An overheating mobile phone is a common cause for concern. Your phone’s temperature can spike with prolonged use, during charging, or even due to hidden dangers like malware or viruses. While slight warmth is normal, you should be alarmed if it becomes overwhelmingly hot to the touch or lasts for way too long.
In this article, we have compiled a list of reasons why your phone might be heating up and how you can cool it down ASAP. We have also provided extra tips to help prevent future overheating issues.
Common Causes of Phone Overheating
An unexpected rise in the temperature of your phone is known as overheating. Your phone can become excessively hot due to reasons such as:
Intensive Usage
Certain tasks take up more resources of your phone’s graphic processing unit (GPU). Activities like playing mobile games, streaming video content, and video calling can warm up your phone faster.
Background Processes
Even if you are not actively using an app, there may be processes that are running behind the scenes. These are known as background processes. Overloading your phone’s central processing unit (CPU) with tasks consumes power, causing overheating. Close apps you’re not using to conserve energy.
Surrounding Environment
Your phone cannot avoid being hot if the surrounding temperature is high. Sunlight and heat can speed up and exacerbate overheating issues.
Charging Habits and Issues
Using subpar chargers or cables incompatible with the device and leaving your phone plugged in even after it is fully charged can cause heat buildup.
Your Settings
Your basic settings affect your phone’s power consumption. Factors like screen brightness and widgets can influence battery usage, and consequently your phone’s temperature.
Software Updates
Software updates can sometimes cause phones to overheat, although this is just a temporary issue. This is because of the resources it needs to reconfigure settings, optimize apps, process background tasks and more.
Faulty Battery or Cable
Damaged cables and dirt in the charging port can also interfere with charging, making it less efficient and generating more heat. A damaged battery may also cause your phone to overheat.
Malware and Virus
Malware, or malicious software, runs hidden processes that put your device under load. While this can drain and overheat the battery, it may also cause permanent damage to your phone.
How to Safely Cool Down Your Phone and Prevent Damage
You might be worried about the strain that your phone is undergoing as it is overheating. Knowing the right way to cool it down can prevent long-term damage.
Take Off the Case
The first step to cooling off your phone is to remove the outermost layer: the phone case. Doing this will release built-up heat and improve ventilation.
Switch On Airplane Mode
Turning on airplane mode disables radio signals including mobile data, Wi-Fi and bluetooth. It also helps optimize energy-draining features that may be contributing to your phone’s increased temperature.
Move It to a Cooler Place
You can physically help your phone regulate its temperature by shifting it to a more ventilated area, out of direct sunlight. You can amplify this by placing it on a cool surface that doesn’t trap heat, such as a marble counter.
Restart Your Phone
It’s an age-old fix that still works: restarting your device when it’s overheating may circumvent further issues associated with a hot phone. However, this might be tricky if your phone is stuck in a boot loop and needs to return to its normal temperature first.
Future Preventive Measures
Want to prevent your phone from overheating again? You will have a better chance of success by observing these usage and charging practices:
Limit Intensive Usage
The warmer a battery gets, the faster its performance and capacity degrade. While usage is unavoidable, you can reduce the speed of its deterioration by avoiding overexerting the battery. That said, it’s best not to keep numerous resource-intensive apps running at once and using it for prolonged periods.
Close Unused Apps
Close the apps you do not immediately need, especially the ones that demand more processing power. Simply exiting the app does not stop it from running behind the scenes.
Optimize Your Settings
Packing your screen with widgets, displaying an animated wallpaper, and cranking up your screen brightness all add up to significant strain on your battery, creating more heat. Take the time to explore your phone’s settings and make the necessary adjustments for a more sustainable and stable phone temperature.
Charge Your Phone Somewhere Cool
Environmental conditions matter. Charging your phone by the window where the sun hits at exactly 3PM may be the culprit behind your phone feeling hot to touch each time you unplug. Relocate it to a shadier spot—ideally onto an unupholstered surface to not trap unnecessary heat.
Maintain Best Charging Practices
In the same way extreme temperatures can negatively affect charging, poor charging practices can also cause your phone’s temperature to soar. Some of these include overcharging, draining your battery completely before charging, and using cheap chargers or counterfeit cables.
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Update Your Software
Temporary heat surges during software updates are normal and not a reason to avoid keeping your device up to date. In fact, regular updates improve performance, security and efficiency, ensuring your phone runs at its best.
Use Anti-Malware Tools
Regularly scanning for and removing malware not only safeguards your personal information but also helps keep your phone cool and running efficiently. Advanced anti-malware tools can detect and block threats before they compromise your device. For optimal protection, use only trusted antivirus software available on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Power Up Smarter with Energea’s Charging Accessories
Keeping your phone cool is less complicated than you might think. With a few smart habits—like tweaking your settings, using quality charging gear, and staying on top of software updates—you can avoid overheating and keep your device in tip-top condition. A little care goes a long way in making sure your device stays at a safe and ideal temperature, ready when you need it.
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