Mobile phones are used for so many things these days that when one breaks, it can cause serious problems for the owner.

These inconveniences are exacerbated on holiday, where phones become indispensable gadgets used for photo-taking, translation, currency conversion, maps and itinerary planning.

Unfortunately, vacations are also one of the times in a year when a person is most likely to experience trouble with their mobile, either from heat issues, water damage or cracked screens.

But being away from home in a foreign country also means that holidaymakers have less tools at their disposal to fix these problems.

So what can you do if you encounter phone troubles while overseas?

MailOnline Travel has compiled a list of essential hacks for smartphone owners to take away with them.

On holiday, phones are used for everything from photo-taking and to itinerary-planning

Travel hack if your phone is dropped in water

Dropping a phone down the toilet, in the sea or in a puddle - we all know someone who has done it.

But water damage needn't be permanent if you follow a few simple steps.

First, remove the phone from the water quickly and if it is still turned on, turn it off as soon as you can to minimise the risk of the machine short-circuiting.

Fill a large bag with dry rice or silica bags and put your phone in the middle.

The rice or silica will suck the liquid out of your phone, leaving the inside moisture-free.

For optimum results, leave the phone in the bag for at least 12 hours.

Travel hack if your phone over heats

Phones can easily overheat if they are being used in exotic locations

Listening to a specially-compiled holiday playlist while relaxing by the pool is one of life's simple pleasures, but it can often result in a phone overheating.

To tackle this problem, turn off your background apps like Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, and put your phone in a cool environment.

Travel hack if you crack a phone screen

As a phone is used for everything from taking photographs and texting to following map directions, it is almost inevitable these days that a user will drop their mobile on the floor at some point.

Cracked screens can be infuriating for users as if left unchecked, they can easily spread or, even worse, can cause glass splinters.

If a phone has a single crack, one of the easiest ways to fix it temporarily is to smooth over the line with white toothpaste to make it disappear.

To temporarily fix the problem of a shattered screen, stick the mobile phone in a clear plastic bag

Just make sure to seal the button, microphone and port areas first so no liquid gets inside the phone.

For a shattered screen, the best temporary solution is a thick plastic phone sticker that can be bought from a range of local shops.

If there isn't such a shop nearby, try putting your phone in a clear plastic bag instead.

Travel hack if your phone freezes

Phones can struggle in cold temperatures, with the battery life affected and the machine at risk of shutting down.

If your phone starts to struggle in cold temperatures, wrap it in a blanket or an item of clothing

To stop this from happening, wrap the mobile up in a piece of clothing and stick it in you pocket.

To slow down the battery use, turn the phone into airport mode.

Travel hack if there is sand and dirt in the headphone port

Sand and pieces of grit can easily affect the connection between headphones or speakers and a phone.

A useful tool to try and fix this is the cotton bud, which should be lightly swiped inside the socket to remove any dirt.

Travel hack to charge your phone faster

Putting a phone into aeroplane mode allows it to charge significantly faster

If your phone is running out of battery fast, stick it into aeroplane mode.

This will also allow your phone to charge faster, which is crucial if you just have 20 minutes in an internet cafe before hitting the road.

Travel hack to find popular local apps

The app store tracks popular apps near your location under a 'near me' section.

This is very useful if you are in a new country and want to find out more about the local community but can't find much information in your native tongue.

It can be especially helpful for local bus schedules, event apps or local news.

Travel hack to get on local time

Smartphones have a customised 'do not disturb' setting that are perfect for people who travel to different time zones

Managing sleep in a different time zone can be difficult especially if your friends back home like to keep you up to date with a constant stream of news, regardless of whether you'll be awake or asleep.

To help manage this, smartphone users can set their mobiles to 'Do Not Disturb' during particular times of the day.

They can customise the options to make sure that no one can contact them during specific hours, unless they are certain contacts in the phone.