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Advice from our repair bench
Tech Tips & Tricks
Practical tips from the technicians at Tech Pros in St. George, Utah to help your phone, computer and game console last longer, and what to do in the first few minutes after an accident.
Phones & tablets
Keep it out of a hot car
St. George summers can push a parked car well past 140°F. Heat permanently shortens battery life and can shut a phone down. Keep phones and tablets out of the sun and off the dashboard.
Turn on battery protection
Use your phone’s built-in charging protection (Optimized Battery Charging on iPhone, battery protection on Samsung and Pixel). It slows battery wear by avoiding long stretches at 100%.
Wet phone? Skip the rice
Power it off, don’t charge it, and bring it in quickly. Rice doesn’t remove water from inside the phone and can leave starch dust in the ports. Corrosion keeps spreading while you wait.
Clean the charging port gently
If your cable feels loose, lint is the usual cause. Use a wooden or plastic toothpick, never metal, with the phone off. Or bring it in and we’ll clean it during a free diagnosis.
Computers
Back up with the 3-2-1 rule
Keep 3 copies of important files, on 2 different kinds of storage, with 1 copy off-site or in the cloud. Time Machine, OneDrive, iCloud and Google Drive make this easy.
Give your laptop room to breathe
Use laptops on a desk or table, not a bed or couch. Blocked vents make fans scream and heat wears down batteries and chips.
Treat scary pop-ups as scams
A pop-up that says “virus detected” and gives you a phone number is a scam. Don’t call it and don’t let anyone remote in. Close the browser and bring the computer in if it keeps happening.
Update before it’s urgent
Install system updates when they come out. Most fix security holes that scammers already know about. If your computer can’t update anymore, ask us about your options.
Game consoles
Mind the HDMI cable
Don’t move a console with the HDMI cable plugged in, and don’t let the cable hang with tension on the port. Most HDMI port damage we fix comes from bumps and yanks.
Keep it dusted & ventilated
Leave space around the vents and keep consoles off carpet. Dust buildup is the main cause of loud fans and overheating. Our Gamer Elite plan includes 2 free cleanings a year.
Store controllers carefully
Tossing controllers into a bin or bag wears down analog sticks and leads to drift. A drawer or stand helps them last.
Security & privacy
Turn on two-factor sign-in
Enable two-factor authentication on your Apple, Google, Microsoft and email accounts. It stops most account takeovers even if a password leaks.
Use a password manager
A password manager creates and remembers a strong, different password for every site, so one breach doesn’t open everything.
Wipe devices before you sell
Before selling or trading in a phone or computer, back it up, sign out of iCloud or Google (turn off Find My), then erase it. Ask us if you’d like help.
Set up parental controls
Screen Time on Apple devices and Google Family Link on Android let you manage kids’ apps, purchases and screen time from your own phone.
Quick answers
What should I do if my phone gets wet?
Turn it off right away, don’t charge it, and don’t put it in rice. Bring it to a repair shop quickly so the board can be opened and cleaned before corrosion spreads.
How can I make my phone battery last longer?
Keep the phone out of heat, turn on its battery protection setting, and avoid leaving it at 100% for long periods. Replace the battery when its health drops below about 80%.
Is a “virus detected” pop-up real?
Almost never. Pop-ups that show a phone number and urge you to call are scams. Close the browser, don’t call, and don’t let anyone connect to your computer remotely.
Tried the tips and still stuck?
Bring it in for a free diagnosis · 245 Red Cliffs Dr #20, St. George · Mon–Fri 10am–6pm
Last reviewed October 2026 by Heman Smith, Owner, Tech Pros.