Technology can make your life much more smooth when it’s working properly. Unfortunately, it can also make life much more frustrating when it’s not.

No matter what side of the “Android phone vs. iPhone debate” you fall on, you’re going to deal with a malfunctioning phone eventually. Perhaps the worst malfunction is when your phone randomly turns itself off.

A phone that keeps turning itself off will make you want to test its upper limits. These tests usually involve rocks and hammers. Before you see how many swings it takes to smash your phone into a million pieces, here are seven potential reasons why it’s turning itself off randomly:

The Screensaver Is Activated

It’s easy to forget that modern-day cell phones are closer to computers than telephones. Like traditional computers, the screens of smartphones will turn off after being idle for a set amount of time. The reason is to prevent battery drain and help keep your phone secure.

The screen will go black as the phone “sleeps,” and pressing the power on button is enough to wake it back up. Most phones come preset with screen savers activation times of 15 to 30 seconds.

Fortunately, you can adjust how long before your phone activates its screen saver by following these steps:

iPhone:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and select the “Display & Brightness” option.
3. Tap the “Auto-Lock” option from near the middle of the list.
4. A list will appear with times ranging from 30 seconds to never.
5. Choose the time limit that your phone can be idle before it enters sleep mode.

For Android:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your Android.
2. Scroll down and select the “Display” option.
3. Locate the “Screen Timeout” option and tap it.
4. A list will appear with times ranging from 15 seconds to 30 minutes.
5. Choose the time limit that your phone can be idle before it enters sleep mode.

The Battery Is (Almost) Dead

In the early days, mobile phones weighed several pounds, were nearly a foot long, and only had a battery life of about 30 minutes. Luckily, the battery life of cell phones has dramatically improved over the years.

Virtually all modern phones sport batteries that can last between five and eight hours on a full charge. Could you imagine how difficult life would be if batteries went back to only lasting 30 minutes?

Obviously, a cell phone will turn off whenever the battery reaches zero percent. However, the tricky thing is that a lot of phones will power down long before the battery is totally dead. It’s not uncommon for a phone to turn itself off when there is still 10 to 15 percent of battery left.

Your phone might be turning itself off because it’s reached its threshold and powered down. To prolong your phone's battery life, experts recommend charging your phone when the battery reaches 20 percent and unplugging it when it hits 80 percent.

The Power Button Is Stuck

It’s pretty common for the buttons on electronic devices to get stuck over time. It’s really only a matter of time before buttons start to get stuck. All it takes is a little dirt, dust, liquid, oil, or sweat to get lodged in the crevices, and you’re left with sticky buttons. Before the home button was discontinued, this was a common issue.

Luckily, it isn’t hard to fix stuck buttons, and it only takes a few minutes at most. A tiny brush, some rubbing alcohol, and a little compressed air are enough to do the trick and restore your buttons.

The Battery Is Defective

One of the easiest ways to identify a battery hardware problem is by mildly shaking your phone. If that’s enough to make it power down, then it’s likely a loose connection causing your problem.

Another way to test your overall battery health is to use a free app. The AccuBattery app is the best option for Android users, and Battery Life Pro is the Apple equivalent. You can run a battery test using these apps to see if your battery is functioning properly or not.

If you think the battery is to blame when your iPhone keeps dying, review how to check your iPhone’s battery health. If your Android phone keeps shutting down, do an Android battery health check-up test.

The Software Needs an Update

Mobile operating systems (OS) are what allow smartphones and other devices to run applications and programs. OS software is constantly being rewritten and improved to accommodate advances in technology. As a result, it’s common for phones to require an update every few months or so. These updates help repair software issues and make the system run better as a whole.

Update your phone’s OS software as soon as it’s available. It’s not only a potential solution for your power issues: Using a phone with an outdated OS is a security risk. Protect your data as much as possible; installing the latest update is an essential part of that.

Here is how you can check for any updates and enable automatic downloads:

For iPhone:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
2. Select the “General” option.
3. Tap “Software Update” to check for any available updates.
4. When you’re done with any updates, take the time to enable automatic software updates in the future by clicking on the “Automatic Updates” option.
5. Turn on the “Download iOS Updates” and “Install iOS Updates.”
6. Your phone will now automatically download and install any available updates overnight whenever your phone is charging and connected to Wi-Fi.

