Every flagship phone iteration has a more powerful processor, a brighter screen, and a larger battery. This is great for power users, but it also increases the likelihood of overheating. ‘How to stop my phone from overheating’ is the question of the day, and we have the definitive answer.
Why Your Phone Is Overheating: Quick Fixes
Demanding Tasks: Modern games and apps often push the boundaries of your phone's processing power. High-quality graphics, complex calculations, and extended use can impact the processor and graphics card, generating heat. Read on to learn more about how to stop your phone from overheating.
- The Solution: Take breaks during long sessions or close resource-intensive apps when not in use. Remember, you don’t need to play an intensive game to strain your device. Even FaceTime calls can be resource-intensive.
Charging Issues: Not all chargers are created equal. Using a cheap, off-brand charger or one incompatible with your phone can disrupt the charging process. This disruption can lead to inefficiencies and cause your phone to overheat while charging.
- The Solution: Use the original charger or a certified alternative for proper voltage regulation and efficient charging. mophie’s snap+ 3-in-1 wireless charge stand is a great example of a certified, reliable wireless charger.
Want to know how to stop your phone from overheating? You’ll want to avoid using your phone extensively while it’s changing. This is especially true with fast chargers since using your phone heavily while plugged in can generate additional heat.
Battery Degradation: Sometimes, the answer to ‘how to stop my phone from overheating’ is: you can’t. Batteries degrade over time, and a compromised battery might struggle to handle charging.
- The Solution: If your phone is a few years old and overheating frequently, it might be time for a battery replacement. Consult a trusted technician for this process. If you’re struggling with battery degradation, a power bank can help you manage until you find a permanent fix.
Software Issues: Outdated software or apps might not be optimized for your phone's latest hardware. This software can cause the processor to work harder than necessary to complete tasks. If you’ve ever wondered how to stop your phone from overheating, the answer can be as simple as a software update.
Software bugs can also contribute by creating unexpected loops that engage the processor. This extra work naturally generates more heat.
- The Solution: Regularly update your phone's operating system and apps. Updates often include bug fixes and performance improvements that can address overheating issues. If all your software is already up-to-date, consider monitoring your phone’s temperature while running various apps. If the phone gets hotter while using a particular app, uninstall it.
Does App Usage Impact Phone Temperatures?
Apps can impact your phone's battery. If you’re wondering, “ how do I stop my phone from overheating, read on to see what kind of demands apps can make on your phone.
- Battery Drain and Heat: Even non-demanding apps can contribute to heat buildup if they drain your battery excessively. A stressed battery can generate more heat as it struggles to meet the app's demands.Even apps you're not actively using can contribute to overheating. Processes running in the background can drain your battery and keep the processor working to some extent, leading to a slight increase in temperature.
- GPU Strain: Apps and games with complex graphics can strain your phone's GPU. The GPU works overtime to render these visuals, leading to heat generation. This wasn’t much of a concern in the past, but the increasing number of high-profile titles like AC Mirage on iPhones will likely increase GPU strain in the future. If you’re playing the latest games and worrying about how to stop your phone from overheating, they might be the culprit.
Can Video Calls Overheat My Phone?
If you're asking yourself, “how do I stop my phone from overheating?” you need to consider video calls. There are two reasons for this: decoding/encoding and real-time processing.
During a video call, your phone's processor works overtime to encode the video feed from your camera (compressing it for transmission) and decode the incoming video feed from the other caller (decompressing it for display). This continuous encoding and decoding process is demanding on the CPU.
Unlike watching a pre-recorded video, video calls involve real-time processing. Your phone needs to constantly adjust the encoding and decoding based on factors like changing lighting conditions or movement, further straining the CPU.
How To Stop Your Phone From Overheating: Tips & Tricks
Use The Right Case
Cases made from thick, insulating materials like certain types of leather or bulky plastic can trap heat generated by your phone's internal components. This trapped heat causes the phone's overall temperature to rise.
The solution is simpler than you might think: graphene-fortified ZAGG phone cases. Here’s why these cases can help you solve your ‘how to stop my phone from overheating’ problem:
- Powerful Conductivity: Graphene is a material with exceptional thermal conductivity. It can transfer heat away from its source much faster than traditional case materials like plastic or silicone. If you’re wondering how to stop your phone from overheating, it might be time to make the switch to graphene.
- Faster Heat Dissipation: Graphene doesn’t just conduct the heat away from the source. By fortifying a phone case with graphene, you’re allowing heat to distribute more evenly across a larger surface area. This means that all that heat can radiate off your phone even faster with a graphene case.
ZAGG’s popular Denali Snap is an excellent example of a graphene-fortified phone case. The material allows this phone case to be lightweight, durable, and heat-resistant.
How to Stop Your Phone From Overheating: Best Practices
Graphene-fortified phone cases can pull excessive heat away from your phone, but you’ll still need to follow a few best practices to get results.
- For Video Calls: Prioritize Wi-Fi when making video calls, as cellular data can consume more system resources. Some apps also allow you to change the resolution of video calls to save data. Lowering your video resolution can greatly reduce the strain on your battery and save you from Googling ‘how to stop my phone from overheating’ so often.
- Background Activity: Background apps can silently drain your battery and strain your phone's processor, even if you're not actively using them. Confused about how to stop your phone from overheating? Make it a habit to close apps regularly to free up resources and reduce heat buildup.
- Screen Brightness: A bright display consumes more power and generates more heat. Adjust your screen brightness to a comfortable level, especially during demanding tasks like gaming or video calls.
- Take Breaks: Give your phone a break every now and then. If you’ve tried other tips for how to stop your phone from overheating, this simple solution might do the job. Use a Qi2 and MagSafe-compatible wireless charger for easy one-handed operability if you absolutely need to use your phone while it’s charging.
Stay Cool With ZAGG
Your phone has already been designed to withstand heat, even through extensive usage. To keep your phone cool at all times, follow a few handy best practices and use the right protective phone case–your phone will do the rest.
For the best in graphene-fortified phone cases, check out ZAGG! ZAGG’s best-in-class phone cases use only the highest quality materials, protecting your phone in every way that counts.
For complete protection against drops and scratches, we recommend complementing that case with a screen protector.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can’t figure out how to stop your phone from overheating? Find the likely culprit with these FAQs and beat the heat like a pro.