreme temperatures, which accelerate ageing. Using your phone less means fewer recharges, so frequent use of the battery-saver mode, setting a short screen timeout and other power-saving settings can help.
Changing the way you charge it can make a big difference, too. Batteries have to work harder in the first and last 20% of capacity, causing more degradation of their internal components than the middle bit. Keeping a battery mostly between 20% and 80% of its maximum charge will significantly reduce its wear over time.
Both Android and iOS devices have long been able to learn from your charging habits and charge the battery to 100% only just before you need it, such as an hour before you wake up. But you can also now limit the maximum charge to 80% on many devices.
For iPhone 15 and later, look in Battery Charge settings. For Android devices, including Samsung, Pixel and OnePlus, look in settings under battery protection, charging optimisation or battery health, depending on the manufacturer.
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Keep it clean
Cleaning your phone screen with antibacterial spray from time to time is a good idea, but don’t forget to also clear out the various holes in the sides of your phone. Keep the charging port clear of pocket fluff to stop it from becoming blocked, and watch out for the buildup of detritus in the speaker and mic holes. If you don’t routinely play music out loud, it’s worth cranking the phone’s volume up to maximum with a loud and aggressive track every so often to eject built-up dust, particularly from the earpiece speaker.
Antibacterial phone spray
From £1 at Muc-Off
Antiviral phone wipes
£1.25 at Wilko
£1.25 at The Range
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Samuel Gibbs is the Guardian’s consumer technology editor
