What to Do With the Glare on My Phone?

While cellphones have certainly come a long way in the past decade, it's questionable as to whether modern cellphones are superior to older models in one way: the display glare. Older phones had a high-contrast green and black display that you could read in different lighting conditions. Today's super-high-color phone displays can be more difficult to read in high sunlight, where the glare of the sun bounces off the shiny phone screen, making it difficult to see. By using add-ons and adjusting your settings, you can reduce glare and make it easier to use your phone in direct sunlight.

A dim screen is harder to see when glare bounces off of your screen, so adjusting the brightness of your display could help you see your phone better. Most cellphones have an option for adjusting the brightness level, so check the options under the Display menu. Smartphones often have an option for automatic brightness adjustment, which automatically senses the level of light and adjusts the brightness settings automatically so you always have the right display, even in high-glare situations.

The glare that you get from the sun is the result of a shiny display. The display reflects light, much like a mirror, making it hard for you to see your options or interact with your phone. A matte screen protector makes the surface of your phone duller, so it reflects less light. Since a screen protector is so essential for pricey smartphones, it's simple to opt for a matte protector to limit how much light is reflected on your phone.

During the 2010 World Cup, when soccer fans watched games on-the-go and often outside while other games, European-based Orange Mobile came up with a solution born of necessity: a phone visor. You can assemble the phone visor from a printed pattern and attach it around your phone to block out sunlight. This allows you to view your phone outdoors and then remove the visor when you head back indoors again. It's an economical way for a temporary solution to the problem.

If you already know that you'll be using your phone outside in the sunlight often, it's important to compare phones for glare. Some phone manufacturers use anti-glare technology in the glass, which is meant to reduce how much light is reflected by the screen. Head to an electronics or phone store to test out a few different models to see which have the least amount of glare. It's the best way to purchase a phone that you know you're comfortable using in direct light.