Dealing with an iPhone XR overheating while charging is something I’ve faced more often than I’d like to admit. At first, I thought it was normal—phones can warm up while charging, right? But after a few weeks of my iPhone XR feeling more like a hot plate than a phone, I knew something wasn’t right. That’s when I started trying out different things to get my phone to cool down during charging, and some of these worked surprisingly well.
Check the Charging Cable and Adapter
The first thing I did was check my charging cable and adapter. I’d been using an off-brand cable because my original one had frayed over time (something I’m sure most iPhone users can relate to). After switching back to an Apple-certified cable, I immediately noticed a difference. The phone still got warm, but it wasn’t scorching hot like before. What I learned is that using non-certified chargers, especially cheap ones, can make your phone overheat because they don’t regulate power as well.
I also swapped out the wall adapter. I had been using an older adapter that wasn’t really designed for fast charging, and when I switched to one that was, it seemed to regulate the power better. My phone would still get warm but not as uncomfortably hot, especially when charging overnight.
Avoid Using Your iPhone While Charging
Another habit I had to break was using my phone while it was charging. I’m usually the type who likes to scroll through Instagram or watch a YouTube video while the phone is plugged in, but I noticed that the phone got way hotter when I was doing this. So, I started leaving it alone while it charged. This simple change made a huge difference. When I wasn’t actively using the phone, it stayed at a much more manageable temperature.
I think we underestimate how much processing power is being used even for simple tasks like watching videos or messaging. It’s like forcing your phone to multitask, and on top of that, it’s charging—which naturally produces heat. Once I realized this, I made it a point to let my phone charge uninterrupted whenever possible.
Disable Background App Refresh and Close Unnecessary Apps
One of the things that worked for me was turning off background app refresh. I didn’t realize how many apps were constantly updating in the background, which added to the heat problem. I went into the settings and turned off background refresh for apps that didn’t need to be updated all the time, like social media apps and games. Not only did this help with the overheating, but it also improved my battery life.
I also made it a habit to close out apps that I wasn’t using. I used to leave a ton of apps running in the background, thinking it wouldn’t affect performance, but I was wrong. Closing apps not only made my phone feel faster, but it also kept the temperature down while charging.
Charge in a Cool Environment
I found that the environment where I charged my phone mattered a lot. There was a time when I charged my iPhone XR next to a sunny window, and it would overheat every time. Once I moved my charging station to a cooler, shaded part of the room, the overheating issue was less frequent.
This is especially important if you’re charging in a room that gets warm or humid. For me, even just moving my phone to the bedside table instead of leaving it on the couch helped. If the ambient temperature is already high, your phone has a harder time cooling itself down. It’s simple, but it made a big difference for me.
Turn Off Unnecessary Features
I also found that turning off certain features when charging helped with the overheating. I used to leave Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on all the time, even when I didn’t need them. But after noticing that my phone was staying cooler when these were off during charging, I started making it a habit to disable them if I wasn’t using them.
For example, when I charged my phone overnight, I’d put it in Airplane Mode. It charged faster, stayed cooler, and I didn’t wake up to an overheated phone in the morning. The same thing goes for location services—if I wasn’t using GPS, I’d turn it off, and that seemed to help too.
Update to the Latest iOS
Another thing I did was keep my iPhone XR updated to the latest iOS. One time, after an iOS update, I noticed the overheating was worse, but Apple quickly pushed another update to fix the issue. From then on, I always made sure my phone was running the latest version of iOS. The updates often contain fixes for bugs that might be causing the phone to overheat, so this was something I kept an eye on.
There was a particular update that seemed to improve the thermal management of my phone, so whenever my phone started overheating again, I’d check for any pending updates. It’s a small step but helped in the long run.
Clean the Charging Port
Lastly, and this one surprised me, I found that cleaning the charging port helped. I didn’t realize how much dust and lint can accumulate in there, and over time, it was affecting the connection between the cable and the phone. A loose connection can cause your phone to overheat, so I started cleaning out the port regularly with a toothpick. It’s crazy how much gunk can get stuck in there, but once I cleaned it out, the overheating reduced.
Conclusion
Fixing the iPhone XR overheating while charging wasn’t an overnight solution for me—it took a combination of different methods to get it under control. From switching to a certified cable and wall adapter to avoiding using the phone while it charged, I had to change a lot of my habits. But in the end, it was worth it. The overheating became a rare issue rather than a daily frustration.
For anyone dealing with the same problem, I’d recommend trying these solutions one by one. It’s not just about one fix but finding the right combination that works for your specific situation. And trust me, once you’ve got your phone charging without turning into a mini heater, it’s a much more pleasant experience.