Why Is My Phone Hot: Record-breaking heat waves are frying vast regions of Africa and Europe, igniting wildfires and shocking some weather observers. To make matters worse, some experts fear that extreme heat will become more regular in the future.
Staying informed and connected to others becomes even more crucial in instances like these. But there’s a catch: our cellphones may be just as prone to overheating as we are.
Why Is My Phone Hot: Keep your phone out of the sun
When you use your phone outside in the sun, for example, to take photographs, it quickly absorbs heat. If it’s really light outside, your phone may try to increase the brightness of its screen to make it easier to see. That can be useful, but it also means your phone is using more power, which raises the likelihood that it will shut down to protect itself.
Limit your phone usage
Ideally, this means staying completely off your phone, which we understand is much more difficult than it sounds. If you can’t quite tear yourself away from your phone — or if you have a good reason to be on it — the next best thing is to limit what you do with it.
Avoiding utilizing your phone’s camera, especially while taking videos, is an excellent example. (Many people don’t realize it, but recording video footage uses many sections of a smartphone at the same time.)
Another frequent technique to quickly heat things up is to use your phone as a mobile hotspot; I’ve seen my iPhone issue the dreaded temperature warning on a not-even-that-hot Ghana day after pulling hotspot duty. If at all possible, avoid it. Similarly, graphically intensive games may tax your phone’s CPUs, and reducing that stress will keep your device cooler for longer.
Remove your phone case
Some cases may make it more difficult for phones to adequately disperse the heat that accumulates within them. If you regularly keep your phone in a case, consider taking it out and storing it in a bag or pocket that does not directly touch your body.
Use low power-saving mood
You may control what your phone does on its own in addition to what you do on it. This is where the low-power or power-saving mode comes into play.
Low Power Mode on an iPhone, for example, disables 5G (if applicable), makes your smartphone lock faster, dims your screen, and disables some background operations. These changes are purportedly intended to make your battery last longer, but because they prohibit trying to do many tasks at once, they can also assist reduce overheating.
Android phones offer a similar option, which is known as Battery Saver or Power Saving Mode depending on the manufacturer. You may use this function in much the same manner, however phone manufacturers like Samsung typically provide more choices, such as restricting your phone’s processor’s performance to 70%.
If all else fails, turn it off
The one sure-fire way to keep your phone from overworking itself — and overheating in the process — is to turn it off and stow it in the coolest place available to you
What happens if I put my phone in the fridge
Smartphones cool down rapidly, and you’ll probably have a working phone again in a few minutes if you simply let it alone. But, if your phone is overheating and you absolutely must use it right now, can you cool it down with a fast trip to the kitchen?
Perhaps, but there are certain risks involved.
“I would not advocate cooling a gadget in a refrigerator,” Hylle explains. “Rapid cooling in a damp environment may generate condensation and short circuit the gadget.” Going from extremely hot to extremely cold in a short period of time also poses concerns.”
(There’s also a potential your phone won’t be able to connect to a cellular signal in there, which may be detrimental.)
I’ve also heard some users advise putting their phones under a trickle of cool water from a tap – after all, smartphone manufacturers have boasted for years that at least some of their gadgets can withstand underwater drops. I don’t advocate it either, because such businesses normally vouch for how a phone will hold up in a few feet of water, not if it can resist flowing water.
Here’s what I’d suggest: get something cold, like a portable ice pack, a bag of frozen peas, or a chilled Capri Sun. Wrap it in a tea towel or a handkerchief and rest your phone on it for approximately a minute before removing it. Repeat until the phone is functional again.
Don’t have any of these items? Place the phone on a cool countertop or similar surface. With luck, this slower cooling method will have your phone up and running fast and with less danger of condensation-related problems.
