Your iPhone gets hot when charging because of various internal processes. This is entirely safe since Apple accounted for the extra heat in the iPhone’s design. But if it overheats to an extreme degree, there are some steps you need to take to cool it down.
Hi, I’m Devansh. When I bought my first iPhone, I had to deal with some overheating issues when charging because of various reasons. Based on that experience, I know what steps to take whenever my iPhone overheats.
In this article, I’ll first show you the science behind why your iPhone gets hot when charging. After you’ve understood its reasons, I’ll show you three steps you can take if the temperature gets out of control and your iPhone is at risk of permanent damage.
If your iPhone is getting too hot when charging, and you don’t know why that’s happening or how to cool it down, keep reading!
Contents
The Science Behind Why iPhone Battery Gets Hot When Charging
Here’s the million-dollar question: why does your iPhone battery get hot when charging? As you might know, most iPhones have lithium-ion batteries. These batteries tend to get hot when charging because of the chemical reaction that takes place inside.
To keep things simple, just remember that some loss is always present when charging or discharging energy in a battery. This energy loss is expressed as heat. As a result, the faster the charging process, the hotter it gets.
This is why MagSafe and fast chargers have a higher chance of making your iPhone more hot compared to a 5V or 12V charger. Of course, this only applies to Apple-certified chargers with the MFi badge, not counterfeit ones. For information on how to identify counterfeit or uncertified accessories, check out this Support page.
3 Steps to Cool Down Your iPhone When It Overheats
A little bit of heat is completely normal when charging, but your iPhone should never become so hot that it feels like it’ll melt any minute now. According to Apple, the ideal temperature for your iPhone to be around is between 32º to 95ºF (0º and 35ºC).
Anything above or below this, and your iPhone will take measures to regulate its temperature. You might see this message.
This doesn’t completely make the device useless. You might be able to make emergency calls if necessary. If you’re using Maps while this appears, you might also get audible turn-by-turn directions as well.
However, your iPhone will take many measures to lower the temperature. It will stop charging, dim the display, put cellular data into a low-power mode, and switch the camera flash off too.
This might seem quite scary when it happens, but if you’re quick to react, you’ll be able to use your iPhone as you normally would in no time. So, here are three steps you should take.
1. Turn Off Your iPhone
First, you should turn off your iPhone and remove it from direct sunlight or a hot environment. Remember, the ideal temperature to store your iPhone is between -4º to 113º F (-20º and 45º C). In addition to this, also feel free to remove the case if you think it might be blocking airflow. This will allow the heat to escape more quickly.
2. Provide Extra Airflow
Your iPhone is designed to dissipate heat efficiently, but if you want to quicken the process, consider helping it out!
After you put it in a room with normal temperature, you can aid the cooling process by providing extra airflow with a fan. Never put it in a refrigerator or freezer since that can cause condensation and damage the components. And remember, remove the case if you want it to cool down faster.
3. Update Software
It’s also possible that your iPhone overheated due to having an older version of iOS or outdated versions of various apps. So, after it has returned to normal temperature and you’ve switched it back on, consider updating iOS and all the apps.
Along with that, also check the Battery Health page of your iPhone. You can do this by opening Settings, Battery, and then Battery Health. My iPhone 13 still has 99% battery capacity, which is excellent.
To ensure good battery health, try to maintain a charge between 40% to 80% and avoid any extremes. This puts less stress on the battery and minimizes wear over time. I recommend you toggle on the Optimized Battery Charging option for this purpose.
FAQs
Here are some helpful questions related to your iPhone getting hot when charging.
Should You Avoid Using Your iPhone While Charging to Avoid Overheating?
This is a very heated debate (no pun intended). I would say, avoid it unless necessary. If you’re using your iPhone while it is charging, both the processor and the battery will generate heat. This can cause overheating. If you want to avoid this, swipe up from the home button and close all non-essential apps when charging.
You can also put your iPhone into Airplane mode, which will turn off GPS, Bluetooth, WiFi, and cellular data.
Can a Faulty Battery Lead to Overheating?
Yes, it’s possible. The energy output can be inconsistent, and other internal faults could lead to an unusually high temperature.
As I said before, just check the Battery Health status in Settings. If you feel like your iPhone has many technical issues, you can contact Apple Support for a battery replacement.
Conclusion
When your iPhone seems to get too hot when charging, it can be an unnerving experience. You might fear permanent damage or a hefty service fee.
Fortunately, if you’re using Apple-certified accessories and are quick to react, you can avoid any long-term damage and be back to using your iPhone as normal soon.
Were you able to cool down your iPhone with the above steps? Please share with me in the comments!
