Don't ignore overheating phone: 9 ways to cool it down fast
Photo: You can protect your phone and its battery during the summer (Pexels)
BGR explains how to quickly cool down your phone without turning it off, as well as which mistakes to avoid.
Keep your phone out of direct sunlight
The sun is one of the biggest enemies of sensitive electronics. Metal and glass absorb heat very quickly.
Don't leave your phone on a windowsill or inside a parked car, where temperatures can soar within minutes.
When you're outdoors, try to use your device in the shade.
Remove a thick case or switch to a ventilated one
Silicone and thick rubber cases trap heat inside the device. If your phone starts overheating, the first thing you should do is remove the case.
For summer or heavy use, consider a case with ventilation holes or a mesh-like inner structure to improve airflow.
Optimize charging
Your phone naturally heats up while charging, but you can reduce the temperature by following these tips:
- Avoid cheap counterfeit chargers that lack proper voltage regulation.
- Place your phone on a hard, open surface while charging. Don't leave it under a pillow or inside a closed bag with a power bank.
- Don't play demanding games while charging, as the combined load on the processor and battery can cause severe overheating.
Lower screen brightness and reduce screen timeout
A display running at maximum brightness consumes a lot of power and generates extra heat.
Enable adaptive brightness or reduce it manually, and shorten the screen timeout to 15–30 seconds.
A matte screen protector can also help reduce glare outdoors without requiring maximum brightness.
Take a break from demanding games and video editing
Modern mobile games like Genshin Impact or Call of Duty, as well as video rendering apps, put heavy strain on the GPU.
If your phone feels hot to the touch, pause what you're doing and let the hardware cool down.
Close background apps
Apps you're not actively using may continue to run in the background and consume CPU resources.
On iPhone, open the multitasking view by swiping up from the bottom and close unnecessary apps (or disable Background App Refresh in Settings). On Android, go to the app settings and use the Force Stop option when needed.
Turn off wireless connections you don't need
Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and mobile data can generate extra heat when constantly searching for a signal. If you're in an area with poor reception, your phone's modem works at maximum power, causing the device to heat up quickly.
Turn off unused wireless features or temporarily enable Airplane Mode.
