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  • Warning: Your iPhone Will Overheat In Direct Sunlight!
Technology Articles > Cell Phones > iPhone > Warning: Your iPhone Will Overheat In Direct Sunlight!

You probably already know that your iPhone wasn’t meant for water, that you shouldn’t bring it to concerts where you might make the mistake of dropping it from a great height, and you should really never let your child dunk your phone in orange juice. But, did you know that your iPhone has a low tolerance for heat? Given the fact that it’s summertime, you might be tempted to bring your phone with you to the pool or to a picnic (heaven forbid you disconnect for a few hours!). While your phone can provide entertainment that some family members and friends just can’t, you’re risking a complete iPhone shut down if you leave it in the sun for too long.

Your iPhone wasn’t meant to go over 115 degrees Fahrenheit. This may seem like a high temperature, and it may even seem like one that your climate never reaches (after all, we don’t all live in Arizona, right?), but that 115 degrees isn’t hard to reach on a really hot day when you leave your phone in direct sunlight. In fact, the inside of a car can reach more than one hundred degrees in minutes if parked in the sun (incidentally, this is also why you shouldn’t leave an animal or child in a parked car!). If your iPhone is left unattended to fend for itself in extreme heat, something will happen: you will see a red warning flash across your screen. If this warning is ignored, your phone will then shut down.

What To Do When Your iPhone Shuts Down

You won’t be able to open your phone up right away after heat has caused it to shut down. First, you will have to help your phone cool down. The best way to do this is to place it in a dark and shady spot for at least thirty minutes. If that doesn’t work, give your phone more time to cool down. If your phone is hot to touch, it probably is too hot to open. The iPhone was built to shut down when overheated, since your handy phone doesn’t actually have any built-in fans. Is this a manufacturing defect? Not really; most electronic devices don’t enjoy extreme cold or heat.

The best way to avoid seeing the “heat screen of death” is to make sure never to leave your iPhone in direct sunlight. This can be tough if you bring it to an outdoor event in the middle of the summertime, and it’s also easy enough to leave your phone in your car. But, try to keep your phone indoors away from heat, sunlight, and any kind of water. Sure, it can be tempting to bring your phone to the beach or to that picnic, but disconnected for a few hours won’t be the end of the world – or the end of your iPhone.

Why the iPhone Gets Hot

Aside from the fact that your phone doesn’t have adequate fans, there are other reasons why the iPhone gets really hot when left in the sun. First, the sides of the iPhone are covered in metal bands. If you’ve ever touched any bit of metal that’s been in the sun for hours, you know just how hot this material can get. Second, your iPhone is covered in glass on both the front and back side of the phone. Glass, as with metal, can become very hot when placed in the sunshine. Lastly, your iPhone is just an electronic device, and it wasn’t one that was built for extreme heat. I know it’s tempting to think of your phone as an indestructible object, but that’s just not the case. Now that you know your iPhone can, and will, overheat if you leave it in the sun too long, make sure to keep your phone as cool as possible at all times.