Overview
- Short-form videos on TikTok and other platforms have promoted placing overheated smartphones in refrigerators or freezers as a quick fix.
- Engineers and repair experts say the sudden temperature drop causes internal condensation that can create short circuits and corrosion inside devices.
- Reports on Thursday showed repair workshops receiving multiple phones and tablets with moisture damage and at least one swollen battery that exploded in a shop.
- Manufacturers such as Apple, Google and Samsung advise safer steps: stop heavy apps, unplug chargers, remove cases and let devices cool slowly in the shade.
- Following these warnings can reduce permanent damage, avoid voiding warranties and limit rising repair costs driven by risky social-media lifehacks.