On a Galaxy S23 Ultra the heat usually comes from the camera or from an update, and from a battery that is now three years old. Owners on Samsung's forums reported the phone overheating while downloading, recording several videos in a row or filming on holiday after One UI 6.1, and some saw 40 degrees Celsius while playing ordinary video. Start with the camera and charger: stop recording, unplug it, remove the case and let the phone cool, then see whether the warning returns with nothing running.
Differential
Likely causes of “Samsung Galaxy S23 family gets hot or shows a temperature warning”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
Filming several clips in a row
What separates it The phone shows the overheating warning in the camera and may close it
How to confirm Recording keeps the chip, the image processor and the screen busy; owners describe the warning after repeated video takes, so stop for five minutes between clips
- 2
The One UI 6.1 update
What separates it The heat appeared the week after the update, while downloading or browsing, not only in games
How to confirm Forum threads tie the change to One UI 6.1; update to the newest One UI patch, restart, and leave the phone on Wi-Fi overnight so app updates finish
- 3
A three-year-old battery
What separates it The phone runs warm on light tasks that never used to warm it
How to confirm The 5000 mAh cell has had roughly three years of charges; the Samsung Members battery test reports its condition
- 4
Charging with a thick case or a pad
What separates it The heat is worst on the charger
How to confirm GSMArena lists 45W wired and 15W wireless charging; wired charging with the case off is the cooler combination
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether it heats in the camera, downloading, gaming or idle
- When it started and which One UI version is installed
- The exact warning message on screen
- Battery condition from Samsung Members diagnostics
Try in this order
0 of 5 completedStop the camera and cool it
ReversibleClose the camera, unplug the charger, remove the case and set the phone face up in the shade until it is cool.
Install the newest update
ReversibleOpen Settings, Software update and install anything waiting, then restart; One UI 6.1 was the release owners blamed for new heat.
Let background downloads finish
ReversibleLeave the phone on Wi-Fi and the charger overnight so app updates and the Play Store queue can complete.
Lower the load while filming
ReversibleDrop the video resolution or frame rate for long clips, and pause between takes.
Run the battery test
ReversibleOpen Samsung Members, Support, Phone diagnostics, Battery. A fault result is grounds for a battery replacement.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Charging
- 45W wired and 15W wireless charging on a 5000 mAh battery.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If it overheats with nothing running, run Samsung Members diagnostics and contact Samsung support
- !If the diagnostics report a battery fault, ask Samsung for a battery replacement quote before replacing the phone
- !If the back bulges or the phone smells scorched, stop using it and visit a service center the same day
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
The temperature range and the cooling messages.
Owners reporting heat while downloading, filming and using the camera after One UI 6.1.
Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy, 5000 mAh, 45W wired and 15W wireless charging, Armor Aluminum frame.
Exact questions
Common questions
Why does my S23 Ultra overheat in the camera?+
Recording keeps the chip and image processor busy, and owners in Samsung's US forum report the warning after several videos in a row; a short pause between clips lets it cool.
Did One UI 6.1 cause S23 Ultra heating?+
Owners in Samsung's US community tied new heat, including 40 degrees Celsius while playing normal video, to the One UI 6.1 update.
Is the S23 Ultra's chip the same everywhere?+
GSMArena lists the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 for Galaxy; Samsung used it in every S23 model.