7 Common Reasons Why Mobile Phones Overheat
It has probably happened to you that your phones get hot, but you don’t understand why. It is not unusual for the phone to heat up due to excessive use, but it can sometimes indicate a bigger problem.
There are many reasons why your phone is overheating, so it’s better to think about it and find out why. Please read this article to learn about some of the most common causes of phone overheating and how to troubleshoot and prevent it.
Why do phones get hot?
Various factors cause a phone to heat up, and their severity is generally different. Your phone may have overheated due to direct sunlight, running too many apps, malware, a faulty charger, internal damage, blocked ventilation, or outdated hardware.
In the following, we will explain the various reasons for overheating the phone to help you understand the problem and prevent it in the future.
1- Warm environment or direct sunlight
If you have ever left your phone outside on a sunny day, you may feel very hot and shocked. Direct sunlight is one of the usual culprits of overheating your phone, so keep your phone out of direct sunlight outdoors.
In addition to direct and long-term sunlight, your phone may get hot after sitting for a long time in a hot environment, such as a car, on a hot summer day.
2- Excessive pressure on the processor
A smartphone is a small computer, except that computers have an internal fan to keep it cool, but phones don’t. Although smartphones are great for everyday use in hot weather, they have a certain tolerance. Using several apps on your phone simultaneously puts a lot of pressure on the processor and causes it to overheat.
Some examples of things that may cause excessive pressure on the processor are:
- Running too many programs at once
- Streaming video content from platforms such as Netflix or YouTube
- Record long videos with the phone
- Playing the game for a long time
- Suboptimal use of things like animated wallpapers or widgets
- High brightness of the screen every time it is used
3- Malware
If you haven’t left your phone in a hot environment or haven’t used the phone’s processor with too many programs, the problem may be the malware in your phone.
Just like desktop computers are susceptible to all kinds of viruses and online malware, so are phones. Sometimes these factors cause excessive pressure on the phone’s processor and turn it off. You may have installed malware on your phone that keeps apps, widgets, and other processes running in the background. As a result, the processor of your phone is also under pressure.
When a lot of pressure is applied to your processor, it produces more heat.
4- Defective charger or battery
Damaged or defective chargers, cables, and batteries can cause your phone to overheat. If you use the charger and notice a burning smell, burn marks, or melting plastic, stop using it immediately. Be careful not to burn yourself when disconnecting it from the phone or power outlet.
Replacing a faulty charger or battery immediately will fix overheating of your phone. It is better to use only a high-quality charger. Your cables and chargers must be original and related to the same phone.
5- Internal damage to the phone
If your phone has internal damage other than the battery, it may cause it to overheat. It’s not unusual to drop your phone, but it can cause loose parts, short circuits, and overheating. Other damage to your phone’s silicon or thermal paste may render it ineffective at transferring heat from the processor.
6- blocked ventilation
Your phone uses your charger port as ventilation, and if it’s blocked by something, it can cause your phone to heat up. Blocked ventilation, a hot summer day, or leaving the phone in direct sunlight for too long will cause it to overheat. You can clean the charging port with an ear cleaner or a toothpick.
7- Your phone is old
The aging of a phone also increases the possibility of it getting hot. Your phone’s older hardware wears out like your processor’s thermal paste. If the thermal paste wears out, it will cause the phone to heat up faster.
For example, if you are not going to use Bluetooth, it is better to turn it off to rest the processor.
How to determine the temperature of the phone?
Remember that all phones get hot to some extent, but how do you know what temperature is a concern? Usually, the internal temperature of your phone varies from 37 to 43 degrees Celsius.
In the following, we mention some points to determine if the temperature of your phone is abnormal or not.
For iPhone users:
There is no way to read the temperature on the iPhone. But you can use the Battery Health feature to see information about battery consumption and apps that consume the most battery.
To find out the temperature, follow these steps:
1-Go to the Settings section.
2- Then select the Battery option.
3- To view battery consumption information, select Battery Health.
Tip: In Battery Health, check if your battery is worn out by looking at Maximum Capacity and Peak Performance Capability. If the battery is running at less than 100% or not working at peak activity, it may need to be replaced.
As with the iPhone, you cannot measure the temperature of your Android phone directly from the phone. You can use a program called AIDA64. This app will show you important details about your phone’s hardware and software, such as how much RAM you’re using, CPU speed, and how hot your phone is.
