Like every other charger, Apple chargers draw power from the socket, change its voltage and transfers it to the iPhone, iPad, or other Apple device.
However, you may have noticed your Apple charger gets hot at times. Is it something you should be worried about?
Apple chargers typically get hot. All electrical devices dispose heat when used, This is a consequence of the second law of thermodynamics, the “Kelvin-Plank” statement, which states that no engine can work without wasting some heat.
This fundamental law explains why chargers (and phones) get hot while charging. The greater the power supplied, the more heat will be dispelled resulting in slightly quicker heating times and higher temperatures.
Fast charging uses up more power than normal charging does. Not only does the charger get hot quicker, but the iPhone being charged also heats up faster
- Why does my iPhone charger get hot when plugged in?
- How to prevent your iPhone charger from overheating
- My power cord is getting hot
- Why is my iPhone heating up when charging?
- Is it bad to keep charging a fully charged iPhone?
Why does my iPhone charger get hot when plugged in?
All energy and heat-related problems relate to the fundamental laws of thermodynamics. The four laws of thermodynamics (including the zeroth law of thermodynamics) apply to energy, heat and entropy.
Again, the Kelvin-Plank statement of the Second Law of Thermodynamics states that no engine can complete a cycle without wasting heat. The word “engine” here does not necessarily mean a car or plane engine. A charger is a step-down transformer in which the voltage is reduced from 110 – 200 V to around 5.5 V.
This whole process causes energy to be released in the form of heat. This expulsion of heat is what makes your iPhone charger hot when plugged in.
If you’re using an extension or a converter, that might be causing the overheating.
Under normal circumstances, a charger getting hot is completely safe. If the heating is due to some fault in the wire, charger, or the iPhone’s battery, the charger will be hot to the touch. I wouldn’t recommend you touch the charger for more than a few seconds in this scenario.
My iPhone charger gets hot while charging for only 15 minutes (it was OK before)
If your iPhone charger starts getting hot after charging for only 15 minutes, it may not be normal. This overheating could be due to:
- A faulty charging cable
- A faulty adapter
- A damaged / depleted battery
- A faulty socket
iPhones have high quality standards, and it is highly unlikely that your phone’s battery is causing the problem. Here is a step-by-step guide to diagnose the cause of overheating:
- Charge your iPhone on a different power socket
- Replace your charging cable with another one and see if the problem persists
- Replace the adapter
- Try replacing both the charging cable and the adapter
If the charger still overheats, the charger may not be causing the problem. Get your iPhone battery checked by professionals.
How to prevent your iPhone charger from overheating
To prevent your iPhone charger from overheating, here are a few solutions that can help you:
#1: Connect the charger directly to the socket
Instead of using an extension or a converter, plug your charger directly into a wall socket.
#2: Use a charger of lower power wattage
As mentioned before, fast charging causes phones and chargers to heat up more than normal charging. Try using a charger of lower power rating, and let your iPhone simply charge at regular speed.
#3: Allow proper ventilation for the iPhone
Simply changing the orientation of your iPhone charger can help prevent it from overheating. Most users simply insert the charging cable and put their phone on a flat / soft surface. Doing so hinders the air flow and messes with the ventilation.
Instead, put your iPhone at an angle to a vertical surface leaving gap between the surface and the phone from the back. This will allow heat from the iPhone to travel properly. Doing so will also help the charger from overheating.
My power cord is getting hot
Third-party / unofficial power cords and other electronic items tend to perform poorly and overheat. That being said, original power cords can also heat up due to overloading.
Overloading is when more power is drawn from a socket than the recommended amount. Having multiple power-hungry devices on the same socket can lead to the devices overloading the socket.
If you have the power sockets, try to only plug one appliance in each socket to help avoid overload. If you use more than one appliance on the same socket, make sure the appliances are not too power-demanding.
Why is my iPhone heating up when charging?
During charging, chemical reactions take place in your iPhone’s battery, which release energy in the form of heat.
It is physically impossible for the charging to occur without any energy being shed in the form of heat (again, Second Law of Thermodynamics).
According to the Kelvin Plank law, heat will always be produced when charging.
The quicker the charging, the more reactions will take place leading to higher energy loss. So the faster the charging, the hotter the device.
If your iPhone gets particularly hot while charging, incline the iPhone against a vertical surface. There should be some gap between the phone and the surface it touches.
This gap will help with the ventilation process and allow the iPhone to cool down as it charges. If your phone still remains extremely hot, stop the charging and get it checked by a professional.
Is it bad to keep charging a fully charged iPhone?
Newer phones (those with a type-C charging port) have built-in systems that prevent them from overcharging. Such mechanisms are found in iPhones and iPads as well. For this reason, it isn’t bad to keep on charging a fully charged iPhone or iPad.
iPhones won’t take up any more power than necessary. At 100%, they’ll simply stop charging. There’s no danger of the phone exploding or the battery depleting.