iPhone Overheating? Here’s How to Cool It Down Safely and Prevent It
If your iPhone heats up every time you’re using apps for more than a few minutes, you’re not alone. Especially in the summer, many iPhone users report overheating while charging, gaming, using navigation, or simply leaving their device in the sun.
Fortunately, there are safe and effective ways to cool down an overheating iPhone—and avoid it from happening again.
In this article, we list 9 tips to cool down your iPhone.
1. Let Your iPhone Cool Naturally
When your iPhone feels too hot:
- Turn it off and let it rest.
- Unplug any charging cables or accessories.
- Move it to a cooler, shaded area with good airflow.
- Avoid direct sunlight, windowsills, or hot surfaces like dashboards and beds.
Some users recommend placing the phone in front of an AC vent in the car, which is quick and safe. Just don’t blow freezing air on it too suddenly.
2. Never Use Ice or Cold Water
A popular but dangerous misconception is to cool your iPhone with ice packs, cold towels, or even by putting it in the fridge or freezer. Avoid these at all costs. Sudden temperature drops can lead to internal condensation, damaging the logic board and voiding warranty.
If you’re desperate, put your phone in a sealed plastic bag and place it in front of a fan—not in or near moisture.
3. Remove the Case Temporarily
Phone cases trap heat. If your iPhone is overheating, especially while charging or running apps like GPS, remove the case to let heat dissipate faster. It’s a small step, but it can help more than you’d think.
4. Turn Down the Brightness
A bright screen not only drains your battery but also creates heat.
- Open Control Center and reduce the brightness slider.
- Or go to Settings > Display & Brightness and lower it manually.
Users in hot climates noted that lowering screen brightness—especially when outdoors—made a noticeable difference.
5. Cut Background Activity
Apps constantly refreshing in the background can keep your phone’s processor running and temperature rising. Try this:
- Go to Settings > General > Background App Refresh and disable it for non-essential apps.
- Turn off Location Services for apps that don’t need it.
- Disable Bluetooth and 5G when you don’t need them.
One Reddit user even solved their overheating by disabling iCloud sync for the Health app—it was silently working overtime.
6. Avoid Wireless Charging in Heat
Wireless and MagSafe charging generate more heat than wired charging. If your phone is hot:
- Use a Lightning cable instead of a wireless charger.
- Don’t charge while using your phone intensively.
- If charging in the car, make sure the mount isn’t in direct sun.
Some users recommend MagSafe-compatible cooling fans, which actively cool the phone while charging—especially helpful for gamers or frequent GPS users.
7. Free Up Storage Space
Running low on storage can slow your phone and make it work harder, which adds heat. Here’s how to clean up:
- Clear Safari cache: Settings > Safari > Clear History and Website Data.
- Delete large downloads: Unused videos, music, or files in the TV or Music app.
- Clear “System Data” by backing up your phone and restoring it from that backup. This may not be ideal however for many as it takes a lot of steps.
This often reduces hidden storage used by logs, caches, and old system files.
8. Check for Deeper Issues
If your iPhone is regularly overheating—even with light use—consider the following:
- Check battery health: Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging,
- Update to the latest iOS version by going to Settings > General > Software Update,
- Reset all settings (Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset All Settings). This will remove all settings but your content, like your photos, will stay.
- Avoid third-party screens: Some Reddit users reported overheating caused by mismatched screen replacements drawing extra power.
9. Understand What’s Normal
Your iPhone will naturally warm up during:
- Charging
- Gaming
- Using the camera for extended periods (especially 4K video)
- Using GPS/navigation apps
This is especially true in hot weather. If you’re not getting an overheating warning from the system, some warmth is expected—and safe. But if your iPhone shuts down, slows down, or dims the screen due to heat, that’s a sign you need to cool it down immediately.
Some Reddit (1) users shared creative (and risky) cooling methods like fridge time, frozen water bottles, or rubbing alcohol on cloths. Others joked about treating their phone like a hydration-starved pet. The takeaway? Stick with what’s proven and safe.
If overheating persists, even after taking precautions, it may be time for a battery replacement or a visit to the Apple Store. And if your phone is already several years old, consider upgrading—newer models are more efficient and better at managing heat. In a previous article, we listed all iPhone models released along with their distinct features — you may want to check it out.
Sources:
- https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/1d09nyd/my_iphone_nowadays_in_the_summer_almost_all_the/
- https://discussions.apple.com/thread/254902817?sortBy=rank
- https://support.apple.com/en-al/118431
- https://discussions.apple.com/thread/255056907?sortBy=rank
- https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/uxd7g6/if_your_iphone_gets_hot_for_no_apparent_reason/
- https://www.reddit.com/r/iphone/comments/160dq6u/iphones_overheating_daily/
