How to Protect Your Phone Abroad
Habits to Protect your Phone
For travelers, a phone is the ultimate tool. It can be used for navigation, hotel bookings, communication, photography, video recordings, insurance verification, work, education, information and so much more. Best of all, it’s sturdy, lightweight and can be stored and carried easily. Losing or damaging your phone while traveling can be anxiety-inducing and makes short-term plans more difficult. Learning how to protect your phone while abroad can reduce stress greatly.
Affiliate Disclosure: Leftfade Trails contains affiliate links, so using services or products through these links supports the website, at no extra cost to the user. All links are to tested services and products designed to aid travelers on their journeys. Some links specifically connect to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate this website earns from qualifying purchases.
Physical Phone Safety
While phones have digital and software vulnerabilities, protecting your phone against physical damage first is paramount. When purchasing a phone, do your best to select a device that is water-resistant and weatherproof.
Ziploc
Ziploc bags are practically weightless, low-cost protection for your phone. It’s extremely easy to pack away a few Ziploc bags in any piece of luggage and pull them out when needed. If there’s a sudden onset of rain, you’re fording a river or a flood occurs, slipping your phone into a Ziploc can prevent water damage. In the event that water damage does occur, a Ziploc filled with dry rice can save an electronic device that would otherwise stop working. If you ever suspect your phone has water damage, turn the device off and store it in a bag of dry rice.
Screen Protector
As obvious as it might seem, getting a screen protector is an excellent way to protect a phone from scratches and other damage. Particularly while traveling, grains of sand and dust is a given. Gravel roads, serene beaches, dusty mountains, vast deserts and concrete debris fields all create tiny grains of sand which might sneak into a pocket and damage a screen. A screen protector limits this risk and helps prevent cracks and grime.
Phone Case
All phones, no matter how durably crafted, can be further protected with a case. While many phone cases are simple, stylish and slim, travelers generally benefit from more rugged cases. The reason is simple: Travel is volatile. You’ll be taking your phone into more environments and more adventures than the average user.
When selecting a phone case for travel, the following should be considered: Drop Rating, Water Resistance, Grip Rating and Weight.
Drop rating can protect your phone against accidental hits, most especially getting jostled while moving around.
Water Resistance provides protection against rain, weather, rivers and oceans, though a case may not halt damage if a phone is submerged.
Grip Rating refers to how easily your phone is held. If a phone has a sleek case, it probably isn’t a good phone case for travel. Different conditions, especially if you’re hiking, means your hands might be coated with dust while traveling, reducing the friction between your palm and your phone. A good Grip Rating prevents drops to better protect your phone.
Finally, all of these factors are usually inverse to weight. A heavier case weight usually implies better protection, but a bulkier device. Make sure your phone can still be stored easily and fits in your pockets when selecting a case.
Protect Your Phone in all Climates
When traveling, phones may be damaged by extreme weather conditions. High heat and cold exposure, especially while a phone is running, can cause gradual or sudden damage.
Cold Climates
Cold weather, or temperatures below freezing, tend to drain your phone’s battery faster. Prolonged use in cold weather along with frequent recharging can diminish a battery’s ability to hold a charge, lowering the lifespan of the device. Touch screens are also generally less responsive in cold weather.
When using your phone in cold weather, store your phone close to your skin to keep the device comfortably warm. If you need to charge your phone, let your phone warm up to room temperature (or above freezing) so it can charge without battery damage. Don’t leave your phone unattended in cold environments, such as a car or freezing tent. Consider turning your phone off unless you immediately need it to conserve battery. If you’re using your phone in cold weather for long periods of time, such as winter treks or visits to northern villages, consider weather-proofing your phone with a thermal pouch.
Hot Climates
If you’re using your phone in extreme heat, such as a desert or tropical area, the problems are different. Exposure to high temperatures can cause your device to frequently overheat, damaging components. Repeated exposure to high temperatures can cause permanent damage, including data corruption or slower functionality.
Protect your phone in hot temperatures by removing it from your pocket. The heat of your skin tends to slow the cooling process. Try putting your phone in a shaded area where cooling can occur. Remove your phone from direct sunlight and never charge your phone while it is currently warm or hot. Consider keeping your phone off in high temperatures to reduce the heat from the phone functioning.
