A Galaxy A55, A54, A35 or A25 that runs hot is doing something Samsung lists as normal in most cases: charging, setup and data transfer, updates, long gaming or navigation, or use in sun or a hot car. The A-series use mid-range Exynos chips, the 1480 in the A55, the 1380 in the A54 and A35 and the 1280 in the A25, so a long game will warm them sooner than a flagship. The phone protects itself by dimming, slowing, pausing charging and closing apps until it cools. If it is still too warm to touch after you unplug it and close apps, Samsung says to contact its support.
Differential
Likely causes of “Samsung Galaxy A-series family gets hot or shows a temperature warning”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
A processor-intensive app: gaming, navigation or long video
What separates it It heats and dims during a game or navigation and cools when you stop
How to confirm Samsung says gaming and GPS tracking, and using several apps for a long time, raise temperature; close the apps and see whether it cools
- 2
A hot place or direct sun
What separates it It heats quickly outdoors, on a dashboard or in a case in sun
How to confirm Samsung's normal range is ambient temperatures between 32 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit; keep the phone out of parked cars and direct sunlight
- 3
A charger, cable or pad that is not Samsung's or is faulty
What separates it The phone is hottest while charging and a different charger makes it cooler
How to confirm Samsung says a non-Samsung, incompatible or defective charger or cable can raise temperature; try a Samsung-approved charger on a hard, flat surface
- 4
An update or restore still running
What separates it The phone is warm for a few days after a big update or after moving data
How to confirm Samsung lists initial setup and data transfer, and system or firmware updates, among the normal causes of heat
- 5
5G in a weak-signal area
What separates it It heats while browsing on 5G with poor reception
How to confirm Samsung says a 5G phone keeps an LTE connection alive as well, so it may run warmer than on LTE alone
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Which of the four models you have and its model number under Settings, About phone
- What the phone was doing when it got hot, and which cooling message appeared
- Whether it heats on a different Samsung charger and on Wi-Fi as well as on 5G
- The One UI version and the room or outdoor temperature
Try in this order
0 of 7 completedStop the load and cool it
ReversibleDisconnect the charger, close all running apps and remove a case. Samsung says to let the phone cool completely before using it again.
Read the message on screen
ReversibleSamsung lists Cooling down; Power off device; Device powered off automatically; and Device overheating, in which the screen may dim, the phone may slow, charging may pause and apps close. Performance returns to normal automatically after it cools.
Change the charger and the surface
ReversibleChange the charger and the surface, by trying a Samsung approved charger and cable, and charging on a hard, flat surface.
Turn off what you are not using
ReversibleSamsung says to turn off Wi-Fi, GPS and Bluetooth when not needed, turn down the screen brightness and delete unused files and apps.
Update the software and apps
ReversibleKeep the software and apps up to date, since Samsung lists updates as a fix for heat caused by bugs.
Test after setup finishes
ReversibleIf you have just set up or restored the phone, wait until the restore completes and check again a day later.
Book service if it persists
ReversibleIf the phone is still too warm with nothing running after a restart and an update, contact Samsung.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Chips
- Wikipedia lists the Exynos 1480 (with the Xclipse 530 GPU) on the A55, the Exynos 1380 (5 nm) on the A54 and A35 and the Exynos 1280 (5 nm) on the A25.
- Size and weight
- Wikipedia lists the A55 at 161.1 by 77.4 by 8.2 mm and 213 g, the A54 at 158.2 by 76.7 by 8.2 mm and 202 g and the A25 at 161 by 76.5 by 8.3 mm and 197 g; the A55 has an aluminum frame.
- Part numbers
- Samsung asks for the SM- model number from Settings, About phone, not a part number. Its charger is rated 25W for the family, with the code printed on the adapter.
- Tools and supplies
- A shaded, hard, flat surface, a second Samsung charger and cable, a case-free test, a flashlight to look into the port and a soft cloth.
- Repair cost
- If heat comes from a fault, Samsung's US list gives no A-series price; a repair shop's table lists $139 for an A54 screen. Battery and other repairs are quoted at service.
- Other models this page answers
- These steps also fit the Galaxy A54 5G.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If the phone is still too warm to touch after the charger is removed and apps are closed, contact Samsung support, as its own article says
- !If the phone powers off repeatedly to cool down with nothing demanding running, run Samsung Members diagnostics and book a service check
- !If the back bulges or the phone smells scorched, stop using it and visit a Samsung service center the same day
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Temperature range, causes of heat and the cooling-down messages.
A55 battery, charging, chip, storage, Wi-Fi, display, glass and SIM tray.
A54 battery, charging, chip, storage, Wi-Fi, display and glass.
A25 battery, charging, chip, storage, microSD, Wi-Fi and display.
Exact questions
Common questions
Is it normal for an A-series phone to get warm?+
Yes in the situations Samsung lists: charging, initial setup and data transfer, updates, long gaming or GPS use, and high ambient temperatures.
What temperature range does Samsung give?+
Ambient temperatures between 32 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit for normal operation.
What messages does the phone show when hot?+
Cooling down, Power off device, Device powered off automatically, and Device overheating, in which the screen dims, the phone slows, charging pauses and apps close until it cools.
Which chip does each A-series phone use?+
Wikipedia lists the Exynos 1480 for the A55, the Exynos 1380 for the A54 and A35, and the Exynos 1280 for the A25.
Does 5G make the phone hotter?+
Samsung says a 5G phone keeps a 3G or LTE connection as well, so the battery drains faster than expected and the phone may be warmer than on LTE alone.
Why does it get hot while charging?+
Samsung says warmth while charging is normal, but a non-Samsung or defective charger can make it hotter.
Should I use a freezer to cool it?+
No. Samsung's advice is to remove the heat sources and let the phone cool by itself.
Are the A-series dust and water resistant?+
Wikipedia lists IP67 for the A55, A54 and A35, which protects against dust and brief immersion but does not change how the phone handles heat.