All phones can — and will — get hot on occasion. It becomes a problem when your phone heats up so much that it hurts to hold it, or it begins to exhibit odd behavior. Thankfully, there are easy tips you can use to help stop your phone from overheating.
Why does my phone get hot?
Usually, a phone heats up due to overuse, a strained battery, too much direct heat, or an overworked CPU. You may also need to update your software, because outdated apps can cause performance issues. In extreme cases, your hot phone might be infected with malware.
Here are the 11 most common reasons your phone gets hot:
Direct sunlight
A common cause of phone overheating is leaving it in direct sunlight. Even if you leave your phone in the sun for a short period of time it can drain your battery and cause other performance issues. If you leave your phone in direct sunlight for a prolonged period, the internal components could be permanently damaged.
Overloaded CPU
If your phone’s CPU is overloaded, it heats your phone up from the inside. The CPU is essentially the brain of your phone, and it’s used to run processes and apps. If your CPU is trying to perform too many tasks (even in the background), your phone can overheat quickly.
Too many open apps
Having lots of apps open at once can contribute to increased phone temperatures. That’s because apps run background processes that consume CPU power and memory resources, even if you’re not actively using them. To help prevent your phone from overheating, review your open apps and close the ones you don’t need right now.
Power-intensive apps
Sometimes, even just one high-intensity app can be enough to overheat your phone if you leave it running for long enough. Apps containing augmented reality (AR) elements like the Metaverse, or other very heavy graphics-loads, are particularly big CPU drains and can swamp your phone’s system through continuous use.
Faulty battery or charger cable
Have you ever wondered, “Why does my phone get hot when charging?” It’s normal for a phone to warm up a bit while charging. However, if your phone gets excessively hot, it could be due to a faulty battery or charger cable.
Wireless charging
Have you ever wondered, “Why does my phone get hot when charging?” It’s normal for a phone to warm up a bit while charging. However, if your phone gets excessively hot, it could be due to a faulty battery or charger cable. To help prevent battery issues, ensure device compatibility by using only manufacturer-approved charging adapters and cables.
Wireless charging
Wireless charging is much less efficient than wired charging, which means more energy leaks out in the form of heat, making your phone warmer to the touch than usual. Unless there’s a problem with your phone or wireless charger, this alone shouldn’t be the cause of overheating. But it could be problematic when combined with other factors, such as direct sunlight, or background software updates.
Gaming for too long
Much like PCs, gaming on a cell phone strains the CPU and GPU to their limits, causing your phone to generate a lot of heat. While the occasional gaming session won’t kill your phone, several hours of continuous gaming will heat up your device. This is especially true when playing newer, graphically demanding games.
Streaming video content
Streaming videos on Netflix or YouTube or watching TV online for hours is just as detrimental to your cell phone’s health as a marathon gaming session. Anything that keeps your screen lit for long periods of time and uses your phone’s GPU excessively will cause the device to heat up.
Software updates
Mobile phones are prone to heating up while running a software update, or just after. If there’s a bug that needs fixing while the update takes place, it will use even more power temporarily. Once the update is finished and your device restarts, your phone should start to cool down.
Malware or virus
Any of the issues above can damage your phone, but none of them are as potent as malware. If you pick up a malware infection by using a fake app or clicking on an infected link, your phone’s CPU and memory could be hijacked, throttling performance and generating a lot of heat.
My Phone is Overheating—How Do I Cool Down My Phone?
If you find your smartphone starting to overheat, you can try to cool it down by removing the protective case, switching to low-power mode, or putting the phone in a shady area.
Smartphones are built with the dissipating heat in mind, but many protective cases will trap that heat and raise the overall temperature of the phone.
In the same way that you’ll throw off the covers in the middle of the night when your temperature is rising and you’re overheating in bed—ditching the phone case can help your smartphone cool down more easily.
Charge Your Phone on a Cool (Not Cold) Surface
Never charge your phone overnight on a bed, blanket, or pillow! Heat must be able to escape the phone during the charging process and charging on a bed, blanket or pillow ends up trapping more heat. A nightstand is the best area for charging your phone bedside.
Leave Your Screen Brightness on Low
Dimming your screen’s brightness and immediately turning off GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi—even going into airplane mode—helps reduce the energy demands of your iPhone or Android device.
The more energy you use, the hotter your phone gets – it’s as simple as that. Not only do you get the added conserved energy, but you’re doing your eyes a favor by reducing the strain caused by staring at a bright light.
Do Not Put an Overheated Phone in the Refrigerator
If your phone is overheating, NEVER put an overtaxed phone in the refrigerator or freezer. Although both iPhones and Androids are designed to be used at temperatures as low as 32 degrees Fahrenheit, huge swings in temperature and exposure to moisture can damage your phone beyond repair.
How Do I Prevent My Phone from Overheating?
Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to keeping your phone from overheating. These simple tips go a long way toward prolonging the life of your phone and battery and prevent your phone overheating.
Use The Right Charger
Like the phones themselves, chargers are not created equally. You should never buy a used charger or one that’s not manufacturer-approved. Chargers and charging cables have different wattages, and many phone chargers are optimized for a specific brand.
Regularly Give Your Smart Phone a Good “House Cleaning”
Close out apps you’re not using. Delete those you no longer use and, if needed, update those you want to keep. Adjust the settings on your phone to dim the screen.
Invest in Apps that Remove Junk or Malware
Cleaner apps, remove junk files from your phone and identify apps that are hurting your phone and/or its battery’s performance. Consider downloading antivirus software to prevent unwanted malware from infecting your device and draining its power behind your back, which can result in extra power consumption and overheating if not diagnosed and addressed.
Keep Your Phone Out of the Sun/Heat
Keep your phone in the shade and don’t leave it in a hot car or place it on a hot surface, like a radiator or stove top.