I have an iPhone 14 right now (I wouldn’t call it old, but it’s definitely not new anymore) and lately I’ve noticed that it gets really hot while charging. And I don’t mean just a little warm, it gets hot enough that it’s uncomfortable to hold in my hand. For example, I can’t comfortably scroll TikTok or watch shows while it’s charging because the heat starts bothering my hand after a while.
What could cause this, and is there anything I can do to fix it? I’m not really looking to buy a new phone yet, so I’m hoping there’s another explanation.
Well, the iPhone 14 came out back in 2022, so it may simply be battery wear. Before worrying too much, I’d check the battery health first. Go to Settings > Battery > Battery Health & Charging and look at the Maximum Capacity percentage. If it’s below 80%, I’d contact Apple or an authorized service center and ask about a battery replacement. That’s completely normal for a phone that has been used for a few years, and an aging battery can definitely contribute to extra heat during charging.
Thanks for the reply. That was actually the first thing I checked. My battery capacity is currently at 87%, which still seems pretty reasonable to me. Could there be other causes for an iPhone overheating while charging?
Does your iPhone get hot only while charging? Is the temperature normal during regular use? If not, check how much free storage you have left. If it’s getting low, try freeing up at least some space (here are some tips on what to look for first). I’ve actually seen cases where an iPhone struggled with even basic phone calls without heating up because it was so full.
If storage looks fine, check Apple’s recommendations for what to do when an iPhone overheats. You may not be following some of the basic conditions without realizing it.
Also, does the iPhone get hot while charging if you simply leave it alone? I mean completely idle, without TikTok, videos, games, or anything else running (from your post, it sounds like you actively use it while it’s plugged in). If it stays cool when charging by itself but heats up when you use it at the same time, maybe it just can’t comfortably handle that workload anymore, so try charging it first and using it afterward.
Try reducing iPhone usage while it’s charging as much as possible. Turn off Background App Refresh, lower the screen brightness, close any apps you aren’t using, and generally keep the workload light. If it still gets hot after that, try restarting the phone. It sounds simple, but I’ve seen that help with weird overheating issues more than once.
Forgot to add that if you can’t figure out what’s causing it and none of the fixes help, create a backup of your iPhone first (either through iCloud or Finder) and then reset it to factory settings. It’s a bit of a last-resort option, but it gives the phone a completely fresh start and can fix overheating issues during charging.
Maybe the problem isn’t the phone itself? What charger are you using? A regular wired charger, or some kind of wireless charging pad? Low-quality cables and cheap charging stations can absolutely be the cause. I’m serious.
Also, what accessories do you have on the phone? Is it in a case? I remember reading that a case can contribute to iPhone overheating during charging too (especially if it’s a cheap one of $2). Check both of those things and see whether changing them affects the charging temperature.
For what it’s worth, I have an iPhone 16, and it also gets noticeably warm during charging sometimes, especially when I plug it in from a very low battery level. Because of that, I stopped waiting until the battery drops to 1-5% and these days I usually put it on the charger when it gets somewhere around 30%, and I haven’t noticed the same amount of heat since.
If your situation is similar, try changing your charging habits for a week or two and see what happens. It may sound simple, but not letting the battery get critically low before charging might actually help.
Thanks everyone for the advice! From what I’ve checked so far:
iPhone storage is fine, but I’ll definitely keep that suggestion in mind for the future.
I’m also using the original charging cable that came with the phone, so I don’t think that’s the issue either.
For now, I’m going to try changing my charging habits for a few days and see what happens. If that doesn’t help, I’ll probably try the factory reset.
It’s hard to say whether any of this will solve the problem yet, but at least I have a few directions to investigate now instead of just guessing. Thanks again to everyone who took the time to reply.