How cold is too cold for your Samsung Galaxy phone during winter?

January is the coldest month of the year across much of the Northern Hemisphere, with temperatures dipping below freezing in many places. And guess what? Phones don’t like the cold. Just like they don’t love summer’s worst heat waves.

Should you worry about using your Galaxy phone in winter? Is there anything you should do differently?

In most cases, not really. Your phone will be fine unless you’re heading into extreme cold, where hardware can struggle and cameras may stop behaving normally.

That said, it depends on how cold it gets and which device you’re using.

Samsung notes that Galaxy phones work best between 0 and 35 degrees Celsius (32–95 Fahrenheit), though that range is fairly conservative. You can absolutely use your phone outside those limits, but that’s where quirks can show up. In freezing temperatures, you might notice:

Not all phones react the same way. Foldables, in particular, are more vulnerable in the cold. Materials stiffen as temperatures drop, and repeatedly folding or unfolding a cold display can increase the risk of damage.

Samsung ran some tests. The Galaxy Z Fold 7’s inner screen is rated for up to 500,000 folds at optimal temperatures. At -20 degrees Celsius (-4 Fahrenheit), that number can drop dramatically, to around 60,000 folds.

With that in mind, here are a few simple tips worth remembering if you’re using your Galaxy phone in cold weather:

Nothing dramatic, just a little winter common sense for your phone. It's not worth losing sleep over worries about phones in cold weather, but keep in mind that consumer electronics don't like extreme temperatures and sudden temperature swings, and take the appropriate precautions. You should be fine.