The warning about not charging your phone under a pillow or on a bed is legitimate and based on real fire-safety concerns.

Here’s the simple reason:

• Phones and chargers naturally produce heat while charging.
• Soft surfaces like blankets, pillows, and mattresses trap that heat.
• Bedding materials are flammable.
• Damaged chargers, cheap cables, or faulty batteries increase the risk even more.

That combination can occasionally lead to:

• overheating,
• battery swelling,
• melted chargers,
• smoke,
• or, in rare cases, fires.

What firefighters recommend

Safer charging habits include:

• Charge phones on a hard, flat surface
• Keep them away from blankets and pillows
• Use certified chargers and cables
• Replace frayed or damaged charging cords
• Avoid covering the phone while charging
• Don’t leave overheating phones plugged in

Is overnight charging always dangerous?

see continuation on next page