By 
Everyone has their own method to mobile phone madness, including a typical “go to” pocket. Sometimes it’s a right handed vs. left handed thing. Sometimes it’s an “any pocket except where my keys are” thing. Maybe you carry a purse, or a murse, wear cargo pants, or wear a fisherman’s jacket with seemingly infinite pockets. Regardless of your situation, we want to know: in what pocket do you typically keep your phone?
[polldaddy poll=6990858]
I used to religiously keep my phone in my front right pocket. I’m right handed. Keys, which I access far less often, in my front left pocket. And wallet in my back left pocket. I’m not sure exactly when, but at some point in the past year, I converted. I know keep my phone in my back right pocket.
I think a lot of it has to do with easy access: I’m pulling my phone out so often that twisting it out of my back pocket seems more smooth and easy. And when I go to sit down, I often lay it on the table to see visual indications of new messages. Or, as people don’t do often enough, I’ll pull out my phone before sitting, turn off the ringer, and then slip it in my front pocket. I’ll admit. I often just sit on my phone, too. So far no harm, no foul.
In what pocket we keep our phone is a very small decision which, by now, has become subconscious to most people. But where do you fit in the spectrum of mobile phone pocket stuffing? This unscientific study should be interesting, if nothing else.
I far prefer the deep, safe pocket of my front pocket. Always opposite my keys/chapstick/change.
Right pocket
usually front right when wearing normal clothes.
Front left at the gym..then it feels weird if its reversed.
My Note 2 fits fine in my front left pants pocket. Right handed btw.
Front left — nothing else goes in the pocket.
Front right..
When I am out normally the inside coat pocket that hangs in the chest area so having the headphone jack on top is a major plus for me. Otherwise it sits on the tablet next to or in front of me
Right back pocket? Heresy!
I keep mine in my left back pocket. No idea why, I am actually right handed.
The reason I still only buy carpenter jeans is because I have always kept my phone in that little ‘vertical pocket’ on the right thigh, it’s PERFECT for phones.
Front left pocket with the screen facing toward me riding solo. Wallet is always in my right front pocket with my keys. I am right handed.
This^
I’m left-handed, so naturally, it’s exactly reversed. I almost always leave it upside down despite almost never listening to music while it’s in my pocket (headphone jack on bottom on the Galaxy Nexus)
Why wouldn’t you put your phone in the same pocket of your dominant hand? Seems more logical to me but curious why you reverse it.
I’m the same, my right hand is dominant but I put the phone in my left pocket. For some reason I have a better grip when holding the phone with my left hand.
For me (right-handed), my left hand is the “holding”/”grabbing” hand, my right the “using” hand. So my keys go in the front right (and they’d get inserted into the right side of the steering column anyway), phone and wallet on the left (front and back, respectively). No finesse necessary to just pull something out, but I have multiple sets of keys and so feel out the right set with my right hand.
I do sometimes use my phone left-handed, too, but for any precision use, my right hand is free.
I think it has to do with one- or two-handed use. If you mainly use two hands, then the opposite pocket makes sense.
For me, it actually started with driving. Both my first two cars (a 72 Triumph Spitfire and a 97 Subaru Outback) were manual transmissions, so it made sense that if I had to take a call while I was driving, I could pull the phone out of my pocket without taking my driving hand off the wheel.
I’m exactly this. I always put in upside down too because that is natural. Glad I don’t use headphones because that would cause problems with my GS3.
I am the same way, although, I listen to music on a semi-regular basis. I’d say about once to twice a week if I remember to bring my headphones to school. I’m right handed, but my phone is always in the left pocket :) Don’t know why. I also am rocking the GNex.
If I’m listening to music i switch from front left to inside jacket pocket for headphone use.
Exact same as I do
Same setup for me except facing away from me.
There should be a poll option for “this is the dumbest poll ever.”
There is ???
Patience, grasshopper, our technical folks are looking at the poll disappearing problem.
You must don’t know. There was once a poll that said:
Which device has the most [different] apps? (Select all that apply)
iPad
Kindle Fire HD
Galaxy Tab 2
Nexus 7
I forgot the word they used, but it’s synonymous to the word different. This was obviously the most rigged questionnaire ever.
couldn’t agree with you more!
Right front or right jacket. Depends on the weather.
If wearing a shirt with a breast pocket, i keep it in there. If not, then left pocket. Right pocket is car key.
