7 Habits That Keep Your Phone Out of the Repair Shop

Most phone repairs we see could have been avoided with a few small habits. Here's what we tell customers at the counter every week.

1. Use a case with a raised lip. A lip around the screen keeps the glass off the ground when your phone lands face-down. Thin "style" cases look nice but protect very little.
2. Add a tempered glass screen protector. It's cheaper to replace a cracked protector than a cracked screen. If the protector cracks, that's it doing its job.
3. Keep the charging port clean. Pocket lint packs into the port and causes loose or slow charging. Don't dig at it with anything, including toothpicks, which can splinter or bend the pins. If your charger feels loose, bring it in and we'll clean the port safely.
4. Don't trust "water resistant." Seals weaken with age and after drops. Treat your phone like it isn't waterproof, especially around pools and the beach.
5. Watch for a swollen battery. If your screen starts lifting or the back looks puffy, stop charging and bring it in. A swollen battery is a safety issue, not just a cosmetic one.
6. Use a quality-brand charger and cable. Price alone doesn't tell you much. Stick with a trusted brand, because no-name chargers can damage charging circuits over time.
7. Back up your phone. Turn on iCloud or Google backup now, before you need it.

Dropped it in liquid? Do this first • Power it off right away and don't try to charge it. • Remove the case and SIM tray, and wipe off what you can. • Skip the rice. It doesn't pull liquid out from inside the phone, and the starch and dust can end up in the ports. • Bring it in as soon as possible. The longer liquid sits inside, the more corrosion it causes. We say liquid damage, not just water, because soda, coffee, pool water and even super glue all cause trouble. Every case is different, so we can't judge liquid damage until we open the phone up.