Phone overheating is a common issue faced by smartphone users, whether using an iPhone or Android phone. Some decade ago, people used them only to make calls and send messages. However, a mobile phone has become a mini version of a computer itself as it performs multi-tasking nowadays; hence, they are prone to all sorts of problems and malfunctions. Read on to find answers to a typical query, why is my phone hot. You will also find solutions to other questions related to a hot phone, like why does my phone get hot, why do iPhones get hot, or how to cool down your phone in the same article.
Why Does My Phone Get Hot?
There are many reasons why phone gets hot, and usually, it is normal. You may notice a rise in your phone’s temperature while on a call or charging it. A phone produces some heat while functioning, which is quite normal and, in fact, good for your smartphone’s health. But it can become a problem if you are finding your phone getting hot or overheated frequently. Read on to see all the reasons below for you to know why is my phone hot? Some of these reasons for a hot phone are quite common in both iPhone and Android devices.
- Brightness is very high – You must have noticed that when you use a mobile phone on high brightness for too long, its battery starts draining at a much faster rate. Due to this extra loss of energy, your phone gets hot.
- Wi-Fi connected for too long – Connecting your smartphone with another device through a wireless connection can also cause phone overheating.
- Playing a game for too long – Playing a game for too long can also heat up your phone. It is mainly because your phone’s central processing cores plus graphic processing unit works hard when you play high-intensity video games.
- Exposure to direct sunlight – It is one of the common reasons why your phone gets hot. Leaving mobile devices in the car or over a table on a bright sunny day can overheat your device. It can also damage your phones’ battery life, internal parts, break its screen, and slow down its performance.
- Too many apps in the background – When you switch between apps on your mobile device, you don’t shut the first app but only minimize it. It stays open and keeps running in the background till you close them manually. The more apps run in the background, the more your phone works to maintain them.
- Watching video online for too long – It is similar to playing games on your phone for too long. Your phone emits the same energy and goes through the same process, and hence, your phone gets hot.
- Taking pictures or making long videos – Our smartphones are the mobile version of PCs, but it doesn’t contain any fan to cool down its processor. So, when you use your phone’s screen for long hours, phone overheating is expected. The same happens when you use your phone’s high-quality camera to shoot long videos and take a picture.
- App or OS issue – The apps can misbehave if it has a bug or other problems and causes your phone’s processor to heat up. You can avoid this problem by regularly updating the apps and OS of your mobile phones.
- Malware issue – If you find your phone getting hot, but none of the reasons mentioned above fit in, there is a chance your phone may have malware. Phone getting hot and battery draining are some common signs of this issue.
Why Is My Phone Hot? iPhone Overheating Issue
iPhone is considered the safest device as it doesn’t get viruses or allow installation of third-party applications. So, iPhone users often think their devices aren’t prone to typical issues, like iPhone overheating. But as you are here, you must be wondering, ‘why does iPhone get hot?’. Keep on reading to find more reasons why does my phone gets hot.
- Use of the wrong charger – If you aren’t using the official iPhone charger, you can face overheating issues with your device. The faulty wire or charger can overload the phone’s battery and cause the handset to overheat.
- Phone case – When your iPhone gets hot, it is usually because your phone’s internal components release heat. It is quite normal and indeed a good thing for your phone’s health. But some phone cases hold the dissipated heat for a long time, and phone overheating becomes an issue.
- Using maps turn-by-turn directions – This mode needs extra power to operate and can quickly overheat your iPhone.
- Background Refresh – As the name suggests, it automatically refreshes your background apps even when you are not using them. Hence, your iPhone works extra hard even when you leave it idle or using other apps.
What Does It Mean When Your Phone Is Hot?
A phone is likely to produce some heat when it functions. It is usually the internal component of your device that gets warm. But when your phone is hot, it usually means that your phone uses more power than usual. Phone overheating can do some severe, long-term damage to your phone. It mainly affects two components of your smartphone – battery and System on Chip (SOC).
Battery – Our mobile devices contain Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries, which are the best rechargeable batteries. But these batteries come with two issues – first, they age with time, and secondly, they are quite sensitive to heat. So, every time your phone gets hot, its lifespan becomes shorter.
System on Chip – SOC is your smartphone’s brain as it is connected with different components of your mobile phones. If this chip gets overheated too often, it is likely to get damaged and affect your phone’s overall performance.
What Happens When My iPhone Is Hot?
iPhone overheating issues are also common. Whenever my iPhone is hot, it displays a warning sign stating ‘iPhone needs to cool down before you can use it.‘ Usually, this warning message is displayed on a black screen, but it will look like an overlay alert if you use navigations. To prevent long term damage, your iPhone will –
- Stop charging
- Enter low power consumption stage and signal may weaken
- Slow down the processing speed
- Disable camera flash temporarily
- Dim or black display
Do you know how to stop your phone from overheating? Read the following section to cool off your phone.
How to Cool Down Your Phone?
After knowing all the reasons why is my phone hot, you must also be aware of how to cool down your phone.
- Stop using the phone immediately – As soon as you notice your smartphone getting hot, it’s best to stop using it for some time. Your mobile phone can get seriously damaged if you don’t stop using it.
