We've all been there: You plug your phone in, expecting a seamless recharge, but before you know it, it's too hot to handle. Some warmth during and after phone charging is normal, but a phone that's too hot to touch could signal a problem -- especially if it happens frequently.
The culprit could be anything from a fast charger, an overcharged phone or trapped heat in a poorly ventilated room. Whatever the reason behind a too-warm-for comfort phone, it's important to address heat-related issues ASAP in order to prolong battery performance and health.
Manufacturers like to boast how bright their phone screens can get, allowing you to see your display clearly even in direct sunlight. Pushing the intensity of those pixels to 1,000 or 2,000 nits of peak brightness is great for reading what's on the screen, but sustaining that level uses more power and generates more heat than when you're inside or in the shade.Plus, direct sunlight delivers radiant heat to items like metal and glass, increasing the temperature of your device. If you need to use your phone for an extended period of time during sunny, hot days, find some shade to protect both it and you.© Provided by CNET
Heat doesn't just come from the outside environment.Your phone's processor has to work a lot harder when you do something like play graphics-intensive games, which can generate more heat than usual from within your device.And playing these games can also drain your battery quickly, so it's natural to want to plug into power.However, this combination of high processing and charging increases the heat generation even more, leading to overheating.© Provided by CNET
It's normal for a phone to heat up while it's charging -- the phone's surface dissipates that heat away from the inside by design. But if you're using a bulky case, the heat could get trapped. If the phone seems to be heating up too much, remove the case before charging.© Provided by CNET
Video recording is resource-intensive, capturing and storing multiple megabytes of data per second and usually processing that footage at the same time. Even expensive mirrorless cameras capable of shooting high-quality video hit thermal ceilings (or have add-on fans to dissipate the heat). If you're recording lengthy clips, you may need to pause for a few minutes between them to allow the phone to cool down.© Provided by CNET
It's just a power charger, so why not get the cheapest one? Be wary of amazingly low prices, because they're often attached to knock-off products that don't include safety electronics for regulating power throughput and preventing overheating. Better to pay slightly more and get a recommended USB-C charger or power bank you know you'll be able to trust.© Provided by CNET
It sounds like the worst sort of overly general advice: Make sure your device's software is up to date. And yet it's usually good advice, especially in this case. For example, a bug in iOS 17, plus a problem with apps including Instagram and Uber, caused many iPhone 15 Pro phones to overheat. Apple soon released iOS 17.0.3 to fix the problem. (The current version is iOS 17.5, which adds new features as well as bug and security fixes.)Note that it's normal for a phone to warm up during and after a system update as the software optimizes data in the background. However, this is a temporary temperature elevation.© Provided by CNET
If you can't avoid the heat and often find yourself waiting for the phone to cool, consider buying an inexpensive thermal phone pouch to store it in. Using materials designed to protect astronauts from temperature extremes, a pouch will reflect direct sunlight and heat away from the phone. Thermal pouches also work at the other end of the spectrum, protecting your phone from cold weather such as when you're skiing.© Provided by CNET
If overheating becomes a frequent problem -- and the phone isn't exposed to the other situations mentioned in this gallery -- a faulty or failing battery might be the cause.First, see what the phone is telling you: on the iPhone, go to Settings > Battery and check Battery Health; on Android go to Settings > Battery > Battery Diagnostics (Pixel) or Settings > Battery and device care (Samsung). If the functionality is degraded, it might be time to schedule a battery replacement.And if the phone is bulging, cracked or shows other signs of a swollen battery, turn it off and contact the company's support programs immediately. That's a less likely circumstance, but with lithium-ion batteries, you don't want to mess around with safety.© Provided by CNET
Multitasking meltdown
When you're multitasking -- whether you're binge-watching your favorite show, playing games or running graphic-intensive apps -- your phone requires significant processing power from its CPU and GPU. Add charging into the mix, and you risk pushing your device to its limits and possible thermal overload.
When your phone is plugged in, it draws power from the charger to replenish its battery. Charging itself generates heat, especially if you're using a fast charger. So, you have two heat sources: those demanding CPU and GPU tasks, along with the charging process itself.
Solution: Prioritize charging your phone rather than multitasking. When your battery is low, focus on charging first. Once it's sufficiently charged, then feel free to multitask away.
Dodgy chargers and cables
If you're using third-party chargers or cables to replenish your battery, you could risk damage to your phone. Chargers that don't support the original equipment manufacturer's charging standards often lack precision in power delivery. Dodgy cables and chargers sold cheaply on large shopping sites might have faulty components which could disrupt the flow of power. The consequence? Overheating.
Solution: Get rid of them. Legit gear is the way to go.
Sarah Tew/CNET© Provided by CNET
Ventilation woes
Your phone's internals need air. If your device lacks sufficient space or ventilation while charging, the heat generated by internal components can't escape past its body, resulting in trapped heat.
Solution: Make sure your phone has enough room for air circulation around it. Apple itself recommends taking the iPhone out of its case when charging it with "certain styles of cases may generate excess heat, which can affect battery capacity." If that's not possible, you should at least avoid stacking anything on top of a charging phone. Give it some space -- literally.
The setting is on by default, but it never hurts to look and confirm. Nelson Aguilar/CNET© Provided by CNET
Overcharging myth
Most modern devices are equipped with protective mechanisms to prevent overcharging. When your iPhone's internal lithium-ion battery reaches 100% capacity, for instance, charging automatically stops. Starting with the release of iOS 13 in 2019, Apple introduced a tool called Optimized Battery Charging on iPhones, which limits charging to around 80% when connected to a charger for an extended period (such as overnight). Many Android phones offer something similar and even have more robust controls for things like pass-through charging and the ability to limit fast charging.
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