How to stop your iPhone getting too hot

published 11 July 2018

Apple may have created a wonder phone in the iPhone X – and all its other iPhones – but they each suffer from a common problem, overheating. T3 is here to help you avoid a phone shut down, and permanent damage, from getting too hot under the glass.

Overheating is a common problem for many phones but the metallic build of the iPhones can make this an even more common issue for Apple users.

When a gadget gets too hot it can risk damaging the processor but also the battery. In the case of the latter that can be permanent, meaning you actually lower the life of your device in the long run. Other issues include slower charging, a dimming display, camera flash disabling, app slowing and weak network signal. So, where possible it's best avoided.

Apple says the ideal temperature for your iPhone is between 0º and 35º C (32º to 95º F). Outside of this you may encounter the dreaded message: "Temperature: iPhone needs to cool down." So how do you keep your iPhone safe from potentially permanent damage? A few simple rule to live by when hot.

Avoid leaving your iPhone in direct sunlight.
Stop using graphically intensive apps like games.
Don't keep the iPhone in a hot place like a pocket, bag or car.
Turn off GPS and Wi-Fi.
Don't charge your phone as this will only make it hotter.
If you get a warning it's best to turn off the phone entirely, until cool.

Luke is a former freelance writer for T3 with over two decades of experience covering tech, science and health. Among many others Luke wrote about health tech, software and apps, VPNs, TV, audio, smart home, antivirus, broadband, smartphones, cars and plenty more. In his free time, Luke used to climb mountains, swim outside and contort his body into silly positions while breathing as calmly as possible.