I cracked my N4 with it in the shirt chest pocket. I dropped my car keys, leaned over to pick them up and it fell out on to the pavement.
This used to happen a lot. I don’t lean over anymore haha.
Back right pocket? Like a 15 year-old girl…
Front left pocket. Keys and wallet in front right pocket.
I’m right handed, but have my phone on the front left pocket (screen facing in). I’d be afraid of squishing my phone if it was in the back pocket.
wow. Slow news day lol
I keep my Samsung Galaxy S III in my shirt pocket (left front, of course!)
Front pocket, left side, facing me, Note 2, will do.
FRONT RIGHT POCKET SCREEN FACING ME AND THE TOP OF THE PHONE POINTING DOWN, NOTHING ELSE GOES IN THAT POCKET.
That’s exactly how I put mine in as well. Sometimes I may even go crazy and have the BOTTOM end of the phone pointing down
Similar here. In my work slacks I put it in the change pocket inside the right pocket, with a light (Foursevens Preon 2) which doesn’t come in contact with the front of the phone. In jeans the change pocket isn’t deep enough for the phone so it goes in the pocket alone with a light in the change pocket (usually a Foursevens Quark Pro 2L-X). My phone is a Note 2. Front left pocket has keys, wallet, and knife.
Wait- screen facing your thigh or facing you when you look down at it?
Maybe he ninjas it in his hand. That’s what I do. The E4GT isn’t that big of a phone, so I wield it and just turn it around. Or maybe I do. IDK… But it’s comes out better for me when it’s facing my leg. Or maybe that doesn’t matter to me. I’m thinking to hard about this. LoL!!
Sometimes I balance my phone on my shoe when I walk and when I get a text, I kick it up in the air, spin around and catch it behind my back.
Chicks dig it. O_o
Brace yourselfs, Chris is playing with a Nokia 3310!!!!
Dude you can destroy the world with that! Be careful not to drop it!
The screen has to face your leg.
I grab it with my fingers on the back of the device and my thumb on the screen while pulling up. In a very seamless motion I shift the phone slightly up.
The transition is easy out of the pocket is easy.
Honestly I don’t know how you would pull it out with one hand if the screen isn’t facing you.
Im the same except front left, screen against my leg, top down, which is why it makes sense to have the headphone jack on the bottom. Nothing else goes in that pocket, ever.
I also do the same. Facing your thigh so if you hit something with your leg you don’t damage the screen. (co-worker has smashed his razr screen twice from this)
I don’t understand how people do back pocket
Same for many of the same reasons, but also because of my Bluetooth headphones, since the radio is on the right.
God bless you. You know what you’re doing.
Exactly the same but reversed (left pocket). I tend to favor my left ear when conversing and my right hand for tap/flick/pinching.
Same, except front left pocket.
I use the front left pocket. It’s not as wise to use the front right pocket because there is typically a small pocket on the right side, with a rivet at its corners. If you happen to pull out your phone at an odd angle and slide it against that rivet, you’d potentially have scratches.
Front left dedicated phone pocket. Everything else except wallet in the right pocket. Wallet in right back pocket. Watch on left arm. I am right handed. Hangs slightly to the left.
Wallet in front right pocket. Front pocket is much harder to pickpocket.
Am I the only one who still uses a belt clip?
Totally forgot to put clip/holster on the list. I haven’t seen anyone wear one in awhile I don’t think. Or maybe I just overlook it.
No worries.
I used to get in fights with a friend over it. She kept saying, “A Cell Phone is not a fashion accessory.”
To which my response was always, “Of course not. That’s why I keep it hidden inside this leather pouch on my belt.” She didn’t like that answer. ;)
I would have chosen Holster, but the holster I had gotten with my Otterbox didn’t keep it secure which resulted in several trips to the asphalt when I got out of my car. Since then, pocket only.
Its only the BB nerds I see doing this belt clip thing. Its a dated look I think.
It’s not about the look. It’s that a wrap-around belt pouch protects the phone better, and I’m obsessive about taking care of my handsets.
When I got my G1, the person at the counter looked at my Razr V3c and couldn’t believe it was over a year old. Ditto my G1 when getting the G2.
If I still had it, my Moto V60i would probably look near new, too.
ah, good point.. especially if you dont use a case on your device.
