Two places to never leave your Samsung phone while charging – and three other mistakes make it even riskier

SAMSUNG has warned users about two common billing errors.

It’s bad for your phone – and also potentially physically dangerous.

Many of us charge our phones overnight because it’s convenient.

But you need to make sure you don’t take it to bed while it’s charged.

Your phone may become hot while charging, with serious consequences.

“It is important to take some precautions when charging,” Samsung warned in a battery memo.

“Do not leave the device on a blanket, sofa, etc.”

The phone maker added: “Do not leave the device on your pillow.”

One of the big problems with this is that heating up the phone takes a huge toll on the battery.

Heat is not good for the physical battery cell and can permanently affect its charging capacity.

So if your phone is constantly overheating, you’ll find that its maximum battery life gets worse over time.

But fire experts have warned extensively about the dangers of charging at night.

“Never charge a battery or device under a pillow, in bed or near a couch,” the New York Fire Department said in a fire safety memo.

“Lithium-ion battery fires have caused deaths, serious injuries and devastating property damage.”

It’s also important to keep your phone out of direct sunlight.

Samsung also recommends using original Galaxy phone chargers, avoiding plug adapters, and avoiding “damaged cables or plugs.”

There is a long list of other situations where your Samsung Galaxy phone can get very hot.

Samsung’s official list of reasons your phone might get hot includes:

• During initial setup after purchase or when restoring data.
• When downloading large files.
• When using apps that require more power or using apps for long periods.
• While multitasking or running many apps in the background.
• When using a large amount of data for synchronization with the cloud, email or other accounts.
• When the device is placed in direct sunlight.
• When using the mobile hotspot and tethering feature.
• When using the device in areas with weak signals or no reception.
• When charging the battery with a damaged USB cable.
• When the device’s multifunction jack is damaged or exposed to foreign materials such as liquid, dust, metal dust, or pencil lead.
• When you are roaming.

If your phone gets too hot, it may start to not work properly.

“If the device overheats or reaches a certain temperature, a warning message will appear to prevent device failure, skin irritation and damage, and battery leakage,” Samsung explained.

“To lower the device temperature, screen brightness and performance speed will be limited and battery charging will stop.

“Running applications will close and all calls and other characteristics will be limited, except for emergency calls, until the device cools down.”

A second message may even appear signaling that the device is being turned off.

If a forced shutdown occurs, it means your phone was extremely hot – and was at risk of damage.

You should also avoid charging your phone if you see a “water droplet” icon on the display.

This means your phone is wet and should not be charged.

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