Be careful when storing your phone in your backpack in hot weather. The interior of a backpack can trap considerable heat if it’s hit by direct sunlight while walking around.
In both extremely hot and extremely cold weather, it may be best to keep your phone off.
No Phones at the Beach
The beach is the absolute worst place for a phone. Saltwater, wind, sand and heat are all in abundance, making the beach a dangerous place for electronics. It is also much easier for thieves to pick through your things if you’re in the water. Consider leaving your device at home when visiting the beach. Even beach lockers are somewhat insecure when compared to a hotel safe.
If you must bring your phone to the beach, take some precautions. Keep your phone in a case or Ziploc bag when possible. Consider using a waterproof day bag to further protect your phone and other gear. If you’re worried about your device getting stolen while at the beach and there’s nobody nearby to watch it, you can always bury your phone (protected in an everything-proof bag) under your towel in the sand.
No Back Pockets
Your phone should never be placed in your back pocket when traveling. Back pockets are generally very insecure while traveling and are a common target for pickpockets. Keeping your phone in an outer pocket is always a bit of a risk, but your front pocket is slightly more secure since your hand is nearby and a person generally faces forward.
Mom Said “No Phones at the Table”
When dining at cafes and restaurants when traveling, avoid placing your phone on a table. Phones resting on the table, especially when outside, are prone to being swiped. If you’re using your phone at a table, return it to your pocket when you’re no longer looking at the screen.
Multi-Factor Authentication
Unfortunately, phones do get stolen or are viewed by security teams at international and airport checkpoints. When this happens, having extra security features can protect your data. First, consider simply turning your phone off when going through security. Most secure points aren’t interested in waiting around for a device to turn back on to view information.
All technology users should also have multi-factor authentication on their phones. Multi-factor or two-factor authentication adds layers of protection which makes it much harder for others to access the data. Multi-factor authentication might be a thumbprint scan along with a typed password.
Beware Public Transit Seats
Public transportation is one of the areas where phones are often stolen. Offenders simply lean out, pluck a phone free from a purse or pocket, and then exit a vehicle before anyone notices.
Be cautious when keeping your phone in your pocket on a bus, airplane or metro. If there are gaps in the seats, take note and move your phone to a safer location, such as the day bag held in your hands.
Tracking Hardware or Software
Another method for protecting your device is by installing tracking software or putting a physical tracking device on it.
It’s easy to leave your phone on a table or in a hotel room during a rush. It’s also easy to have your phone stolen and then pawned off at a local shop.
Tracking software is usually included for free in modern devices. Keeping this active allows you to find your phone from another device (such as a borrowed laptop or phone). If a phone has been recently stolen, activate the find-my-phone feature remotely and provide local law enforcement with the information to get your phone back.
It’s also possible to add a physical tracking fob to your phone’s case. This device has the same function as the device-tracking software, but it will continue to work even if your phone’s data has been wiped.
Never try to get your phone back personally. Risking a confrontation in a foreign country is a dangerous idea. Leave the matter to local law enforcement and lock your device remotely if possible.
Protect Your Phone With Insurance
Sometimes, Murphy’s Law fully asserts itself and everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. When your phone is damaged or stolen, travel insurance becomes your last and best resort.
Traveling with insurance can help with an enormous number of otherwise-irredeemable situations. Theft, medical emergencies, flight cancellations, luggage loss and more can all be covered by a travel insurance company. Keep in mind that many agencies require your travel information well before your journey begins.
Decoy Phone
One decent method for protecting your device is the use of a decoy phone. A decoy phone can be used in public, kept in your front pocket and is borderline worthless. This might be an old, outdated phone or a cheap device.
A decoy phone can be offered up in the case of a mugging or used for navigation, making it the more obvious target of pickpockets.
The decoy phone I use was received in 2010 as a free promotion when I signed up for a temporary phone plan. The only things it can do is navigate with Google Maps, read books and use the flashlight feature. I use it frequently in public for reading and navigation, but if it’s ever damaged or stolen, it’s not a cause for concern.
Phones on the Road
Your phone is a powerful aid to traveling. It can perform countless wonderful, helpful functions and streamline the travel process. Learning a few extra habits to protect your phone can improve a trip experience greatly.
Best regards and excellent trails,
Old Sean