I’ve resold my old iPhones for crazy prices when they’ve been 1 or 2 years old. lol! So I know what you mean by keeping it mint.
Not sure if I’ll “Case” the HTC One when I get it :)
I achieve the same thing with a case and screen protector, I sell all of my old phones on ebay and I’ve never sold one without the word mint in the title :) Not saying your wrong to use a belt clip, just that it isn’t neccesary to protect the phone.
Never said it was necessary. I just don’t like hardshell cases.
I don’t put my phone in my pockets. A belt clip is the ideal solution for me. Always on me and alwayd protected.
No, sir, you aren’t! I’ve been using a belt clip pouch for a long time and it suits my needs.
I see quite a lot of other people do the same thing. We aren’t alone!
If you were to flip these poll results upside-down, it would be pretty close to where I carry my phone (Galaxy Note, currently). Cargo pants pockets and the inside pocket on jackets are my preferred places (front left jacket pocket, right cargo pants pocket). I never use my back pockets and almost never my front. I just don’t want the radiation near my crotch. (Radiation strength drops by the square of the distance so a little more distance makes a big difference.)
However, when I’m not wearing clothes with those pockets, I use a hip bag.
I’d actually like to get a dedicated, thin profile hip bag or belt clip just for a phone. The belt clips that I’ve seen, though, are generally too big and stand out like a rattail from the 80’s.
I’m using one of the T-Mobile D30 leather holsters. It matches my belt in color, so it isn’t too obtrusive. But I don’t know if it would hold anything much bigger than my Sensation, and is almost wore out after 18 months.
I love how polls often exclude seemingly obvious (to some) choices. Where is the obvious pocket alternative – the holster? With no valid voting option for me, I’ll just say a holster on my right hip when not working, and only my left hip when working (with tools on the right).
I was beginning to think I was the only one to use a holster.
Haha, no. You aren’t.
We are a hearty group that will never fade. Besides, I don’t think I’d see hundreds of cases/pouches/holsters/clips on Amazon and eBay if there weren’t many people interested in those things.
Phone-front right, wallet-front left, keys-atm, in a hoodie/jacket pocket. When summer hits, almost all my shorts have cargo pockets, where as my pants do not, so my keys go in there.
I see how it is. Cargos are represented by no love for the other ’90s craze… The holster. Fine, be that way.
When wearing skinny or slim jeans i keep my phone in my left back pocket because a gnote looks ridiculous with a big flat thing in my front pocket but it really depends on the jeans, shorts, pants your wearing
Dem skinnies
My phone goes in my right pocket, keys in my left, wallet in my back right. Keys usually go in my front cargo pocket if I’m wearing pants or shorts that have them.
My phone NEVER goes in any other pocket, or I would think that I’ve lost it. LoL!! I’ve lost my phone plenty of times only to find it in a different pocket. My phone used to go in my front cargo pocket.
Shirt pocket if I have one, otherwise my front left pants pocket.
First time I’ve had to think where I put my phone, and I got to say I have no clue.
Typically it’s in the front-right I guess, at the same time I’m quite confident that it spends a significant amount of time in the left one, too. And if both pockets are filled (happens a lot) it might go to the back. And if I’m wearing a jacket, and I’m worried it might get stolen, the inside pockets.
That would depend…
Winter: One of my winter jackets has a dedicated pocket on the left side of the chest. I usually keep only my phone in there, screen facing my body, with the pocket partially zipped shut to help reduce the likelihood of accidental fall-outs. Otherwise, left front pocket with screen facing my body, nothing else in jacket pocket.
Spring: I have a spring jacket with a left side chest pocket; see above. Otherwise, just like the above alternative.
Summer: When wearing cargo shorts, the phone goes horizontally in the left lower outermost pocket, screen facing my thigh, flap buttoned shut to help minimize fall-outs. All other: left hip pocket, screen facing body, top pointing down, nothing else in pocket.
Fall: see Spring
Note 2 – back pocket
I purchased a wallet/case and my phone/wallet is with me at all times lol.
Too big for front pocket.
I voted cargo shorts pocket because cargo pants pocket wasn’t a choice.
Always front right, with the screen facing my thigh. I keep anything else (keys, cash) in my front left, and wallet in the back right. Sometimes, in my jeans I’ll keep my car key in the mini front right pocket for easy access but with that exception, keys don’t go near my phone.
