How to Cool Down a Hot Phone That is Losing Battery

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A comprehensive guide to fixing an overheating phone

Co-authored by Cory Stillman Reviewed by Stan Kats

Last Updated: July 31, 2023 Fact Checked

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Why Your Phone Gets Hot & Loses Battery

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How to Cool Down Your Phone

Does your phone feel extremely hot to the touch? Is it also rapidly losing battery power? When your Android or iPhone gets too hot, the battery will often drain faster than usual. There are a few explanations for a phone overheating and several ways to fix the problem. This wikiHow guide has everything you need to know about a hot phone losing battery, from the most likely causes to the simplest fixes.

Things You Should Know

Exposure to direct sunlight or intense heat can cause a phone to overheat and lose battery.
Running too many apps at once can cause rapid battery depletion and a phone that's hot to the touch.
If your phone feels especially hot, turn on Airplane Mode to protect your processor and allow your phone to cool down.

Section 1 of 2:

Why Your Phone Gets Hot & Loses Battery

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1
Exposure to direct sunlight. The most likely reason a phone would overheat is extended exposure to direct sunlight. Whenever your phone heats up, it may quickly lose battery as well. If you are sitting outside on a hot summer day, consider leaving your phone inside or protecting it inside a purse or bag.
- If left exposed to the heat for too long, your phone's internal components can become permanently damaged.
- Never charge your phone while in direct sunlight. This will cause your battery to overheat and could permanently damage it.
2
The CPU/GPU is overloaded. If you are trying to run too many apps at once on your phone, the CPU may overload, causing the phone to heat up and use a lot of battery power. Likewise, streaming videos or playing games on your phone for several hours can put a lot of pressure on the GPU, making your phone hot and your battery run out faster.
- Other elements of your phone that rely on your CPU/GPU and could contribute to a hot phone with battery loss include:
  - Using your phone while the screen brightness is high.
  - Using a live or animated wallpaper or widget.
  - Extended use of the camera app.
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3
Faulty battery or charging cable. If your phone gets hot while charging, your battery or charger may be faulty. Try using a different charging cable and charging brick. If that doesn't solve the problem, bring your phone to a repair chop.
- Be sure not to charge your phone while it is exposed to direct sunlight or intense heat.
4
Malware or virus infection. Clicking certain links or downloading fake apps can plant malware on your phone. Certain malware can make your CPU or GPU work harder than usual, increasing the temperature of these components and making your battery work harder.
- These viruses are frequently found on crypto mining sites, so be careful if you choose to mine for cryptocurrency.
5
Your phone is installing a software update. It is very common for a phone to overheat while downloading or installing a software update, especially if your phone has to address a bug in the process. Do not worry if your phone heats up while updating, but consider bringing the phone to a repair shop if it does not cool down after the fact.
- To avoid battery drain during an Android or iPhone update, keep your phone plugged in until the update is complete.

Section 2 of 2:

How to Cool Down Your Phone

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1
Remove your phone from direct sunlight and heat. If your issue is related to a hot environment, move your Android or iPhone to a cooler location. In most cases, the phone will cool down on its own.
- If you often need to use your phone in a hot car , consider buying a phone mount that attaches to your air conditioner vent.
2
Close apps you aren't using. If you have several apps running in the background on your Android or iPhone that you do not need, close them. If the problem is related to an app on your phone, closing apps should preserve your battery and cool down your phone.
- Consider force-stopping all such apps after closing them.
- Prioritize closing out of apps that consume a lot of CPU/GPU, such as the camera app, games, and media streaming apps.
If your phone is overheating and losing battery, it is best to disable any background processes you are not currently using. Bluetooth and data roaming, for example, can drain a lot of battery when enabled if they are not being actively used. ^{[1]
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If your phone is really hot and its battery percentage is dropping rapidly, Airplane Mode can help. Airplane Mode disables many processes on your phone, reducing the processor's workload. This allows your phone to cool off and return to its normal state.