iPhone feels warm after iOS 18.6.2 update

It's not unusual after an update and even a few days after, depending on how much data is on the phone, for the phone to feel warm. Phones need to index the millions of bytes of data after an update. It would be good for you to do what WheelieNick suggested, which is to Force Restart your iPhone (I do this after EVERY iOS update, EVERY TIME).

Another thing to consider is what your Battery Health is at this point. Depending on when you bought your phone (they were released originally 4 years ago, in 2021). If you bought your iPhone when they were originally released, it's highly probable that if you still have the original battery in your phone, it's time to replace the battery. Open Settings > Battery > Battery Health. If it is 80% or less, the useful life of the battery has been used and it's time for a new battery, which you have installed at your closest Apple Store Genius Bar.

haitao88 wrote:

My iPhone 16 Pro Max is having the same issue. Since updating to iOS 18.6.2, the phone overheats extremely, even though the battery health is 100%. The battery life is also noticeably worse. I hope they release a new version soon; this version is terrible.

Let's define overheating: An iPhone which is actually overheating displays a graphic of a thermometer along with a message saying the phone cannot be used until it cools down. If you are NOT seeing this, your iPhone is NOT overheating. That doesn't mean it's not getting warm, but the iPhone is designed with thermal protection and it will prevent you from using it if is really overheating.

After you updated your phone, did you Force Restart it? After EVERY iOS update, I Force Restart my iPhone and I never have issues. Do this and keep these directions handy for the next update --> Force restart iPhone - Apple Support

AlanK1977 wrote:

Oh wow!

My Battery Health is at 78%, but I’m not sure if that’s before or after the iOS update. Nevertheless, I read a message that I need to replace my battery.

iOS updates have NOTHING to do with Battery Health. Battery Health is a measurement of the maximum capacity of the battery. With every full cycle charge, the health of the battery diminishes. Batteries are consumable parts and they simply cannot last forever. And yes, at 78% your battery has degraded to the point it needs to be replaced.

It is warm, but not overheating because otherwise you will receive a message

1. Please force restart your iPhone to see if the issues persist
2. Press and quickly release the volume up button.
3. Press and quickly release the volume down button.
4. Press and hold the side button.
5. When the Apple logo appears, release the side button.

The same thing is happening with both my iPhone and iPad since I updated to 18.6.2. I never had a problem with either device charging, but since the update both devices get super hot when charging/ plugged in, and my iPad requires constant restarting to charge the battery. The batteries are also draining really fast when using. My iPhone battery usually lasts all day, but now drains after a couple of hours. I actually brought my iPad in for service last week thinking my battery was the issue, but the tech said my battery is fine with Battery Health above 90%. I bought an external cooling device for my iPad, which helps a little and the battery lasts longer when unplugged but I have to remove the case to use it. The heating issue definitely started when I updated to iOS 18.6.2.

Also IPhone 13 here. This update actually killed my phone. It’s started warming up (for several days). Then the battery expanded. Battery health fell to 63%. I took it to the Apple store, they offered a new device for free (though my warranty expired years ago). I couldn’t wait for 3-14 days, so they replaced the battery for free. But iPhone still heats up (I can’t tell what exactly causes that). It definitely has to do with 18.6.2. Until this update phone worked just fine and I never had to check for battery health. Very disappointing.

Nancycy143 wrote:

Nothing happens when I follow these instructions. Pressing and holding the side button brings up Siri and no Apple logo appears.

Then you didn't quite follow the directions exactly as written.

• You have to quickly press and release the volume up button
• Then immediately quickly press and release the volume down button
• Then immediately press and hold ONLY the side power button and KEEP HOLDING it until the screen goes dark and KEPP HOLDING it until the Apple Logo appears, then LET GO.

johncaberto wrote:

I too have an iPhone 13 (Pro) and what Ana_82 just stated is exactly what I'm experiencing as well minus the battery expanding. I have an appointment with the Genius Bar today. I'll keep you posted. Currently the battery health prior to the update was in the 80's and now it's 72% max capacity. It was working just fine prior to the release of 18.6.2.

