Putting phones in freezers is a strange phenomenon that many people have experienced or heard about. There are a few main theories as to why someone would do this.
Trying to Quickly Cool Down an Overheating Phone
One of the most common reasons is that the phone has overheated, either from excessive use, being left in the sun, or another issue. The logic is that putting it in the freezer will quickly cool it down and prevent damage to the phone’s components.
Phone batteries can overheat from extended periods of heavy use, especially while charging. The lithium-ion batteries that power smartphones today generate a lot of heat. If this heat can’t dissipate, it can cause the battery capacity to degrade over time. It can also make the phone uncomfortably hot to hold in your hand.
A phone left in direct sunlight, such as on a car dashboard or windowsill, can reach dangerous temperatures very quickly. Consumer Reports found that after just one hour in full sun on a 95 degree day, an iPhone’s external temperature soared to 113 degrees. This extreme heat can damage the display, battery, and internal components.
Putting an overheated phone in the freezer brings down its temperature rapidly. The cold air acts as a heat sink, absorbing the excess heat from the phone’s processor and battery. While not recommended by phone manufacturers, it can be an effective method to avoid permanent heat damage in an emergency situation.
Attempt to Dry a Wet Phone
Another common reason people put wet phones in the freezer is to try to remove moisture from the device and dry it out. If any amount of liquid gets inside your phone, whether from an accidental drop in water or spill, it can cause both short and long-term problems.
Water conducts electricity, so if it gets on the phone’s internal circuitry, it can short connections and fry components. Any salts or minerals dissolved in the water will be left behind as deposits on the hardware when it dries. This can lead to corrosion over time.
Even a small amount of moisture causes issues. Condensation can form on internal parts as the water evaporates, interfering with connections. Water also causes the organic materials in phone components, like circuit board laminates, to swell up. Delicate parts that rely on precision clearance and spacing can be damaged or warped.
In the short term, wet phones often stop functioning properly due to electrical shorts and condensation issues. Putting them in a freezer is thought to rapidly draw moisture out of the phone’s chassis and internal components by freezing then evaporating the water, restoring functionality.
Attempting to Freeze and Disable the Phone
Placing a phone in a freezer can be an attempt to freeze it and disable it. This is typically done with a stolen phone or in cases where someone wants to cover their tracks and avoid surveillance.
At below-freezing temperatures, the water in a smartphone will begin to freeze. Expanding ice crystals can physically damage electronic components and shred internal parts over time. Batteries can be rapidly discharged or damaged in freezing temperatures.
Critical phone functions like the display, cellular radio, processor, and storage will fail to operate when frozen. This renders the phone temporarily or permanently inoperable. For a thief, this helps prevent tracking software or remote wipe commands.
Some people freeze their phones when they suspect spyware, believing it will stop the device from monitoring them. Freezing can prevent software from running and communications from being sent out, which may disrupt spyware activity in the short term.
However, freezing is not a reliable long-term solution for security issues. It may buy some time but will likely render the phone unusable. Professional forensic data removal is a safer approach for security concerns.
Attempt to Boost Freezer’s Cooling Ability
Odd as it may seem, some people place their phones in the freezer in an attempt to boost the freezer’s cooling capabilities. The logic goes that the additional thermal mass of the phone will hold colder air better when the freezer door is opened.
In reality, the effect of putting a phone in the freezer on the appliance’s cooling performance is negligible. A freezer is designed to maintain steady cold temperatures even with the regular thermal losses from opening the door and adding warmer items.
Freezers have a high level of thermal insulation in their walls along with powerful cooling systems. The heat capacity of a smartphone is tiny compared to the amount of cold air held within the freezer. So a phone is unlikely to provide any meaningful reserve of cooling.
While mostly harmless, this practice provides no real benefit. The phone is much more likely to be damaged by the freezing temperatures than the freezer is to see improved performance.
Accidentally Left It in There
One of the simplest explanations for phones ending up frozen is that they were accidentally left in the freezer. This happens more often than you might think.
It’s easy to place a phone down on top of or next to a freezer when putting away groceries. Later, it gets knocked into a grocery bag which gets put back in the freezer. Out of sight and mind, the phone gets left behind.
Phones are small enough to slip into gaps between food items or get buried at the bottom of the freezer. Visually scanning packages of frozen foods, you might miss seeing it lodged underneath.
If someone else uses the freezer, like a partner or roommate, they may not even realize the phone was left behind. Especially if it falls into a drawer freezer, it can be hard to notice unless deliberately looking for it.
Finding old phones at the back of freezers is a common occurrence when people are cleaning them out after years of accumulation. At that point, the phones are usually long dead from freezer burn damage.
To Keep it Safe from Children or Pets
For parents of young kids who grab and fling everything they see, putting a phone in the freezer can be an act of protection. Freezers are usually located out of reach of tiny hands and above pet eye level.
Toddlers love playing with phones, but lack an understanding of their value and fragility. A phone left on a low table risks getting picked up, thrown around, and possibly ruined. Kids may even try to eat or chew on phones if left unattended.
Pets like dogs may see a phone on the floor as a new chew toy. Cats could knock them off surfaces as they explore. Any pet may step on or scratch at a phone and break the screen or casing.
By placing the phone somewhere up and out of sight like a freezer, it reduces the chances of damage from little ones orfurry friends. As long as it’s remembered and removed promptly, no harm done.
Hiding It for Privacy Reasons
In some instances, people conceal a phone in a freezer or fridge to prevent others from finding it. This could be motivated by privacy concerns.
For example, teenagers may hide a second phone from their parents. People in relationships may hide phones belonging to an outside partner from their spouse or family. Employees may try keeping their personal phones hidden at work.
The cold environment can prevent the phone from being heard if it rings and may stop screen lock attempts. However, this is a risky gambit as extreme cold can still damage phones over time.
A better approach for privacy may be enabling hidden folders, apps, or accounts on the device itself. Silencing the phone and using discreet cases or covers works too. Stashing in well-insulated, room temperature spots is safer than the freezer.
Hiding Drugs or Other Illegal Items
In some cases, people use appliances to conceal objects for more nefarious reasons. A hollowed-out phone case can be used to sneak tiny items past security checkpoints.
Drug smugglers have hidden packets of drugs like cocaine inside phones and phone cases in an attempt to get through customs inspections. Phones provide cavities to conceal illegal pills or powders.
Placing one of these rigged phones in a freezer could be an attempt to evade searches. The cold helps mask scents that drug dogs could detect. In theory, a freezer is also not a typical place inspectors might look.
However, modern security scanners often use x-rays, thermal imaging, and other methods than can easily detect hidden compartments and items inside phones.
Conclusion
While putting a phone in the freezer may seem strange, there are a number of possible explanations for this behavior. The most common reasons are trying to rapidly cool an overheated device, attempting to dry a wet phone, or accidentally leaving it behind. Some people use freezers to disable stolen devices or hide phones from others.
However, it’s important to avoid putting phones in freezers when possible. The extreme cold can permanently damage phones by freezing or shorting out components. Quick cooling of hot phones can often be accomplished by simply turning them off and allowing natural heat dissipation instead.