There should be an option for people with 2 cell phones like me. One in each front pocket for me.
either one…what is the point of this article?
When I am not wearing my bad pants and don’t have too much stuff, right front pocket.
no option for all pockets?
Left front, top down, screen towards me. Nothing else in that pocket.
Disabled home button wake, disabled message wake, use bt headphone.
My front right pocket has long been where I carry my knife so I put phone in front left. Even if front right was open I would use the left side because even though I am right handed I can grab it out of my left side easier and more securely. It rides in my hoodie pocket a lot too.
I can barely use my left hand for anything helpful yet my phone is always in my front left pocket.
90% shirt pocket on left side 10% left front pant pocket. screen always facing my body with the mobile upright
What about an option of just having it on your hand?
I used to use the belt clip and holster that came with my Otterbox, but the Holster didn’t keep my device secured and it got knocked out several times, so after that I just started putting it in my Front Left pocket with nothing else in there. All other items (keys, change, eye drops, etc) go into my other pockets to make sure nothing causes an issue.
Debit card/id, chapstick in my front right pocket, phone in back left, keys in front left.. No wallet. – – – with a jacket on, phone and keys alternate pockets depending on what’s in what hand at the time. If I got extra stuff, I slide the phone in my front right Bcuz I trust my chapstick and cards.
Front right, screen-to-leg (to avoid screen damage) top-down (unless I’m jacked up, listening to music), keys, change and cigs in left pocket, wallet in back right, and I wear jeans that have that neat little Zippo pocket. I’m right-handed. Very ocd but my sensation has lasted 2 years with 0 damage/scratches and never used a case or screen protector.
I’m surprised that some guys can even fit a cell phone in their pocket with their so called skinny jeans.
Always in my front left pocket. I don’t know why, but if it’s in the right one, I always panic as I pat my left side looking for it.
I always put my phone somewhere it shouldn’t be so its always ending up somewhere it shouldn’t it be……egh frigging phone never in my pockets
Seems like a lot of people don’t trust people anymore with the wallets in the front pocket answer
This is an interesting question. Last place it goes is in the back pocket. I just feel that it’s more of a target for pick pockets if I were to keep the phone in the back pocket.
Big android phones break pockets. Hasn’t anyone here ever heard of a leather case?
Side pocket of my carpenters jeans, nothing else goes in it top down.
I keep my note 2 (w/ case) in my Front left pocket, Screen against my leg, pointing down (unless I have headphones plugged in).I also keep my earbuds in the same pocket.
I’m right handed
I’m right-handed and my phone goes in my front-left pocket with the screen facing my thigh.
I always put it into my front left pocket even though I’m right handed. Also, my phone is always facing screen away from my leg with the audio jack pointing towards the opening of my pocket (Galaxy Nexus).
Left pocket if I’m wearing jeans. My purse if I’m in more formal business attire.
Occasionally it will go on a table if I’m expected a call. In that case, it is face down, which by default puts my phone on vibrate so it doesn’t make too much of a racket.
My spandex doesn’t have pockets. So it goes in my fanny pack.
FRONT-LEFT = Phone ONLY (to avoid scratches); screen faces leg, and microphone jack points up (obv)
FRONT-RIGHT = Wallet (BigSkinny) & Keys
BACK-LEFT = Change & Receipts
BACK-RIGHT = Knife (EDC: Spyderco Sage 1)
(putting your phone in a back pocket is stupid, since it’s a good way to bend & break it; likewise, putting your wallet in a back pocket is dumb, because that’s easiest for pickpockets to pick (NYC here))
Shirt pocket when available.
Work shirt: left breast pocket battery towards me. Everywhere else: Front left jeans pocket, facing me.
How about an option for folks who use a belt clip pouch? I’ve been carrying my phones that way for years, even back in the dumbphone days.
For me, it’s just easier to quickly get at the phone. The added benefit being not accidentally putting your phone into a potentially lint filled pocket with scratch inducing keys or coins.
Running out of poll ideas. I leave it anywhere honestly
It depends on whether I feel like playing pocket pool, if not left front pocket
Phone front right pocket cause I am right handed.. screen against my thigh (feels safer for the screen to me) keys on a belt loop and into my left pocket, and any money usually into that same pocket. I try not to keep stuff in back pockets… too easy a target for theives……. no… who told you I was paranoid??
not paranoid, that’s entirely sensible
Front right pocket along with my keys and lose change. I don’t believe my phone is in danger with keys and coin and that’s how I’ve always been. I have no clue how people manage to scratch their OEM digitizers..
