Technologies

This Is Why Your Phone Keeps Getting So Damn Hot (and How to Prevent It)

If your phone gets too hot, you might experience issues with battery life and performance, or it could even be permanently damaged. Here are a few tips to help prevent overheating.

It’s the start of summer, and that means trips to the beach and backyard BBQs, which can lead to another summer phenomenon — overheated phones. Now that temperatures are warmer, it’s not at all unusual to grab your phone and then yank your hand back because it’s really hot to the touch. You look over at your phone and see a warning:

«Your device is overheating and needs to cool down.»

For the most part, overheating isn’t always a problem. You can move your phone away from direct sunlight or put it in a cooler spot and wait until it cools down. And then you’re good to go. But that’s not always the case.

You don’t want your phone to overheat, because it can slow down or even stop working completely. It can also result in permanent damage in some instances. And then you may have to replace your battery or get a brand new phone, and that requires spending money — even with insurance.

That’s why you want to take measures to prevent your iPhone, Android or other phone from overheating. Here’s what you need to know.

For more, check out the best iPhone you can get in 2023, as well as our top picks if you’re considering an Android phone.

Why is your phone getting hot in the first place?

Your phone might overheat for many reasons, but these are some of the most common culprits:

Leaving your phone in direct sunlight.
Keeping your phone in a hot environment.
Overusing your phone when it’s charging.
A faulty battery or charger.
Bugs in the software.
Rogue apps or malware.

Your phone might overheat from other causes, like a malfunctioning application or even a suffocating phone case, but the reasons above are the most likely causes of your phone getting too hot.

What does overheating do to your phone?

If the interior temperature of your phone exceeds what’s normal and the device overheats, you can expect a few issues:

You can’t use your phone.
Your phone slows down.
Charging slows down or completely stops.
Your signal is weakened.
Your camera’s flash is temporarily disabled.

There are also possible permanent harmful effects — overheating can cause lasting damage to the battery, SIM card and other crucial parts inside your phone.

So how can you prevent your phone from overheating?

The most important thing is to keep your phone away from direct sunlight when possible, especially when it’s warm. Your phone might be fine in the grass on an overcast day, but the warmer the temperature, the less your phone can withstand the sun. At the beach, your phone can overheat in just a few minutes in the sun. Same if you put it in a sunny spot in your car.

Instead, get your phone out of the direct light, whether it’s in your pocket, inside a backpack or under a towel/blanket or dashboard. Anyplace that will keep it away from sunlight will work.

It’s fairly easy to protect your phone from the sun, but high temperatures alone can also cause your phone to overheat. After only an hour, the inside of a car can reach 143 degrees when it’s 100 degrees outside, for example, so a phone left in your cup holder could quickly overheat and get damaged. The short answer: Don’t keep your phone in a hot environment for an extended period of time, even if it’s not in direct sunlight. That includes your car, a sauna, the kitchen, the middle of the desert or anywhere near a fire.

Your phone’s optimal internal temperature should be somewhere between 32º and 95º F (0º and 35º C). To prevent overheating, Apple recommends keeping the device in a place where the temperature is between -4º and 113º F (-20º and 45º C).

You should also follow these tips to prevent your phone from overheating

Don’t use graphics- or processor-intensive apps when your phone is charging. That includes massive mobile video games like PUBG Mobile or streaming apps like Netflix and Hulu.
Update your phone system software and apps to the latest software available. A bug in the software can cause overheating issues, so always stay up-to-date with your software.
Steer clear of third-party chargers. Most times you’ll be fine, but a cheaply designed charger could cause your phone to overheat.

While you’re here, check out how to make your Android feel new again with these five tips and our review of the M2 MacBook Air.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for May 26, #1437

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle No. 1,437 for May 26.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle answer is a word with numerous meanings. One refers to bees, one to an annoying sound and another to a flying craft. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

There are two vowels in today’s Wordle answer.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with the letter D.

Wordle hint No. 4: Sound

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to a continuous low hum.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to a small flying device controlled from the ground.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is DRONE.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, May 25, No. 1436 was GRIFT.

Recent Wordle answers

May 21, No. 1432: ALARM

May 22, No. 1433: FOLIO

May 23, No. 1434: SHUCK

May 24, No. 1435: SUEDE

Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for May 26, #449

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 449 for May 26.

Looking for the most recent Strands answer? Click here for our daily Strands hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is rather tough. Some of the words aren’t super common, and the unscrambling could trip you up. If you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: Body language

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: Signal with your body in some way.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints, but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

STED, SALT, MARS, HARM, HARMS, STEM, TOOK, COOK, CART, CARTS, LUTE, LUTES, HAND, HANDS, TARE, SHAKE

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you’ve got all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

SHRUG, KOWTOW, SALUTE, CURTSEY, NAMASTE, HANDSHAKE

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is GESTURES. To find it, start with the G that’s four letters down on the first row, and wind across.

Technologies

Memorial Day Sale: Prime Members Can Save $30 on This Baseus Blade 6-in-1 Power Strip and Get 2 Free 45W USB-C Chargers

You can now enjoy a steep discount (and some free goodies) on the purchase of this 6-in-1 power strip if you’re quick.

If you’re constantly on your phone and laptop throughout the day, or have a bevy of accessories to keep topped up (like the dying battery on my phone I’ve been needing to replace for three months now) you know that a shortage of electrical outlets and charging ports can be inconvenient. Luckily, Baseus is behind some nifty charging devices that can help solve this issue and make sure every one of your devices can be easily recharged. The best part? You don’t have to pay the full price for a power solution right now, thanks to Memorial Day sales.

Amazon is currently offering a $30 discount on the Baseus Blade 140W charging station to Prime members as a part of its Memorial Day sale, which means you can grab it for just $70. Even better, the retailer is also including two free 45W USB-C chargers with your purchase. Not only is this a great opportunity to save on this charging device, you might also be able to avoid potentially rising costs due to tariffs on electronic devices and accessories.

This Baseus Blade charging station is a 6-in-1 powerhouse with two electrical outlets, one USB-A port and three USB-C ports for a convenient place to charge your laptop, tablet, smartphone, lamp and other necessary work devices. Its smart display also shows you how much power is being distributed per port.

Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money.

Thanks to its GaN technology, this charging station is safe to use and is built to prevent overheating and keep your devices safe. Amazon is also throwing in two 45W charging blocks valued at $35, which makes this deal even sweeter and lets you charge even more devices. Just be sure to click on the on-page offers to add the chargers to your cart. You could also select a couple of other items with this buy one get one free promotion, like two MagSafe power banks, a MagSafe charging station and some open ear headphones.

Looking for charging devices but not sure if this deal is right for you? Check out our list of the best USB-C chargers, docks, hubs and more.

Why this deal matters

This Baseus Blade 6-in-1 charging station is not only $30 off, it also includes two 45W charging blocks so you can expand your charging options at home or during travels. That makes now a great time to stock up and potentially save before tariffs start affecting the price of electronic goods and accessories.

When does this deal expire?

We don’t have an exact ending date for this deal, but since it’s tied to Memorial Day, it’s likely around only for a short time or until the stock runs out. It could disappear at any moment, so if you’ve been wanting to invest in a power solution, don’t wait up. If you’re looking for even more charging deals, Anker is running a few as well, but none with this level of freebies.