If your phone gets so hot that it turns off regularly, check our guide for everything you need to know about overheating Android devices, and what you can do to prevent it from happening. It can be hard not to worry when your device is running hot, but if you can get to the cause, you should be able to solve the problem, or, at least, stop it from happening again in the future. Let’s kick off the list with the most obvious question;
1. What’s the Cause of the Heat?
First off, it’s better to attempt to identify just what is causing your device to burn up. If you’re not running anything demanding, make sure to kill any apps running in the background anyway. Playing games is often the most common cause of overheating because most phones lack any cooling systems such as the fans you’ll find in computers and consoles. Games tend to push hardware to the limit, and your device will start to overheat depending on just how demanding the game is.
A sturdy case might help to protect your device from bumps and scrapes, but it can also keep heat locked in. Switching to something lighter is helpful if your device overheats regularly. Using your device in the sun can cause it to overheat rapidly, which can lead to battery damage. While I was on holiday in the Florida heat, I (stupidly) played Final Fantasy 7 on my device by the pool. The phone never forgave me, and the battery life was never the same again. (But it was still worth it.) Here’s an interesting video that shows how shooting in 4K causes devices to heat up quickly; Anything from outdated software to defective hardware could potentially be the cause, and if you’ve overclocked your device, it’s always likely to get warmer when you’re pushing the hardware. Lastly, extended browsing can also be a factor, especially if the pages have videos and lots of adverts, so try to take a break if you’re planning on browsing for a while.
2. Hot while Charging
If your device is charging, it’s normal for it to convert some of the power into heat. Keeping it plugged in while gaming will cause it to get even warmer, but it should still be fine as long as there’s some form of ventilation. It’s best to leave the device to charge up before using it, as that can cause overheating, and it can damage overall battery life. Of course, there are horror stories about chargers and devices exploding while plugged in, but that’s usually due to third-party wires or hardware faults. However, if your device is becoming extremely hot, turn it off and remove it from the charger. Wait for it to cool down completely before turning it back on again. (Make sure you let it cool down naturally.) There’s always a chance that your battery could be defective, so if it’s old, consider getting it replaced altogether, and you should see a difference straight away.
3. Will Heat Damage My Phone?
If you’re just playing games, or you notice a slight change in temperature while charging, it’s unlikely that your device will suffer any damage. Rather than exploding, your device will switch itself off if it gets too hot, which can be pretty annoying if the phone is defective. Nonetheless, it’s better than it exploding in your face while you’re taking a selfie.
Heat can damage the overall battery life of your device, and once this happens, there’s no way to get it back to the way it was. This means that you should take care of your battery as much as possible, as it’s slowly going to get worse as your device gets older. If your device runs hot when it isn’t being used, (and there’s nothing major running in the background), you might have to consider either a replacement battery or phone.
4. Temperature Monitoring Apps for Android
An app like Cooler Master is a great way to keep an eye on just how hot your handset is. It has lots of great reviews on the Play Store, and it can be used to help you see which apps are consuming resources. Closing them should help to keep your phone safe.
If your device is rooted, you could always go for Coolify, which is a one-click app that aims to optimize your device. It might seem like magic, but it has helped lots of users to keep their device cool.
Either way, there’s some apps on the store that can help you regulate your battery and power usage, so if your device starts heating up, give one of them a go to see if there’s any difference.
Conclusion
Since the device will switch itself off if it gets too hot, you shouldn’t worry that much if your phone gets a bit toasty, but it’s always better to be safe rather than sorry. Keeping your device cool will help to prolong battery life, so it’s always recommended not to ignore a noticeable rise in heat. You should now have a better understanding of just why your phone gets hot, and what you can do to prevent any further damage. If we’ve missed an easy way to keep your device cool, or you have questions about something on this list, let us know in the comments below, or you can contact us via Facebook or Twitter. Featured Image Credit