To check the battery consumption on your Android, use the following steps:
1-Open Settings.
2- Click on Battery.
3- Select Battery Usage to see the battery status in the last 24 hours.
How to cool your phone? 12 simple methods
If your phone overheats, there are a few simple troubleshooting steps. Do the following to restore your phone to normal.
1- Avoid direct sunlight
As said before, If your phone is overheating due to being in the sun too much, remove it. The phone is unlikely to cool down if it stays under the sun’s rays.
Another important thing is not to put the phone in the freezer. Some people think this will make the phone cool down faster, but the extreme temperature change from hot to cold can cause more damage. Instead, place it in a cool, dry place and leave it alone for a few minutes to return to normal.
2- Turn on airplane mode
Airplane mode can help prevent your phone from overheating as it disables all unnecessary apps running in the background. This may speed up the cooling process.
Another solution is to turn off the phone, which can return its temperature to its normal state faster.
3-Remove the phone case
Phone cases are essential for protection against physical damage, but many are poorly ventilated. They trap heat in your phone and interfere with its cooling. If your phone overheats, remove the case to help lower the temperature.
4- Place the phone next to a fan
If you can access a fan or cooler, expose your phone to cool air to speed up the cooling process. Even if you don’t have access to a fan, you can quickly bring it back to average temperature by blowing on the phone.
Some chargers are designed for more powerful phones. So if you use a charger unsuitable for your specific phone model, it can damage the battery and cause it to overheat. The main thing you need to ensure is that your phone’s input is the same as the output of the charging adapter you are using.
5-Close running programs
You free up RAM space by closing some programs you don’t use. This will make your phone work faster and keep the right temperature.
Your battery will last longer in such conditions. The reason is that the system stops the programs while running.
It is also better to delete the programs that you do not use. Sometimes, closing such apps will make your phone work better.
6- Work less with the phone
Using the phone to play games and visit social networks is one of the worst habits and one of the most important reasons people buy phones.
If you can stop this habit, your phone will be safer. But if it is difficult for you, at least organize the way and time of using the phone.
You can relax after playing for a while. For example, take a break when you complete a stage in Asphalt 9. This will make your phone breathe.
7- Use a simple frame
A cover or frame is used in most phones. They protect your phone from damage and wear and tear and give it a unique style.
However, your phone will overheat if you have a heavy silicone or plastic case. It may not seem very important, but investing in high-quality cases guarantees the health of your phone.
Usually, poor-quality frames trap heat and cause your phone to heat up more.
8- Optimize phone settings
Sometimes, not optimizing the settings causes the phone to heat up. For example, most people turn up the brightness of their phones to better watch games or movies.
But if your phone has a lower screen brightness, it will be more balanced in temperature.
Today, most iOS and Android phones have automatic brightness. The brightness of your phone changes depending on where you are. So don’t worry too much about your phone getting hot.
9- Update the phone programs (picture above)
Be sure to visit the Apple or Google Store to ensure the programs are updated. It might cost you money, but your phone will have fewer heating problems and be damaged later.
On the other hand, some old programs are prone to malware attacks that put pressure on the system. So update them and your operating system regularly.
10- Charge your phone well
The correct charger is required for your phone. This is only possible by not using gadgets or programs while charging, using data internet or Wi-Fi, and using a healthy cable.
Pay attention to the hours when your phone needs to be charged. By doing this, you will avoid overcharging the device and overheating it. The battery will last longer.
11- Make the settings again and restart the phone
If you reset the device again, it will work great. These tricks will eliminate most of the bugs and malware.
Restart the phone if the phone still gets hot after closing the background apps. Of course, these processes are not the same in all phones.
12- Keep the phone clean
In addition to the internal cooling system, your phone also has ports. Keeping the phone away from dust and dirt helps prevent these valves from closing.
Some ports that need to be cleaned are the charger socket, speaker, and audio port. Use an ear cleaner for this.
Another solution: install the Clean Master program
This program is the best program to increase the speed of the phone, which not only helps to reduce the temperature of the phone by freeing the phone space and closing the running programs but also frees the RAM of the phone. It is currently available for Android and does all of the above for you simultaneously. Note that iPhone phones do not need any speed-up program because the operating system itself does all the above tasks:
In this case, the pollution will disappear, and the air will circulate. Remember not to use bleach or wet substances on your phone. It is generally safer to clean while the phone is off.