Quick Answer
It is generally not recommended to cool your phone with water. While it may provide temporary relief from overheating, water can damage the internal components of smartphones. There are safer and more effective ways to cool down an overheated phone.
What causes phones to overheat?
There are several common causes of phone overheating:
Extensive use
Using resource-intensive apps, multitasking, gaming, or streaming videos can make the phone work harder and generate more heat. The processor and battery have to work extra, resulting in increased temperatures.
Direct sunlight
Leaving your phone in direct sunlight for too long, such as in a car on a hot day, can cause the internal temperature to rise dramatically. The greenhouse effect traps heat inside the car and phone.
Faulty battery
A faulty, damaged, or swelling battery may not be able to regulate its temperature properly. This leads to overheating as the battery produces excess heat that cannot dissipate.
Too many apps open
Having too many apps and browser tabs open strains the phone’s CPU and RAM. This results in more battery and processor usage, generating higher heat.
Cases and covers
Certain phone cases and covers can trap heat inside due to their material and tight fit. Silicone, leather, and rubber cases tend to absorb and retain more heat compared to hard plastic or metallic cases.
Software issues
Software bugs, an outdated operating system, too much cached data, or apps not being optimized for the phone can also lead to overheating and high temperatures.
Is it okay to cool my phone with water?
Using water to cool down an overheated phone may seem like a quick fix, but it can lead to bigger problems. Here are some of the main risks:
Short circuits
Water and electronics do not mix well. Exposing your phone’s internal circuits to any liquid can lead to short circuiting, particularly if your phone is still powered on. This can permanently damage the electrical components.
Corrosion
Water can cause oxidation and corrosion of the metallic electrical contacts and circuits. This leads to connectivity issues as the corrosion builds up over time.
Damage to circuits and insulation
Circuits and chips are designed to operate at certain temperatures and conditions. Cooling with water can cause thermal shocks that stress or crack the soldered connections and insulating materials.
Entry into ports
Dripping water can seep into the ports and headphone jacks, causing more extensive damage to microphones, speakers and connectors. This can lead to faulty charging and audio issues.
Scratched screen/body
If the water droplets contain any particles or impurities, it can potentially scratch the phone’s screen or body when wiping it down. Only clean microfiber cloths should be used.
Voiding warranties
Phones typically have internal liquid indicators that are activated if exposed to moisture. Water damage often voids the phone’s warranty, leaving you without repair options.
Safer ways to cool an overheated phone
It is best to turn off and avoid using the phone for a while if it feels excessively hot. This allows the components to cool down over time. Other safer cooling methods include:
Shut down background apps
Close any apps and browser tabs that are unnecessary. The fewer apps running, the cooler the phone.
Turn on airplane mode
Airplane mode suspends all wireless connections like mobile data, WiFi and Bluetooth. This stops transmissions from the phone’s wireless chips – a common source of heat.
Remove protective case
Take off any form-fitting cases or covers that may be trapping heat against the phone’s body. Allow better air circulation.
Move phone away from direct light
If your phone has been in sunlight or under bright artificial lights, move it into the shade or a cooler area to dissipate heat.
Point a fan at the phone
Use a fan, A/C vent or any source of directed airflow to supply a gentle breeze across your phone. This aids convection to cool the device faster. Just avoid extremely cold air.
Place on a metal or glass surface
Metal and glass conduct heat away from your phone much better than wood, plastic or granite. The cold surface helps draw excess heat out.
Use a cooling pad or stand
There are specialized USB-powered cooling pads and phone stands that use fans and heat pipes to keep your phone chill. These provide active cooling tailored for phones.
Avoid wireless charging
Wireless charging sources tend to heat up phones more than wired charging. Use a regular charging cable instead of a wireless pad to prevent overheating.
Update software and apps
Check for any OS, drivers, firmware and app updates. Updates often contain bug fixes that address overheating issues caused by software.
Best practices to prevent overheating
In addition to the above cooling methods, avoiding phone overheating in the first place should be your main goal. Here are some handy tips:
Don’t use phone while charging
Phones heat up significantly when being used while charging. Avoid this as much as possible to prevent straining the battery or processor.
Disable unwanted apps
Disable or uninstall apps that you rarely use to reduce background processes. Social media, news and streaming entertainment apps tend to be most taxing.
Limit gaming and video streaming
These graphics-intensive functions make the phone work a lot harder. Take breaks every 15-20 minutes to let the phone rest.
Update to latest OS version
Software updates often improve system resource management and fix heating issues. Keep your phone’s OS updated.
Clear app caches
Cached temporary files from apps can build up and clog memory, making the system work harder. Clear cache to free up RAM.
Use a lower brightness
High screen brightness levels drain battery faster and produce more heat. Use auto-brightness or manually lower brightness when comfortable.
Clean out the charge port
Built-up dust in the charging port can prevent proper contact with the charger cable. This forces the phone to draw more current to charge, heating it up.
Avoid exposing phone to temperature extremes
Don’t leave your phone in very hot or cold environments for long periods of time. Extreme temperatures tax the battery and internal components.
Replace old battery if needed
An aging battery may not be able to supply enough voltage efficiently, causing the phone to work harder and heat up during use.
When to be concerned about overheating
As a rule of thumb, if your phone feels warm but not uncomfortable to touch, its temperature is normal. Some situations where overheating becomes a serious concern:
Cannot be handled without discomfort
If the phone feels too hot to touch for more than a brief period, it is likely overheating excessively. This can pose a safety risk to you as well as damage internal components.
Apps crash unexpectedly
Apps and OS crashing, lagging, freezing randomly can indicate the phone is getting too hot. Thermal throttling causes slowdowns when temperatures exceed safe levels.
Phone feels hot despite no use
If your phone heats up significantly when idle or only running basic processes, it likely signals an underlying hardware issue that needs attention.
Charging takes much longer
Excessive heat during charging can trigger protection protocols that slow down charging to avoid damage. If charging times are unusually long, overheating may be the culprit.
Burning plastic smell
An unmistakable burning plastic odor emanating from your phone points to severely overheated components and potential damage. This requires immediate troubleshooting.
Warped or bulging casing
A warped, bent or ballooned out phone casing indicates excess pressure buildup from extreme temperatures. The battery has likely expanded in size due to gas accumulation.
Discoloration on screen
Irreversible screen discoloration in the form of yellowish or dark blotchy patches is caused by liquid crystal damage due to high temperatures.
Next steps if phone overheats
| Symptom | Solution |
|---|---|
| Mild overheating during use | Close background apps, disable features like Bluetooth, reduce screen brightness, move phone to a cooler spot |
| Occasional overheating | Update software, uninstall unused apps, avoid wireless charging, replace old battery |
| Frequent or excessive overheating | Stop using phone immediately, shut it down completely. If problem persists, contact customer support regarding possible faulty hardware |
| Phone feels burning hot | Stop using phone immediately, disconnect charger. Phone may need professional repair to avoid serious damage |
Summary
Overheating is a common smartphone issue with various potential causes. Cooling down phones using water is risky and can irreparably damage internal components. Instead, it is safer to let the phone rest and passively cool, close background apps, use cooling accessories, update software, and avoid heat-generating functions. If severe overheating persists, professional repair may be required to swap out faulty hardware like the battery. Practicing phone battery care best practices helps prevent overheating problems before they occur.