Stop charging and demanding tasks while the device cools in a shaded, ventilated place. A temperature warning deserves attention even when the device still works. Check whether heat follows one app, charging or an update, then use the model-specific checks below before considering a reset.
Differential
Likely causes of “Apple iPhone with Lightning gets hot or shuts down”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Setup, restore or an update
What separates it Warm for a day or two after moving data or updating
How to confirm Apple lists these as normal; the phone cools when the task ends
- 2
Graphics-heavy use or the camera
What separates it The phone is warm during games, video calls or filming and cools when they stop
How to confirm Apple lists processor-intensive apps and camera use; take a break
- 3
Heat from outside
What separates it Hot in a car, in sun or during navigation
How to confirm Apple gives 0 to 35 degrees Celsius (32 to 95 Fahrenheit) as the range of use and warns against leaving a phone in a car
- 4
Wireless charging
What separates it The phone is warmest while it sits on a wireless Qi charging pad and cools once removed
How to confirm Apple lists wireless charging as a normal reason for warmth; remove the case and center the phone
- 5
An aged battery
What separates it Warm in ordinary use with short battery life or slow performance
How to confirm Apple explains that iOS manages peak performance on an aged battery; check Battery Health & Charging
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which of the four phones you have and its model number
- What the phone was doing and any temperature warning
- The maximum capacity reading and whether performance management is on
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedStop the demanding task
ReversibleClose the game, camera or video and unplug the phone if it is charging, then let it rest somewhere cool.
Take off the case and move to shade
ReversibleApple says direct sunlight and parked cars are the worst places to leave a device, so keep it shaded and let it cool before use.
Let it cool
ReversibleThe phone cools once the process is complete; do not use a fridge or freezer.
Look for a finishing update or restore
ReversibleA phone that has just updated or restored can stay warm for a day or two.
Check Battery Health & Charging
ReversibleA Service message in Battery Health together with heat and fast drain points to the battery, which Apple can test and replace.
Charge in a cool spot
ReversibleApple says charging slows or stops when the phone is too hot, which is a protection, so move it somewhere cooler and try again.
Get service if heat persists
ReversibleContact Apple Support if the phone stays warm with nothing running, since a stuck process or a battery fault needs a proper diagnosis.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Apple iPhone XS family gets hot or shows a temperature warning
- An iPhone X, XS, XS Max or XR that runs warm is often doing something Apple lists as normal: setup, restoring a backup, a big update, wireless charging, a graphics-heavy game, long camera use or high-quality video. Apple says the phone cools when the process finishes and you can keep using it if no temperature warning appears. On these older phones there is a second cause worth checking: a battery with high impedance makes iOS manage performance, and a worn cell runs warm during charging. If the phone is warm in light use and also short of battery, read Battery Health & Charging before blaming an app.
- Chip and RAM
- iPhone X: A11 Bionic with 3 GB of RAM. XS and XS Max: A12 Bionic with 4 GB. XR: A12 Bionic with 3 GB, per Wikipedia.
- Where heat is normal
- Apple lists setup, restore, a major update, wireless charging, graphics-heavy apps, camera use and high-quality video streaming.
- Part numbers
- Apple model numbers such as A1901 (X), A2097 (XS), A2101 (XS Max) and A2105 (XR). No owner part number is involved in a heat fault.
- Tools and supplies
- A shaded surface and a dry towel to hold a hot phone. Do not use ice, a fridge or a fan pressed against it.
- Repair cost
- iFixit's table of Apple's US estimates lists an $89 battery for all four and screens at $199 to $329.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the iPhone X, iPhone XR.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If a temperature warning recurs with nothing demanding running, contact Apple Support
- !If Battery Health & Charging shows Service, book a battery replacement at $89 per iFixit's table
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Operating range, normal warm-up causes, protective changes and warning screens.
Heat and charging speed.
Performance management on iPhone X (iOS 12.1) and XS, XS Max and XR (iOS 13.1), maximum capacity and peak performance.
iPhone X battery, OLED display, A11 chip, IP67, Qi charging and iOS versions.
iPhone XS and XS Max batteries, A12 chip, IP68, Wi-Fi and iOS support.
iPhone XR battery, LCD display, IP67 and iOS support.
Exact questions
Common questions
Does Face ID heat the phone?+
Its heat article lists setup, restores, updates, wireless charging, heavy apps and video as the normal causes.
Is a hot XS Max a battery fault?+
Not by itself. Check Battery Health & Charging and how the phone behaves at 30 percent before deciding; heat plus quick drain points to the cell.
Is the iPhone X hotter than the XR?+
The X uses the A11 Bionic and the XR the A12, per Wikipedia, but no measured temperature difference is claimed here.
overheating: model differences
Also covered: Apple iPhone 12 family.