For Android:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your Android.
2. Scroll down and select the “Software Update” option.
3. Tap the “Download and Install” option to check for any available updates.
4. When you’re done with any updates, take the time to enable automatic software updates in the future by toggling the “Auto Download Over Wi-Fi” option.
5. Your phone will now automatically download and install any available updates overnight whenever your phone is charging and connected to Wi-Fi.

An App Is Causing It To Crash

The apps on your phone will also experience the occasional update from time to time. A lot of these updates are centered around fixing various bugs that cause performance issues. In some cases, these issues might be severe enough to make your phone power down. If your phone only experiences power issues when using a specific app, that could be the culprit.

The easiest fix is to search the app store for the app that’s causing problems. There might be an updated version that you can download. It might be worth uninstalling the app first to ensure you’re getting the latest version. If the app is up to date and still causing problems, consider using a different app that provides the same service.

It’s also smart to take the time and ensure all of your apps — from WhatsApp to iTunes — automatically update. If the issue is related to one app, it could be an issue in the future with another one.

Here is how you can do that:

For iPhone:

1. Open the “Settings” app on your iPhone.
2. Select the “Apple Store” option.
3. In the “Automatic Downloads” section, toggle the “App Updates” to enable the feature.
4. All of your apps should now automatically update whenever a new version is available.

For Android:

1. Open the “Google Play Store” app on your Android.
2. Select the profile icon in the upper right-hand corner.
3. Click on the “Settings” option.
4. Tap the “Network Preferences” option.
5. Press the “Auto-update Apps” option and select “Over Wi-Fi Only” to avoid incurring data charges.
6. All of the apps should now automatically update whenever a new version is available and your phone is connected to Wi-Fi.

The Phone Is Overheating

Most phones have a built-in safety feature that causes them to turn off when it’s too hot. The idea is to prevent damage to the processor and avoid a potentially dangerous situation with the battery. If it feels like your phone is even warm, then there is an issue that causes your phone to enter safe mode.

These are a few of the most common reasons why a phone might be overheating:

• The software for the OS or the installed apps is out of date.
• You’ve been using the phone in direct sunlight for an extended period.
• The charger port of your phone is broken, and/or the charging cable is worn out.
• You have too many apps open or are using ones that require a ton of processing power, such as gaming apps or online streaming.
• The battery is damaged and can’t self-regulate its internal temperature efficiently.
• You’ve downloaded malware or a rogue app that’s resulted in a virus.
• The brightness setting on your screen is too high, and/or you’re using animated wallpapers and widgets.
• The memory storage for your phone is full as you have too many apps, pictures, and videos in storage caches.

Conclusion

A phone that won’t stop shutting down on its own is essentially useless. It basically becomes a several hundred-dollar paperweight with a pitch-black screen. Trying to figure out what’s causing the problem can be very difficult. Troubleshooting the issue will almost certainly add to your overall frustration. To make matters even worse, it’s not guaranteed to work.

If you’ve gone through the list above and none of them apply, then it might be best to do a factory reset of your phone. A full reboot and hard reset is pretty much your last chance to solve the problem on your own. Before doing that, backup all of your data using iCloud, Google Drive, or another service first.

On the other hand, it might be better to simply get a new phone and move on from your current device. You’ll be wiping away everything on your phone, so you could just as easily replace it with a brand-new one. Getting a new phone isn’t nearly as easy as getting a second phone number, but sometimes it has to be done.

A newer phone will almost certainly have superior firmware that could eliminate whatever glitches are causing your phone to power off. Phones are only meant to last a few years, and upgrading yours is an easy way to turn a frustrating situation into a rewarding one. Just make sure you opt for the extended warranty in case this issue starts again in the future.

Sources:

What is a Mobile Operating System (Mobile OS)? | TechTarget

You're charging wrong: 5 ways to make gadget batteries last longer | Washington Post

Dynatac Cellular Telephone | National Museum of American History

What Is a Smartphone? A Mobile Phone and Computer In One Device | Investopedia

How to check your Android phone’s battery health and improve it | India Today

How To Check iPhone Battery Health And Find Out When To Replace It | Macworld