Finally, the iPhone 15 is here. Users and enthusiasts greeted the release and sale of the device with glee. But within days, there have been credible complaints of the iPhone 15 overheating. Different users have reported various reasons for the alleged overheating. Some say it happens during charging, while others say it occurs when using some applications or when multitasking with the smartphone.
One popular Korean YouTuber, BullsLab, took things further by recording the iPhone 15 temperature with a thermal imaging camera. He then tested the device against its benchmark capabilities. He reported that the device temperature rose to about 46 degrees Celsius.
Aside from charging and heavy usage, early reports also suggested that the 3nm node was responsible for the issue. Respected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has since added his opinion on that controversial report. He states in Medium that the iPhone 15 Pro’s advanced 3nm A17 processor is not responsible for the iPhone 15 Pro overheating.
So, what could be causing the iPhone 15 Pro models to overheat?
In this article
🔥Possible Causes of iPhone 15 Overheating Issues
It is worth noting that it is normal for smartphones to heat up during setup and the first day you use them. But if you have already set up your iPhone 15 and have had your iPhone for some time and still experience overheating, here are some factors that could be responsible.
1. Charging System
Charging was the first reason identified by most users. According to this Android Authority report, overheating occurs when using the 65W USB PD GaN charger. But when charging the phone with a 15W USB PD charger, the problem does not persist. So, it raises the question of whether some chargers are unsuitable for the iPhone 15 Pro series.
Many other users are also discussing the issue on the X app. In this post, Ian Zelbo also states that the iPhone 15 Pro gets very hot during fast charging.
In subsequent posts, he further claimed that the overheating is worse when the phone is charging with the battery percentage between 25 to 60%, while the phone starts to cool down after 70%.
The complaints of alleged overheating when charging seem to be credible with another X user [Alex Gear & Tech] claiming in this post that his device stopped charging because it got too hot.
2. Device Overuse
Many users have complained that whenever they try any feature that requires high computing power, the iPhone 15 Pro overheats.
These features include gaming, social media apps, and phone calls. Others reported overheating when using social media applications. Here is one such complaint from the iPhone community
So, it is clear that charging and device overuse are the factors that cause the iPhone 15 to overheat.
But is there an underlying factor? Is there something about the design or iPhone production component that causes it to overheat when people charge it or use it for several tasks? Apple analyst, Ming-Chi Kuo thinks so.
3. Thermal System Design
Ming-Chi Kuo states that Apple made significant adjustments to the thermal system design to allow them to reduce the weight of the iPhone 15 Pro series.
Apple reduced the area that lets out heat from the devices and that may have impacted the thermal efficiency of the iPhone 15. So, with the iPhone 15 Pro model unable to discharge heat as efficiently as it should, it heats the smartphone. He also believes the new titanium frame is another reason for the overheating issues.
The thermal system issue seems like a credible underlying factor for the overheating. But Apple has not made any statement to confirm or deny this. So you need to take temporary measures to manage the temperature of their devices to prevent overheating. The following are some possible solutions for your overheating iPhone 15.
🌡Solutions to iPhone 15 Overheating Issues
You must be wondering if this problem will ever end. It looks like that. According to Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple will acknowledge the problem soon. And subsequently, they will release a software update to address it.
So, while waiting for that, you may still be wondering how to fix the iPhone 15 overheating for now. Here are a few things you can do to reduce the iPhone 15 overheating.
1. Switch Off the Device
This is a time-tested method to reduce overheating in mobile devices. Switch it off for a while and wait until it cools down. Switching off a mobile device shuts down background applications. Do not try to speed up the cooling process by placing ice packs on the device or putting your iPhone in your refrigerator. That could damage your device.
2. Turn off Apps that Use Location Services
These apps include browsers and navigation apps. Aside from draining your mobile phone's battery, they also use significant processing power.
3. Turn on Auto-Brightness
If you set your iPhone to maximum brightness, it will use significant battery resources and heat your device. But if you turn on this setting, your phone will regulate its brightness based on light exposure throughout the day.
4. Use a Different Charger
As per Android Authority, some users noticed the overheating stopped when they changed their phone with the 15W USB PD charger. So, if you are using the 65W charger and experiencing overheating, you can try this fix. However, note that this will lead to slower charging.
5. Apple's Solution: Update your Software
Apple has released a software update to address the issue of overheating in the iPhone 15. They rolled out the iOS 17.0.3 on Wednesday. You may update your software and hopefully that works for you.
Here is the instruction to download:
Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
Then tap Update Now and follow the onscreen prompts. After updating, you'll not find your iPhone is uncomfortably hot to hold. But during the first few days after setting up or restoring, increased background activity will cause it to run warmer.
Having seen all the issues with overheating, you may be worried about transferring data to your new iPhone 15 as the device may heat up while transferring large applications like games.
MobileTrans desktop software takes that burden away and lets you transfer all your phone data, including applications and games in just one click.
Avoid Overheating Problems When Transferring Data
The problem of iPhone 15 overheating may persist if you attempt to transfer phone data via your phone directly from your old iPhone to your iPhone 15 as the transfer process uses significant processor power.
Many reports show that device overuse is one of the factors that causes overheating. Hence, it is sensible to use a third-party option that eases the process, and MobileTrans does that very well.
Wondershare MobileTrans
Carefree Transfer on Your iPhone 15 without Overheating!
- • Transfer data on your devices with one click.
- • Various data transfer, including photos, videos, calendar, messages, etc.
- • Takes less than 10 minutes to finish.
- • Support the latest iPhone OS and Android OS.
So, here is a step-by-step guideline on how you can use the MobileTrans software to transfer phone data to your new iPhone 15.
Step 1. Launch the MobileTrans Software on your PC/Mac
Start by installing the MobileTrans software on your computer. After completion, choose the “Phone Transfer” option from the homepage. This will launch the Phone Transfer interface of the MobileTrans software.
Step 2. Connect both devices to the computer
Ensure your computer recognizes both devices after you connect it. The images of both devices will come up showing the Source on the left, and Destination on the right. If it does not show up this way, click "Flip" to correct it.
Step 3. Finalize Phone Transfer
Once you have established the connection, select the content you want to transfer and wait for MobileTrans to do the rest.
With the MobileTrans data transfer software, data transfer is fast and simple. You also avoid overheating your device due to transfer of large applications.
Final Words
Although the iPhone 15 release has been generally positive, the issue of overheating has been a point of criticism, and rightly so. If you have just bought the iPhone 15 Pro, you may notice overheating when setting up the phone or within the first day of usage. This is normal.
But if the problem persists, you may try switching off the device, turning on auto-brightness, or closing any application that uses location services. You can also be patient while Apple works on a solution.
In the meantime, should you need to transfer data from your old device to your new iPhone 15, the MobileTrans software does the job. Aside from guaranteed speed and security, it also handles the transfer process so your iPhone 15 does not do it. This is an added advantage considering that device overuse is one of the factors that causes the iPhone 15 to overheat.