Your battery health, which has nothing to do with updates at all, is degraded. That wouldn't be unexpected at all on a phone which was released in 2021, 4 years ago. It is pretty much a guarantee Apple will tell you, you need to buy a new battery.

My wife and I have never had any issues with our iPhone 14 Pros. We don't immediately jump on every iOS update and that has always served us well. We did both update to 18.6.2 and suddenly our phones are running unusually hot and we are both having to charge during the day to keep them going, where we used to just charge every night while we slept. This is totally new behavior, even weeks after the update and the inevitable re-indexing.

Now my wife is getting a message that her phone won't fully charge due to overheating. This is with no case and using an Apple charger. Wish we hadn't updated!

echoout2 wrote:

My wife and I have never had any issues with our iPhone 14 Pros. We don't immediately jump on every iOS update and that has always served us well. We did both update to 18.6.2 and suddenly our phones are running unusually hot and we are both having to charge during the day to keep them going, where we used to just charge every night while we slept. This is totally new behavior, even weeks after the update and the inevitable re-indexing.

Now my wife is getting a message that her phone won't fully charge due to overheating. This is with no case and using an Apple charger. Wish we hadn't updated!

This is a NEW feature when fast charging an iPhone. There is nothing wrong and we now all get this notification when charging with at least a 20w charging plug. The purpose is that your phone will charge faster from say, 20% to 80%, which will naturally generate heat (it's called Thermal Exchange), then it will pause charging and post a notification that charging is paused until the battery cools. The battery is NOT overheating. Apple is helping to preserve the life of the battery. Again, this is normal and was introduced not long ago.

I too have an iPhone 13 (Pro) and what Ana_82 just stated is exactly what I'm experiencing as well minus the battery expanding. I have an appointment with the Genius Bar today. I'll keep you posted. Currently the battery health prior to the update was in the 80's and now it's 72% max capacity. It was working just fine prior to the release of 18.6.2.

Please stop that)) My battery health was super fine before the update. It was installed and then started doing that “background update” thing (you can see it in battery section). This went on for days, led to phone heating up severely and basically destroyed it. That’s why my battery was replaced for free. Moreover, they offered to replace the whole phone, but I had to wait for 3-14 working days (impossible). I came to Genius Bar with no intention of getting free service. Yes my phone is from 2022. But I also have IPhone 11 from 2019 and its battery health is 85%.

Ana_82 wrote:

Please stop that)) My battery health was super fine before the update. It was installed and then started doing that “background update” thing (you can see it in battery section). This went on for days, led to phone heating up severely and basically destroyed it. That’s why my battery was replaced for free. Moreover, they offered to replace the whole phone, but I had to wait for 3-14 working days (impossible). I came to Genius Bar with no intention of getting free service. Yes my phone is from 2022. But I also have IPhone 11 from 2019 and its battery health is 85%.

Stop what? Saying the truth? Your battery is degraded. The update didn't degrade your battery. If an update did that, it would do it to EVERYONE who upgraded to iOS 18.6.2 and this forum, the most visited forum in the world for all things iPhone would be FLOODED with people complaining. But it's not. Millions upon millions upon millions of people have now updated their iPhones to iOS 18.6.2. And when batteries are degraded, they generate much more heat on a cell phone.

Your battery is degraded and you need to pay to have it replaced. It doesn't matter what your iPhone 11 has for battery health. You cannot compare two completely different phones, with completely different hardware, which were never both used exactly the same.

Yah my phone is on fire. Also an honorable mention of the most annoying glitch of all time. My phone turns my silent mode off at its own leisure so at any point in time my phone will ding and I’ll see it’s off. What is wrong with Apple???

My iPhone 16 Pro Max is having the same issue. Since updating to iOS 18.6.2, the phone overheats extremely, even though the battery health is 100%. The battery life is also noticeably worse. I hope they release a new version soon; this version is terrible.