iPhone 7 Overheating? Here’s What Causes It and How to Fix It

If your iPhone 7 is getting unusually hot—even when you’re not doing anything heavy—it’s a sign something’s not right. While some heat is normal during charging or gaming, constant overheating can point to app issues, software bugs, or even hardware problems. Here’s how to figure out what’s going on and cool things down.


What Causes iPhone 7 to Overheat?

1. Prolonged or Heavy Usage

If you’ve been streaming videos, gaming, or using GPS for a long time, your iPhone’s processor (CPU) is working overtime—and that generates heat.

2. Buggy or Overactive Apps

Sometimes apps get stuck running in the background and force the CPU to max out. One rogue app is all it takes to overheat your phone.

3. Software Bugs

iOS updates sometimes introduce glitches that cause the system or apps to misbehave and overuse system resources.

4. Environmental Heat

Leaving your phone in direct sunlight or a hot car can raise its temperature quickly, even if it’s not in use.


How to Fix iPhone 7 Overheating

1. Close Background Apps

Free up your CPU and RAM by quitting apps running in the background.

  • Double-press the Home button.
  • Swipe up on each app preview to close it.

2. Check Battery Usage for Misbehaving Apps

Find out which apps are using the most power and possibly causing the heat.

  • Go to Settings > Battery.
  • Look under Battery Usage to see if any app is using excessive power.

If one stands out, consider force closing it or uninstalling it temporarily.

3. Update iOS

Apple regularly patches bugs that can cause overheating.

  • Go to Settings > General > Software Update.
  • If there’s an update available, install it.

If storage is tight, update through a computer using Finder (macOS) or iTunes (Windows).

4. Reset All Settings

This will undo any problematic system-level changes that could be overloading your phone.

  • Go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset.
  • Tap Reset All Settings.
  • Enter your passcode if asked, then confirm.

Note: This won’t erase your data, but it will reset Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and other settings.

5. Perform a Full Restore

If nothing else works, a deep software refresh may be the fix.

  • Back up your iPhone to iCloud or iTunes.
  • Connect to a computer and open iTunes or Finder.
  • Select your device and click Restore iPhone.

Only do this if you’re confident the issue is software-based and not from physical damage.


Extra Tips to Prevent Overheating

  • Take off your case if it’s thick or insulating.
  • Avoid direct sunlight or leaving the phone in hot cars.
  • Turn off Personal Hotspot, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth when not needed.
  • Disable Location Services via Settings > Privacy > Location Services if you’re not using apps that require GPS.
  • Stop charging immediately if the phone heats up abnormally. Use Apple-certified chargers only.
  • Perform a soft reset by turning off the phone for a minute and powering it back on.

After a Software Update?

If the overheating started right after updating iOS, give your phone 24–48 hours to settle. System indexing and background processes can cause temporary heat. If it continues beyond that, you may need to wait for a patch or downgrade if available.

2 thoughts on “iPhone 7 Overheating? Here’s What Causes It and How to Fix It”

  1. after long frustrating with my device, finally i down loaded and use “Power Refresh” from the App store, and instantly my iph 7 get cooled.

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