Cell phone overheating occurs due to the release of energy during use, but can be worsened by factors such as exposure to heat, use while charging and heavy applications. Although heating is normal, on hotter days the device’s performance may be affected.
To avoid overheating, it is recommended to adopt practices such as reducing screen brightness, turning off unused features and avoiding hot environments. Furthermore, it is possible to cool the device by removing the cover and activating energy saving. Find out more details below.
Why does the phone heat up?
Cell phone devices heat up due to the release of energy from the device during use. However, some factors can lead to your cell phone overheating, such as leaving the device in a closed car or using it in strong sunlight.
It is normal for a cell phone to heat up, but a combination of factors can affect the performance of the electronic device in the heat, as explained by Thompson Reis, coordinator of research, design and innovation in materials at the Senai-MG Innovation and Technology Center.
“Normally electronic components work better at low temperatures since decreasing temperature improves electrical conductivity. However, the increase in ambient temperature, as has been happening, does not seem to reach levels that compromise the integrity of telephone devices.
The problem may be a combination of factors. Smartphones tend to heat up while charging the battery, even at higher temperatures than what we are seeing this week. If the user is in the habit of using the device while recharging, this will add to the high demands on the system with the heating generated by charging the battery and the high ambient temperature. This can negatively impact performance.”Thompson Reis , from Senai-MG
Check out some situations below that can cause your cell phone to overheat on hotter days.
- Use the cell phone while charging;
- Leave Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GPS turned on when not in use;
- Running heavy games and apps for a long time;
- Record videos in high resolutions or stream videos for a long time;
- Screen brightness set to maximum;
- Cell phone cover without adequate ventilation outlets;
- Defective charger or not the one supplied with the cell phone
Is it normal for a cell phone to heat up while charging?
Yes, it is normal for the cell phone to heat up during charging due to heat dissipation from the charger. This process happens when the device transforms the alternating current from the socket into a direct current for the cell phone.
Can a cell phone that gets too hot explode?
The risk of a cell phone exploding due to excessive heat is low, as explained by Thompson Reis, coordinator of research, design and innovation in materials at the Senai-MG Innovation and Technology Center.
“The risk of explosion is remote. However, it is a matter of statistics. As I said, favorable conditions can add up and lead to the occurrence of events of this type.
Recommendations include not leaving the equipment connected to the electrical network unnecessarily. Recharge the battery under conditions that can be monitored. Do not use the equipment while the battery is charging.”
Could an overheating cell phone be a virus?
Yes, a cell phone getting very hot can be a sign of a virus, as malware can use the device’s resources without the user’s consent. Therefore, the smartphone may overheat due to the high CPU and GPU usage activity.
How to prevent your cell phone from overheating
- Avoid using your cell phone in strong sunlight;
- Don’t leave your cell phone in your closed car on hot days;
- Avoid using heavy applications for a long period of time, such as GPS, streaming and gaming apps;
- Do not use the device while charging;
- Avoid installing app and system updates;
- Avoid incompatible, defective or unknown brand USB cables;
- Recharge the battery under conditions that can be monitored
What is the ideal temperature for a cell phone?
The normal temperature of a cell phone may vary depending on the manufacturer. According to Apple, the iPhone was designed for use in environments with temperatures from 0º to 35ºC. There is a kind of safety margin, and the company recommends its use between -20º and 45ºC.
Motorola advises that consumers not carry the device at temperatures above 60ºC, as explained by Thiago Masuchette, the company’s product manager.
“The range from -20°C to +60°C is recommended for storage and transportation. These are the limits indicated by lithium ion battery technology, seeking to protect the battery cell and avoid damage or reduction in its life cycle.”
Thiago also explains that at temperatures above 45ºC, the charging rate is reduced to protect the cell phone, and all charging stops when the temperature reaches 60ºC.
“The user can plug it into the socket, but the phone does not charge. This is done to protect the battery cell. When the temperature drops, charging will resume”, informs the Motorola representative.
Is there any way to know what the temperature of my cell phone is?
You can find out your Android’s temperature using apps like AIDA64 and CPU-Z, available for free on the Play Store. For those using an iPhone, Apple does not allow the user to monitor the device’s internal temperature.
Can I use an app to keep my phone from getting hot?
Yes, this type of application tries to optimize the use of the CPU and GPU to avoid overload and, therefore, overheating. CPU Monitor and CCleaner are some examples of applications available on the Play Store that optimize the use of your device.
How to cool your cell phone
To stop your cell phone from heating up, you can disable or limit some features of the device. Thus, demanding less from the device and lowering the internal temperature during the hottest days. See below what can be done.
- Reduce screen brightness
- Remove the cover;
- Activate power saving mode;
- Turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and GPS, if possible;
- Activate background usage limits (on Android);
- Put it in airplane mode;
- Take it to a cool, ventilated place;
- Decrease the screen refresh rate;
- Check if the charger or cable has any problems;
Can I put my cell phone in the freezer to cool down?
It is not recommended to place your cell phone in the freezer, or in environments with very low temperatures, to cool the device. The device’s internal components are sensitive and subjecting them to thermal shock can damage your cell phone.