Front left pocket facing my leg, my wallet fits in my front right pocket, I am right handed but I find it just as easy to get either out. I don’t keep anything important in my back pockets, don’t want to sit on it and also someone could easily steal from back pockets
It changes depending of the time of the year. Left inside coat pocket during the winter (it’s the easiest pocket for me to access as a righty). Right pants pocket whenever it’s too warm to wear a winter coat.
other… I wear them in the side pocket of my jeans most often(i suppose the closest answer would be cargo shorts pocket but i don’t wear cargo shorts) and actually wont buy jeans without that pocket on them. then again i also tend to put it in jacket pockets or occasionally the front right. meh..
Why no shirt pocket? Some of us have to wear scrubs.
I wish we could cross reference handedness.
Personal phone: left side belt clip
Work phone: left rear pocket
(Gotta carry both at all times)
Right handed, BTW.
Other: I keep mine in a case on my belt. (Note 2) It would be hard to keep it anywhere else and be able to access it quickly.
you forgot shirt pocket
Front Right
right-front, my left pocket has a zipper inside it.
which ever front pocket my insulin pump is not, so every 3 days it switches sides.
I used to keep my phone in my back right pocket and purse back left. Now however as it’s “not safe” I keep my phone in my front right pocket (right handed) and my keys and purse in front left. The screen is against my thigh and bottom of the phone pointing down, so the right way up lol. Sometimes it goes in upside down or sideways but, not often, depends on the phone really lol. My Note 2 ends up the right way up, more often than not the iPhone 4 ends up horizontal/sideways.
Ummm, none of the above. Holsters are the fastest and most reliable option. Left hip, screen facing me. It’s the only way to do it with an iPhone and still have the option of having headphones plugged in
a new poll needs to be taken. Multiple questions. Right/Left Side, Pants/Jacket/Holster/Purse, Facing Toward/Away, Up/Down
Put it in Shirt Pocket on workdays
Front left pocket makes the most sense. Car keys go into right pocket. When you walk up to driver door of vehicle, reach into right pocket… grab keys… which are now in right hand… door lock is on the right side. Sit in the car. Ignition switch is on your right.
The argument assumes that you are driving a left side drive car… like in the USA. Also assumes you do not have keyless entry and/or push to start. ;-)
C’mon guys, no love for the holster? Mine has seen quite a few android phones… sometimes even more than one at once.
In Soviet Russia, Note 2 pockets you!
.
You left out left shirt pocket, where I see a LOT of phones.
That is where I keep mine, as well, except for the occasional shirt that has NO pocket, when I keep my Note 2 in my front left pocket.
.
I keep my phone in my left front pocket, when I don’t need a jacket. I always make sure the glass side, is turned toward my thigh side. I will never put it in my back pocket, too many things can go wrong back there, untucked shirt(you think you put it in pocket, but you don’t), falling on your ass(lots of snow here), thievery. If I have to wear a jacket, or coat, I put it in the inside of what I’m wearing. Also, I can’t crack the screen with a fart.
Front left pocket screen in. Front right pocket has the change pocket and it almost always has rivets and I don’t want the rivets scratching or even worse becoming a concentrated point of contact by placing enough pressure in a small area of the screen to scratch or damage it.
Right shirt pocket.
I keep mine in my front right pocket as I’m right handed. I won’t put it in my back pocket incase it breaks when I sit down.
I keep mine inside a pouch around my neck. Right next to my sugar glider. He’s gotten really good at Plants vs Zombies. :D
Front left pocket, screen facing me, updside down. I put keys in my front right pocket, and I don’t want the two to mix.
Front left pocket, screen facing out, top facing up…. Oh dear. :(
I actually keep it in a front-right carpenter jeans pocket, screen facing in, top of the phone facing down. Easiest way for me to access my phone.
Wow…….A lot of metrosexuals here.
Front right jacket pocket on winter days, in summer i tend to put it into front right pocket of my pants (screen facing the world:)). I’ve tried using a belt sack but it just didn’t feel right:)
You didn’t put shirt pocket on the list. I typically wear a business or dressy casual shirt with chest pockets. Otherwise front left or back right jeans pocket if wearing T-shirt.