How Can I Prevent My iPhone from Overheating?

Overheating is a common concern for iPhone users, especially during summer months, while gaming, or during heavy usage like video recording or charging. Although a slight warmth is normal, persistent or extreme heat can affect performance, drain battery faster, and potentially damage internal components.

The good news is that there are simple, practical steps you can take to prevent your iPhone from overheating. This guide explains why overheating happens and offers effective solutions to keep your iPhone cool and performing efficiently.

🔥 Why Does My iPhone Overheat?

iPhones heat up when internal components—especially the processor (CPU/GPU) and battery—are under stress. Common heat-generating activities include:

• Gaming, especially AR or 3D games
• Using GPS navigation apps for long periods
• Streaming HD video or using FaceTime
• Charging while using your device
• Running multiple apps or background processes
• Being left in direct sunlight or in a hot car

Apple devices are designed to function best between 0°C to 35°C (32°F to 95°F). Outside this range, your iPhone may overheat and show a temperature warning.

✅ Avoid Direct Sunlight and Hot Environments

Exposure to sunlight is one of the fastest ways your iPhone can overheat, especially if placed on dashboards, window sills, or outside on hot days.

🔧 Tips:

• Keep your iPhone in the shade or under cover
• Never leave it in a parked car
• Avoid using it under the sun for prolonged periods

✅ Remove Your Phone Case While Charging or Gaming

Phone cases—especially thick, rubberized, or battery cases—trap heat. This can slow down heat dissipation, making the device hotter during intensive use.

🔧 Tips:

• Remove the case when charging or gaming
• Use a case with ventilation or heat-dissipating design if you use demanding apps often

✅ Avoid Charging While Using the iPhone

Charging inherently produces heat. Using your iPhone while charging adds more load, making it overheat faster.

🔧 Tips:

• Don’t play games, make long video calls, or stream while charging
• Let your iPhone charge while idle or in Airplane Mode

✅ Use Apple-Certified Chargers Only

Cheap or third-party chargers may not regulate power correctly, leading to overheating and long-term battery damage.

🔧 Tips:

• Always use MFi-certified (Made for iPhone) charging cables
• Avoid fast charging adapters unless approved by Apple
• Don’t charge your iPhone under a pillow or blanket

✅ Limit Intensive App Usage

Some apps—especially games, video editors, or poorly optimized apps—use a lot of CPU/GPU power.

🔧 Tips:

• Reduce game graphics settings if possible
• Avoid extended gaming or streaming sessions
• Close other background apps while using demanding ones

You can check which apps are draining power by visiting:
Settings > Battery > Battery Usage by App

✅ Turn On Low Power Mode

Low Power Mode reduces background activity, disables automatic downloads, and lowers screen brightness—reducing strain on the battery and processor.

How to enable:

• Go to Settings > Battery > Low Power Mode
• Or activate from Control Center

✅ Disable Background App Refresh

Background App Refresh allows apps to refresh content in the background, which can increase system load and heat.

How to disable:

• Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh
• Set it to Off or Wi-Fi only

✅ Keep Your iPhone and Apps Updated

Software bugs can cause abnormal CPU usage, leading to heating issues. Apple often releases patches to fix such bugs.

🔧 Tips:

• Update iOS: Settings > General > Software Update
• Update apps: Open the App Store, tap your profile, and update all apps

✅ Turn Off Unused Features

Features like Bluetooth, Location Services, and AirDrop keep your phone active, even in the background.

🔧 Tips:

• Turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not in use
• Disable Location Services for non-essential apps:
  Settings > Privacy > Location Services

✅ Restart Your iPhone Regularly

Restarting helps clear temporary system cache and shut down apps that may be stuck running in the background.

How to do it:

• Press and hold the Side + Volume button > Slide to power off
• Turn it back on after 30 seconds

❌ What NOT to Do

• Don’t put your iPhone in the refrigerator or freezer—this may cause internal moisture damage.
• Don’t ignore repeated overheating—this could harm your battery and internal components.
• Don’t use your iPhone while it shows a temperature warning—wait until it cools down.

🆘 When to Contact Apple Support

Reach out to https://support.apple.com or visit a nearby Apple Store if:

• Your iPhone overheats regularly without heavy use
• You see temperature warnings frequently
• The battery is draining unusually fast
• The phone feels hot even when idle or locked

These may indicate a hardware issue, such as battery degradation or internal damage.

✅ Summary: Keeping Your iPhone Cool

iPhones are powerful but delicate devices. Preventing overheating is key to maintaining performance and extending battery life. With simple changes in usage habits—like avoiding sunlight, not charging while gaming, and disabling background activity—you can greatly reduce the chances of your iPhone getting too hot.

Quick Tips to Prevent Overheating:

Problem	Prevention Tip
Sunlight or hot areas	Keep iPhone in shade, never in hot cars
Charging + gaming	Don’t use while charging, especially during games
Background processes	Close unused apps, disable background refresh
App or iOS bugs	Keep iOS and apps updated regularly
Trapped heat	Remove case when charging or gaming

Meta Description:

Wondering how to prevent your iPhone from overheating? Learn 10 smart tips to keep your iPhone cool during charging, gaming, and daily use—plus what to avoid and when to get help.