It’s common for smartphones to get warm or hot sometimes, especially when doing resource-intensive tasks like gaming, video streaming, or using GPS navigation. A hot phone is usually nothing to worry about, but excessive or prolonged heat could potentially damage your device or be a sign of other issues.
Is it normal for my phone to get hot?
Yes, it’s completely normal for smartphones to occasionally get hot during use. Here are some common reasons your phone may get hot:
- Using resource-intensive apps like 3D games, video streaming apps, or navigation apps
- Multitasking with several apps open at once
- Using processor-heavy features like augmented reality filters
- Downloading or uploading large files
- Using your phone while it’s charging
- Being in hot environments like direct sunlight or a hot car
Activities like these make your phone’s processor and other internal components work harder, generating more heat. The heat helps dissipate the excess energy being produced. As long as your phone cools down after intense use, there’s usually no need to worry.
When does a hot phone indicate a problem?
While some heat is normal, excessive or prolonged heat could be a sign of a hardware issue or software glitch. Here are some scenarios where a hot phone may indicate a bigger problem:
- It gets very hot even when only doing basic tasks like texting or browsing social media.
- It feels burning hot to the touch.
- It stays hot long after you’ve stopped using resource-intensive apps or features.
- You notice signs of physical damage like a swollen battery.
- It frequently overheats even in cool environments.
If your phone is getting concerningly hot on a regular basis, it likely means there’s an underlying issue that needs to be addressed. Prolonged overheating could damage internal components like the battery or processor.
What causes a phone to overheat?
Here are some of the most common culprits when a smartphone is overheating:
- Too many apps open: Having many apps and browser tabs running simultaneously puts a strain on your phone’s processor and RAM, resulting in overheating.
- Direct sunlight: Leaving your phone in direct sunlight, like on a car dashboard, can cause it to overheat quickly.
- Faulty battery: A swelling or damaged battery that can no longer regulate temperature properly is a common cause of overheating.
- Blocked air vents: Blocked air vents prevent heat from dissipating, leading to internal overheating.
- Heavy usage: Using resource-intensive apps for prolonged periods can make your phone overheat over time.
- Software glitches: Software bugs and glitches may cause apps or hardware like the processor to work harder and generate excess heat.
- Malware/viruses: Malware infections can make your phone work harder as they run in the background.
How hot is too hot for a smartphone?
There is no single maximum safe temperature for smartphones, as it depends on the device and usage. However, as a general guideline:
- Up to 95°F (35°C) is common during intensive usage like gaming or navigation.
- 104° to 113°F (40° to 45°C) may indicate overheating issues.
- 122°F (50°C) or hotter can damage internal components like the battery.
- 140°F (60°C) is around the maximum recommended temperature for lithium-ion batteries.
You don’t need an exact number though – if your phone feels uncomfortably hot in your hand, that’s a clear sign of overheating.
How can I keep my phone from overheating?
Here are some tips to prevent excessive smartphone overheating:
- Don’t leave your phone in direct sunlight.
- Avoid prolonged heavy usage like gaming or streaming videos for hours.
- Close background apps you aren’t using.
- Use a phone case to improve air circulation.
- Keep your phone away from other hot objects when charging.
- Turn off location services, Bluetooth, and mobile hotspots when not needed.
- Disable unnecessary system animations and visual effects.
- Avoid charging your phone under pillows, blankets or on soft surfaces that trap heat.
How do I cool down an overheated phone?
If your phone is already overheating, here are some steps you can take to cool it down:
- Turn off the phone and give it time to cool down on its own.
- Remove protective cases that may trap heat.
- Point a fan directly at your phone to accelerate cooling.
- Place the phone on a cool surface like a metal table or tile floor.
- Avoid refrigerators as the extreme cold can cause condensation issues.
Avoid actions that generate heat like charging or using the phone until it cools down. The above steps should bring temperatures back to normal within 15-30 minutes.
When should I be concerned about an overheating phone?
As a rule of thumb, you should be concerned if:
- Your phone frequently overheats even during light usage.
- It feels uncomfortably hot to the touch for a prolonged time.
- You notice signs of physical damage like swelling.
- Performance is sluggish after overheating episodes.
- You get warning messages about temperature from your phone.
Frequent overheating can degrade the battery faster and damage internal components. Continued use of an overheating phone risks permanent failure. If basic cooling steps don’t work, it’s best to get your device inspected by the manufacturer.
How can I prevent my phone from overheating during charging?
Here are some tips to avoid overheating while your phone is charging:
- Don’t use your phone while it’s fast charging. The combination of fast charging heat and processing heat can overheat some phones.
- Avoid wireless charging which generates more heat than wired charging.
- Don’t charge your phone under pillows, blankets or on other soft surfaces that insulate heat.
- Charge in a cool, well-ventilated space rather than hot enclosed areas.
- Use the charger and cable that came with your phone for optimal heat dissipation.
- Disable features like GPS, mobile hotspots and Bluetooth when charging.
- Close all apps before charging your phone overnight.
Should I replace my phone if it keeps overheating?
You may need to replace your phone if it frequently overheats and the issue persists after trying the following troubleshooting steps:
- Updating your phone’s operating system, apps, and security patches
- Resetting your phone to factory settings
- Removing your phone case to improve ventilation
- Closing all unused apps and limiting intensive usage
- Using compressed air to clean out air vents and ports
If overheating continues despite these efforts, the root cause may be an aging battery or other faulty hardware that needs replacement. Replacing your phone is recommended if it repeatedly overheats despite troubleshooting, as prolonging use can cause permanent damage.
