Phones get warm. Charging, gaming, video calls and navigation all generate heat, and a bit of warmth is normal. But a phone that gets uncomfortably hot, does it often, or heats up while doing nothing is telling you something. Here's how to tell the difference.
Some warmth is normal
It's normal for a phone to feel warm while it's fast charging, during long gaming or video sessions, while using satnav with the screen on, when used as a mobile hotspot, or while setting up a new phone and restoring a backup.
Phones also protect themselves. When they get too warm, they may dim the screen, slow down, slow or pause charging, or show a temperature warning and limit what you can do until they cool. Those protections are working as intended.
Common causes of overheating
- Environment. Direct sun, a car dashboard or windowsill, or charging under a pillow or duvet where heat can't escape.
- Demanding use while charging. Gaming or streaming on the charger produces heat from both at once.
- Weak signal. The phone works harder to stay connected, which uses power and creates heat.
- Thick cases, particularly during wireless charging, which already produces more heat than cable charging.
- A misbehaving app stuck running in the background. Check battery usage in Settings for an app using far more than it should.
- Unsuitable or damaged chargers and cables. Cheap, unbranded or damaged ones can cause excess heat.
- A worn or damaged battery. Older or damaged batteries can run hotter. Our guide on battery drain and battery health explains how to check.
- Physical damage from a drop or liquid, which can cause internal faults.
How to cool your phone down safely
- Stop what you're doing, particularly games, video or navigation.
- Unplug it from the charger.
- Take it out of its case.
- Move it out of direct sun to a cool, shaded spot with air around it.
- Switch it off, or leave it alone until it returns to normal temperature.
Don't put a hot phone in the fridge or freezer, or use ice packs. Sudden cold can cause condensation inside the phone. Wait until it has cooled before charging it again.
Stop using it and get help if you notice any of these
- The screen is lifting, the back is bulging, or the phone rocks on a flat surface.
- A burning, chemical or sweet smell.
- Hissing, crackling, popping or any smoke.
- It's too hot to hold comfortably.
- It gets hot while idle and not charging.
- Temperature warnings keep appearing in normal conditions.
These can be signs of a damaged or failing battery. Stop charging it, don't press on any swelling and don't try to open it.
If a phone is smoking or on fire, don't pick it up with bare hands. If it's safe to do so, move people away from it and keep it away from anything flammable. If there's a fire, get out and call 999.
Preventing overheating
- Keep the phone out of direct sun and hot cars.
- Charge on a hard surface, not on a bed or sofa.
- Avoid heavy gaming or streaming while charging.
- Use a decent-quality charger and replace damaged cables.
- Keep software and apps up to date.
If your phone also has trouble charging, our guide to phone charging problems may help you work out why.
