iPhone overheating in the sun? How to ensure the heatwave doesn’t ruin your phone

iPhone overheating? How to ensure the heatwave doesn’t ruin your phone’s battery

Temperatures have shot up to frankly unholy levels here in the UK − levels that most of us simply aren’t used to. As well as taking extra care of yourself, we’d recommend keeping a closer eye than usual on your mobile. Otherwise you run the risk of permanently shortening its battery life. And if you’ve recently shelled out £1000+ on a shiny new iPhone XS or iPhone XS Max, that’s a spine-chilling thought. Here’s how to stop your iPhone from getting too hot.

Smartphones can malfunction in particularly warm weather, and as well as ruining your handset’s battery life, too much sun can also cause your phone to temporarily misbehave, affecting performance, charging and even signal.

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With temperatures in the UK well above the 30-degrees Celsius mark this week, it’s worth reminding yourself of the symptoms of an iPhone suffering from heatstroke, and what to do to protect your mobile. Dabbing it down and fanning it might not be enough.

“Use iOS devices where the ambient temperature is between 0º and 35º C (32º to 95º F),” an Apple support page explains. Weather forecasts say we’re going to go beyond that upper limit in many areas of the UK. Furthermore, some demanding phone features, including GPS tracking, graphics intensive games and AR apps, can cause your handset to heat up even further.

Apple also warns against leaving your iPhone in direct sunlight for an extended period of time. You should take care not to leave your iPhone in a parked car too, as the temperature in there could go through the roof.

“If the interior temperature of the device exceeds the normal operating range, the device will protect its internal components by attempting to regulate its temperature,” Apple says. If this happens, look out for one or several of the following symptoms:

• Charging (including wireless charging) slowing down or stopping altogether
• Performance slowing down
• Your signal getting worse as “cellular radios enter a low-power state”
• The display dimming or going black
• The camera flash not working

Read more: Best iPhone

“Additionally, if you’re navigating, the device might show this alert and turn off the display: ‘Temperature: iPhone needs to cool down’”, Apple adds. “Navigation still provides audible turn-by-turn directions. When approaching a turn, the display will illuminate to guide you through the turn.”

In extreme circumstances, you might even see a temperature warning appear on screen. If this happens, Apple recommends turning your phone off and allowing it to cool down.

And that’s all from the Fun Police today. Enjoy the weather!