- Remove phone from any other device – It is usual for your smartphone to heat up when connected with other devices. But when I find my phone is hot, I immediately unplug and disconnect it from other devices to prevent long-term damage.
- Turn off unused apps – When you switch between the apps, it doesn’t necessarily remove them from the background. Removing apps from the back can also help you cool down your device.
- Turn off unnecessary settings – After shutting unused applications, you can try turning off extreme settings like GPS, Wi-Fi, Hotspot, etc. These settings can also heat your device if used for too long.
- Turn on battery saver – The smartphones perform many activities in the background which the user doesn’t know about. You can reduce these activities by turning on the battery saver or low power mode of your phone.
- Take off phone case – Phone cases are for providing shelter to your smartphones. But it can sometimes also work like insulation and cause heat to build-up. You can remove your phone case until it cools down.
- Turn on airplane mode – When your phone is in flight mode, it consumes less energy and shuts down the background activities. It will help cool down your overheated phone.
- Lower brightness level – Lowering your phone’s brightness can also help cool it down.
- Run a malware scan – Phone overheating, especially when you weren’t using it, indicates phone hacking. You can run an anti-virus scan to find out if someone is trying to break into your phone.
- Restart your phone – Restarting your smartphone will help if there is some minor software problem.
- Fan your phone – You can also try to cool your phone by fanning it or keeping it in a cool place. But don’t ever keep your overheated phone inside a fridge or freezer, as it can do some severe and irreplaceable damage.
- Take expert’s help – If nothing works, there might be some technical fault with your device. In this case, we will advise you to take a professional’s help to fix your smartphone.
How to Stop My Phone from Overheating?
The following prevention tips on how to cool off your phone will help you.
- Avoid direct sunlight or exposure to any heating source – Avoid keeping your smartphone in direct sunlight, in a car on a sunny day, or near any heating source to prevent phone overheating. Additionally, a sudden temperature change can also damage your device. So, it’s better not to store your overheated phone in a fridge or a freezer.
- Keep brightness at a minimal level – Keep your phone’s screen brightness at lower levels when not needed or while you are using it for long hours.
- Monitor processor performance – Monitor your phone’s performance by regularly checking processor usage and removing any additional app that takes more space and causing problems for your device.
- Install anti-virus apps and scan your phone – The phone getting hot and battery draining are some signs that may signal cell phone hacking. Even if not, an anti-virus app will give you insight into your phone’s performance, remove malware, and help detect any app running in the background and causing the problem.
- Take a break while using your phone for long hours – As mentioned, playing games or watching a movie on your phone for long hours can overheat it. Take a break in between to avoid causing any damage to your phone.
- Don’t use the phone while charging – Using mobile phones while connected to a charging cable can quickly overheat your phone and damage it. Avoid this to prevent phone overheating.
- Shut apps after use – As discussed, your phone gets hot when some apps are running in the background. You can avoid this problem by closing apps after use.
- Turn off Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and GPS when not in use – Optimizing these settings according to the usage is another way you can prevent phone overheating.
FAQ – Why Does My Phone Get So Hot?
Why does my phone get hot fast?
Smartphones can get hot due to many reasons. Sometimes, it is due to direct exposure to sunlight or other heating sources. But it can also happen when the phone uses more processing power or emits too much light from the screen. Sometimes a faulty or malicious app can also push your phone’s processor to work hard and cause overheating. We will advise you to run an anti-virus scan and uninstall any app that seems fishy. Updating apps and OS can also help you in the process.
Why does my phone keep getting hot?
Several factors can cause phone overheating. We have mentioned some measures above that you can try to avoid your phone getting hot. If nothing works, we will advise you to seek some professional help. Sometimes, it is a mechanical fault that causes your phone to overheat, like a faulty charging cable.
Why is my phone hot when charging?
Your phone emits energy when it is plugged into the charging port. So, it is quite normal if your phone gets warm. However, the problem arises when your phone gets hot (or overheated) while connected to the charger. It can be due to one of the reasons –
- You are using your mobile while it is connected to the charger.
- Hotspot, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth is on while the phone is charging.
- A faulty charger or a charging cable can cause this trouble.
You can try changing your phone’s charger and see if anything changes. Another reason your phone getting hot is due to the presence of malicious apps. Whenever I find my phone is hot, I run an anti-virus scan to find out the truth—anti-virus apps show which app is causing issues and needs fixing. If you can’t find anything to work, we will advise you to see an expert about this.
Why Is My Phone Hot? (Summing-Up)
A working phone dissipates some heat like any other electronic device. But it doesn’t have a fan to cool down its processor. So, sometimes you may find your phone is hot after using it for a long time. Phone overheating is a common issue faced by both Android and iPhone users. Are you finding it hard to hold your phone? Wondering why is my phone overheating? Try the methods we have mentioned above. Phone overheating is also one of the signs that tell someone trying to hack into your phone. If you suspect the same, read on how to find out who hacked your cell phone and fix it fast to know more about this.
If you know other ways- how to cool down your phone, let us know in the comment section.