What Happens If You Sit On Your Phone? (Destructive Result?)

If you’ve been bouncing around on your chair while working, only to discover that you’ve just sat on your phone- your next words might naturally be:

“Oh no! What happens if you sit on your phone?”

As you may know, smartphones are fragile devices that can break rather easily. They’re not very robust at all, and can be damaged by knocks, bumps, and other hard impacts when you drop them.

There are several things that may happen if you sit on your smartphone. Two of the most likely possibilities are:

  • A phone screen gets a smattering of dead pixels,
  • The screen is completely broken.

In this article, we’ll not only be discussing what happens if you sit on your phone, but also other surprising ways that your device can be damaged!

Can Sitting On Your Phone Damage It?

mobile phone with a broken screen

Surprisingly (or not), one of the most common ways people damage their cell phone is by sitting on it!

Although many are lucky enough to escape such incidents with their devices unscathed, sitting on your device may cause at least one or two lines to appear on your screen.

Your phone’s screen is made of glass, and sitting on it can cause it to either crack or shatter.

Additionally, sitting on your phone may also affect the touchscreen capabilities of the device.

Don’t be surprised when you pick the phone up after having sat on it only to find that the left or right side of the device is no longer responding to your touch!

Additionally, the device might end up with a big ink stain of dead pixels that quickly fills up the entire screen.

If this happens, you will again be completely unable to navigate your device, as the stain will block you from being able to see what is being shown on the screen.

As a general rule, prevention is always better than cure- so get a nice, protective phone case and a strong screen protector!

Of course, accidents will still happen here and there. Many people are quite prone to dropping their phones, after all (this author included).

And after this most recent incident, you should also definitely make sure to be careful about leaving your phones on the couch or dining chairs!

Can Stepping On Your Phone Break It?

man about to step on a phone

The answer to this is both yes and no.

If you momentarily step on your phone with your soft bare feet, you might be lucky enough that the only thing you have to do afterwards is clean it!

However, if you step on your phone with a hard boot or you put the entire weight of your heel on the device, then you’ll most likely hear an excruciating *crack*.

I know you heard that in your mind as you were reading it, too.

Just like sitting on your phone, stepping on it could split your screen into several pieces, which will unfortunately leave you with no other option than to get a replacement.

Additionally, your touch screen capabilities may become unresponsive, and replacing it in either case may cost you a fair amount.

Can You Break Your Phone By Sleeping on It?

Unless your bed is rock hard, then your phone should be fine.

As long as your smartphone has a screen protector and protective casing, then you don’t have to worry too much about accidentally sleeping on it from time to time.

After all, it’s quite common these days for many people to simply pass out and roll over while watching a movie on their phones.

In most cases, your phone will still be intact when you wake up. In the worst-case scenario, you might knock the phone onto the ground in your sleep!

You’re much less likely to wake up with a broken screen or a large block of dead pixels if you sleep with your phone under your pillow, as opposed to it being under your buttocks.

However, it’s conceivable that there might be some risk that you’ll emit a puddle of saliva onto the phone- potentially damaging a non-water resistant device if you’re not quick to drain it.

(The above is more of a joke situation, if that one somehow flew right over your head.)

Slightly more seriously, it’s possible that you could damage your phone’s screen as you roll over if it’s vulnerable due to not having a screen protector installed.

However, the primary concern should still be focused on accidentally sitting or stepping on your phone rather than rolling over it in bed!

Risks Of Using A Damaged Phone

man holding a damaged phone

As you already know, the screen is what suffers the most when you sit or step on your smartphone (though it won’t do the logic board any favors, either).

When your phone screen is damaged, your display isn’t the only thing at risk. You also expose the device to moisture, dust, and other foreign elements.

Here are four reasons why you shouldn’t use a damaged phone:

The Problem Gets Worse With Time

If you ignore dead pixels on your smartphone, then expect the black spots to spread across the entire screen as you continue tapping the device.

This issue occurs because each tap you make puts more pressure on the device, causing the device’s screen and touch capabilities to worsen with time.

If your phone has a screen protector, it’s worth removing it to see if your screen is still okay (especially if it seems to now be suffering from the “Halo effect”).

However, if both your main screen was clearly affected by the incident, then it’s advisable to get a screen replacement right away.

You Might Hurt Yourself

According to some studies, the average phone user touches their phone over 2000 times a day.

This means you risk hurting yourself or getting glass into your fingers as you tap, tap, tap away daily!

If you break your screen, the best course of action is to contact a technician as soon as possible and have them fix your phone.

If you can’t change your screen, it’s advisable to at least get a new screen protector.

Alternatively, for a very temporary solution, place transparent tape across the crack to avoid further injury or damage.

Display Malfunction

Your touch screen display will often work fine even after your smartphone suffers a heavy screen crack.

However, as dust, moisture, and constant pressure continue to affect your screen, your display can go from bad to worse and end up in a state of static or with a strange pink tint pretty quickly!

Eye Strain And Complicated Navigation

man squinting on his phone

Imagine trying to find an app on a phone when you can only see half of the screen.

What if you’re receiving a call, but can’t see who is calling?

This situation becomes even worse if the touch capabilities are damaged!

A damaged screen simply means that you’ll have to struggle to read messages that you receive, type any letters or numbers, or even locate important apps.

Using your smartphone can become a very slow and frustrating experience- not to mention being hard on your eyes!

In Conclusion

If you aren’t sure what happens if you sit on your phone, just know that the screen will take the brunt of the damage.

Even if it doesn’t completely shatter, the entire screen will likely gain a few new dead pixels, and your device’s touch capabilities may become compromised.

Having a screen protector and a protective case can help to greatly mitigate these problems!

It’s best to change your screen right away to avoid injuries or extra damage if the screen does break.

Using a phone with a cracked screen increases its potential exposure to harmful foreign elements such as dust and moisture. These foreign materials will only create more problems over time.

This is not to mention the amount of strain your eyes will experience if you continue using a damaged screen that you have to squint over!

As such, your first step after you’ve sat on your device should be to contact a technician right away and get a screen replacement if necessary.

Watch where you sit next time!