How much does it cost to repair an overheating phone?
The cost to repair an overheating smartphone can vary depending on the cause and phone model. Here are some typical repair costs:
| Repair Type | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Battery replacement | $30 – $70 |
| Motherboard repair | $150 – $300 |
| Replacing heat/power management chips | $30 – $100 |
| Thermal paste reapplication | $20 – $50 |
Diagnosing the exact overheating issue through a repair shop first usually costs $20 – $50. Overall repair costs vary based on your phone model, local labor rates, and the complexity of the required repair.
Can I prevent overheating by underclocking my phone’s processor?
Underclocking, or running your phone’s processor below its maximum clock speed, can help reduce overheating in some cases. The downside is underclocking may impact performance. Steps to underclock a phone processor include:
- Enabling power saving modes in your phone’s settings that limit CPU speed.
- Installing apps like CPU Clock that allow custom control of CPU speed.
- Limiting max CPU usage for apps via developer options or apps.
- Updating kernel or other system files (advanced users only).
Underclocking is most helpful if overheating is isolated to intensive CPU tasks like gaming or AR. It likely won’t help if overheating is caused by a faulty battery or other hardware issues.
Can a hot phone explode?
It’s extremely rare for a smartphone to explode or catch fire due to overheating. However, it is possible in some cases if the battery or internal gases build up enough pressure from prolonged extreme heat exposure.
Warning signs of an impending explosion/fire can include hissing or popping noises, strong chemical odors, smoke, or leaking fluids. If you notice any of these, move your phone away from flammable materials and have it inspected immediately. Do not continue charging or using an overheating phone showing these warning signs.
Can you get burned by an overheating phone?
Yes, it’s possible to get burned by an overheating smartphone if the exterior reaches very high temperatures. Most modern phones are designed to keep outer temperatures from reaching dangerous levels for human skin contact.
To avoid burns, power off and avoid handling any phone once it becomes uncomfortably hot to the touch. Seek medical help for burns if your skin has visible damage or blistering after contact with an overheated phone.
Do all phones overheat? Which brands or models are most prone to overheating?
All smartphones have the potential to overheat, though some models are more prone to it based on their design and components. According to various reports, phones with higher rates of overheating issues include:
- OnePlus Nord 2
- Google Pixel 6 Pro
- iPhone 12 Pro
- Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra
- Xiaomi 12 Pro
- Sony Xperia 1 IV
However, overheating can affect any phone model depending on usage. Thinner, glass-body designs offer less heat dissipation than metal/plastic builds. Underpowered batteries and chipsets pushed near their limits are also common factors.
Should I leave my phone off to cool down faster?
Yes, turning your phone off completely can allow it to cool down faster than leaving it on. When powered off, the processor, radios, screen and other components generating the most heat are no longer active and producing additional heat.
Leaving an overheating phone on while trying to cool it down means components are still working, drawing power, and generating residual heat. Powering off removes this heat source and allows conductive and convective cooling to lower temperatures faster.
Can I use a refrigerator to cool down my overheated phone?
You should avoid cooling down an overheated phone in a refrigerator or freezer. The extreme cold temperature can lead to the following issues:
- Condensation building up inside the phone due to rapid cooling.
- Cracking of the display glass due to thermal shock.
- Freezing then rupture of internal lithium-ion battery.
- Physical damage to processor or other chips.
The optimal way to cool a phone is powering it off, removing any case, and allowing it to slowly reach ambient room temperature. Only use a fan or air conditioning to accelerate natural conductive/convective cooling.
Does phone overheating damage the battery?
Yes, excessive heat can degrade smartphone battery capacity, lifespan, and performance over time. According to battery manufacturer Cadex Electronics:
- Battery capacity loss doubles with every 10°C (18°F) increase in temperature.
- Storing batteries above 30°C (86°F) reduces lifespan.
- Heat impacts lithium plating, impedance growth, and accelerates side reactions.
Batteries may also become damaged or pose safety risks if phones overheat too much. Regular overheating threatens battery longevity and should be addressed.
Is it normal for phone batteries to get hot while charging?
It is normal for batteries to get mildly hot while charging due to the energy transfer and chemical reactions occurring. According to Apple, temperatures up to 95°F (35°C) are expected during charging.
However, excessive heat or burning hot temperatures during charging likely indicate an issue with the battery or charger. Defective batteries can overheat due to internal electrical faults. Damaged chargers may provide incorrect voltage or amperage levels.
Can I use my phone while charging if it gets hot?
It’s not recommended to use your phone intensively while it’s charging if it generates significant heat. The combination of fast charging and power draw from phone usage can amplify heat buildup beyond safe levels in some devices.
If your phone tends to get hot when used while charging, limit usage to light tasks like texting and limit charging to cooler conditions to avoid potential damage from overheating.
Conclusion
It’s quite common for smartphones to get warm with daily use, and there is usually no need for concern. However, excessive heat that lasts beyond use or reaches uncomfortable levels may indicate an underlying hardware defect or software issue.
To minimize phone overheating risks, avoid excessive demands on the processor, restrict phone use in hot conditions, and regularly close unused apps. Promptly power down and cool any dangerously hot device, and contact the manufacturer if overheating persists after troubleshooting.
While occasional mild to moderate overheating won’t damage modern smartphones, repeated or extreme overheating can degrade the battery, damage components, and in rare cases cause fires. Keeping your phone properly maintained and avoiding heat traps will help keep temperatures within safe limits.
