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How much radiation is coming from your smartphone?
It’s a known fact smartphones emit radiation. So, how worried should you be? Health and government experts say there’s no evidence of harm. A cancer surgeon friend of mine says the opposite. I’ll go with what he says and keep my phone away from my head whenever possible.
Wondering how much radiation is coming from your phone? Here’s how to find out.
How much is too much?
The SAR, or Specific Absorption Rate, is the amount of radiation your body absorbs from your phone’s handset.
The legal limit in the U.S. is 1.6 watts per kilogram, but we know that even low levels of radiation aren’t good for our health.
Luckily, I found a comprehensive database of every smartphone and the amount of radiation they emit from the German Federal Office for Radiation Protection.
Tip in a tip: If you hit that link, it’s in German. Just look at your browser’s address bar for a one-click translation. In Chrome, it’s on the far right side.
I did the work for you and I translated the SAR data for the 10 bestselling smartphones to English so you don’t have to:
- iPhone 15 Pro Max – 0.98
- iPhone 15 – 0.98
- iPhone 15 Pro – 0.98
- iPhone 14 – 0.98
- Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra – 1.06
- Samsung Galaxy A15 5G – 0.80
- Samsung Galaxy A54 – 0.69
- iPhone 15 Plus – 0.98
- Samsung Galaxy S24 – 0.87
- Samsung Galaxy A05 – 0.58
Find your phone’s SAR
It’s easy to find out the SAR for most smartphones. That includes the one you’re probably using to read this story. Now, these steps work on iPhones and most Androids. Your mileage may vary.
- Open up your dial pad as though you’re about to make a call.
- Tap in *#07# and click the call button. This will redirect you to a part of the settings on your phone.
- Click on RF Exposure.
- Scroll to the webpage link with information for your device.
Play it safe
The powers that be tell us we shouldn’t worry. Protect your body (and peace of mind):
- If you’re an iPhone user, take calls with your AirPods. They have a SAR two times lower than your phone.
- Got an Android? Grab a pair of budget-friendly earbuds from Raycon* that sound high‑dollar.
- Ladies, stash your phone in a purse instead of your bra or pants pocket. Need to be hands-free? Use an errand-friendly sling bag.
- Fellas, keep your smartphone out of your pants pocket to safeguard your fertility.
Young folks have the most exposure to cellphone radiation over their lifetimes. Do your good deed and share these tips to keep them (and their future generations) safe.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Tags: Apple AirPods, Apple iPhone
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