Every phone gets a little warm when it’s working hard: fast charging, gaming, recording video, using GPS or on a weak signal. The red flag is when it heats up while idle, gets very hot or shows a temperature warning.
What to do right away
- Take it out of the case and out of your pocket.
- Stop charging and close the app you’re using (game, camera, GPS).
- Put it somewhere cool and shaded. Never put it in the fridge or freezer: condensation can damage the device.
- Wait for it to cool down before using it again.
Most common causes
- Charging and using it at the same time, especially for games or video. With fast charging, the heat increases.
- A low-quality charger or cable.
- Direct sunlight, the car dashboard or charging under your pillow.
- Weak cell signal or unstable 5G: the antenna is working hard all the time.
- An app stuck in the background. Check Settings › Battery (on both Android and iPhone) to see which app is using the most.
- Right after an update, for a day or two.
When to get it serviced
It’s also worth getting it serviced if the phone heats up while idle, with no apps open, even after restarting and updating. It could be a defect in the logic board or the battery.
Prevention
- Use an original or well-known brand charger.
- Don’t game or record long videos while charging.
- Keep the system and apps up to date and remove apps you don’t use. See phone slow and freezing.
FAQ
Does heat damage the battery?
Frequent heat speeds up battery wear. It’s one of the reasons batteries last less. See phone battery draining fast.
What about a laptop overheating?
The causes and fixes are different. See laptop overheating and shutting down.
