I’ll come right out and say it: I don’t use a phone case and haven’t in years (but if you do slap one on, make sure to check these things first). Modern phones have beautiful industrial designs, often with razor-thin designs, the use of high-tech materials like surgical stainless steel or ultralight titanium, and an attention to detail that is truly remarkable. Why sacrifice your phone’s design for a bulky case? While protection drove the case market to $25 billion in 2025, I’ve stayed damage-free for years by following a few simple rules. By adopting these habits, you can ditch the case and enjoy the “naked” phone experience without the risk.
Rule 1: The “Protected Pocket”
Reserve one pocket as a phone safe-zone
Credit: Brandon Miniman / MakeUseOf
Rule 1 requires you to reserve one pocket — in my case, it’s the front right, but you can pick any front pocket — to be a “safe zone” where you never, ever place anything but your phone. No coins, no candy, and absolutely no keys. This is your “phone pocket”, and you can count on that pocket being a safe place to put your phone because you only use it for exactly one purpose: to stow your phone.
For the ladies
Reserve a purse section to be a safe-zone
Credit: Brandon Miniman / MakeUseOf
Granted, the notion of reserving a pocket for your phone is more realistic for men because most pants for women have no front pockets (and please, don’t put your phone in a back pocket where the weight of your bottom could cause even pocket lint to become abrasive!). However, most women carry a purse or a clutch. The analogue to a “pocket safe zone” for a woman with a purse would be to reserve a specific section of your purse just for your phone. Often , purses and clutches have multiple sections, often partitioned with zippers. You can opt to reserve one section to be your phone’s safe-zone by keeping that section totally empty, especially of keys, coins, and other abrasive objects.
Rule 2: Be careful of transitions
Getting out of the car, going up and down steps, and other transitions are opportunities for phone damage
Credit: Brandon Miniman / MakeUseOf
Ok, I admit, I’ve had my phone meet concrete several times in the past when I wasn’t using a case. The common thread with most of these occurrences is that the phone inadvertently slipped out of my pocket during a time of transition or excessive movement. You can avoid your phone becoming loose during these transitions by critically steadying the phone in your pocket or purse to ensure it doesn’t pop out by holding it in place. Here are some dangerous transition zones you should be aware of:
- Getting in and out of cars
- Walking up and down steps
- Anytime you’re jumping or jogging
- When transitioning from upright to laying down (or when sitting down on a sofa)
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Please, don’t put your phone in a back pocket where the weight of your bottom could cause even pocket lint to become abrasive!
Rule 3: Clean your phone properly
Avoid damaging phone cleaners, wipe down daily, and don’t be afraid of a sink wash
Credit: Brandon Miniman / MakeUseOf
Please, never clean your phone screen with alcohol. If you’re living the naked-phone life, it’s important that you regularly clean your phone because you want to remove any debris on your screen or on the case of your device that could become abrasive and cause damage to your device.
To clean your phone each day, your best bet is to wipe your phone down with either a clean microfiber towel or a clean cotton T-shirt. On a weekly basis, I like to use compressed air (with the little red straw attachment which concentrates the airflow) to blow out all ports and speaker holes and to blast away any pieces of dust or debris that could later turn into an abrasive source of scratching.
For very dirty phones, and assuming your phone is at least IPX7 water-resistant (it’s important that before submerging any device in water that you confirm its IP rating first to avoid water damage!), which you can do with a quick AI query, you can rinse your phone in the sink with warm water and a dash of mild dish soap.
It’s important that before submerging any device in water that you confirm its IP rating first to avoid water damage.
You too can live the naked phone life
But you must strictly follow my rules
Credit: Brandon Miniman / MakeUseOf
It brings me so much joy to use my devices without a case. Is it risky? Yes. Do I have a very good track record of keeping my phones pristine even after years of use? Yes, but I follow my rules carefully, and you can too. If, after reading this article, you’re not convinced that the naked phone life is for you, I totally understand. For many, it’s not worth the risk of causing hundreds of dollars of damage if your phone takes a spill. Just make sure to consider these things when picking a phone case.
