My iPhone 16 Pro Max overheats while using the Camera app

Bobobobo57 wrote:

SO if you burn your hand off I guess you're still alive and functional.

If you are burning your hand, why haven't you taken your iPhone to your Apple Store Genius Bar and showed it to them? If you think anyone here has a solution for a phone which gets so hot as you claim it could burn your hands, this user to user forum isn't where you're going to get the help you need.

I haven't seen that on my phone, any demo phone and haven't heard of it among the hundreds of users I hear from regularly.

i would recommend you make an appointment to have your phone examined at your local Apple Store, or contact Apple Support directly:

Genius Bar Reservation and Apple Support Options - Apple

Unless your phone tells you it needs to cool down and displays a thermometer icon, it is not overheating.

If your iPhone or iPad gets too hot or too cold - Apple Support

I have the same heat problem while connected to Carplay for just 20 minutes and screen locked, just listening music. I can say the overheat degree score as 7/10. I very feel it. After terminating carplay, cooled down quickly. @lobsterghost1 says this is related with background tasks, it sounds true but 3 days passed and there is no background task now (there was a notification previous day, background task is in progress on Battery section). So still hot while Camera and some another apps used. This "hot"ness is not normal. I was using 13 pro max and never seen heating problems in any app usage. Will use 2-3 more days, if it continues I will give it to Retail store to investigate hw problem.

Mine as well (iPhone 16 Pro). Runs almost cool at every other scenario, but the camera is the most battery consuming app. It gets reeeeally warm the second after I use the camera and takes a while to be cold again. Hope they fix it, I want to use the camera for longer periods of time!

I got the 16 Pro on launch day and have had significant heat and battery drainage as well. I made sure it had finished downloading my texts and setting up all the behind-the-scene things. I started today with 100% at 8:15 AM, and am now at 15% battery at 5:15 PM. My total screen time is less than two hours and I have disabled push for email and various other battery saving techniques. The phone is constantly warm and my battery drain is a stable downward slope despite my usage. I hope this is something Apple will be able to fix with a software update soon.

Have you been to the store yet? I was there yesterday and they were quite dismissive but they factory reset my phone and told me to wait two days and they would call me this Friday. However it’s still getting them to touch but because it’s not giving overheating signs or Warnings on the phone itself, they are claiming they feel it and that they’re not getting any complaints at all. I’m extremely frustrated and I don’t understand why this is happening. I’m waiting on returning the phone.

Bangguit wrote:

My iPhone 16 Pro just started overheating watching YouTube

So it stopped playing the YouTube video and showed a thermometer on the screen and said the phone needs to cool down before you can continue? If no, your phone DIDN'T overheat. It got warm, which would be expected when doing activities like watching videos, streaming music or playing games. Doing things like that, makes the battery work harder. And when the battery works harder, it generates heat.

”Background processes” or “indexing” is fair to say the first few days. Once we get to a couple weeks and the phone is just as hot as a zippo electric hand warmer then it starts to create concerns from me.

Walking to lunch yesterday I had to just turn my phone off I thought it might get damaged. Could feel my leg getting hot with it in my pocket. (Took me back to the exploding Samsung battery thought)

Today driving to work I streamed a twitter x space at the same time. I picked it up and decided it’s time to take it back.

My 14 pro never felt like this to be honest. Ya a few times it got hot and the screen dimmed or it was left in the car and had a “too hot” gauge on the screen… but I’ll say this is the first phone I’ve had like this. 😢

I spoke with them several times and went to Genius Bar. Did a factory reset. The heating got better. Still warm but since no warnings on the phone they claim it’s normal. I still complained and apple care sent me a remanufactured and I have a few days to decide if I want that or to just stick it out with this and I don’t. Know what to do

I have spoken with apple and the Genius Bar on several occasions now. They claim they know nothing about this yet tons of us have posted and I have friends who are getting actually phone shutdowns and freezing and overheating warnings. Mine isn’t giving warnings but it gets hot to touch when phone is in use. My 14 pro max never did this and I used it all the time. I asked for a replacement and they sent me a remanufactured one which I declined. I’m not accepting a remanufactured when I just paid $1700 for a brand new one not even a month ago. They won’t budge

muizmuas wrote:

I also encounter this heating issue when playing games. Please fix this issue ASAP

Playing games, watching videos, streaming music, all make the battery work harder. And when the battery works harder, it generates heat. That is normal and if your phone isn't showing a thermometer and shutting down, you don't have anything wrong.

meripony wrote:

it has been a week since i bought a brand new 15 plus and still heats even while doing simple tasks like listening to music on spotify or using instagram,tiktok etc or camera

Every app you list above you are using uses a lot of battery power to run. When you push the battery harder, it generates heat, which is COMPLETELY NORMAL. Watching videos, streaming music, taking photos or recording videos are battery intensive.

The phone was on the charger overnight, stopped charging and had an alert that the device would continue to charge once it cooled down. I dare say that is overheating despite not shutting down.

Also, when it gets too hot apps like the camera crash, not the whole device.

YoginiNinja wrote:

The phone was on the charger overnight, stopped charging and had an alert that the device would continue to charge once it cooled down. I dare say that is overheating despite not shutting down.

Also, when it gets too hot apps like the camera crash, not the whole device.

This is COMPLETELY NORMAL and something which arrived with iOS 17. The phone with at least a 20W charger will charge to 80% rapidly, which generates heat as it should. The phone will then stop charging and display that message, letting you know it will continue charging higher when it cools down. My iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max did this. My 16 Pro and 16 Pro Max does this. This is as I suggest normal and not a cause for concern, nor proof that your iPhone is overheating.