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iPhone Screen Dims When Hot (Causes and Fixes)

As an iPhone owner, I’ve been frustrated when my phone dims when it’s hot. I’ve spent countless hours searching for a solution and testing various fixes, and I’m here to share what I’ve learned. In this blog post, I’ll explain the causes of why your iPhone screen dims when it’s hot, and discuss several potential fixes. Hopefully, this information can help you find a solution to your problem, so you can enjoy your device without any frustrations.

Typically, an iPhone screen can dim when it becomes too hot in an effort to reduce power and help the device cool down. Once the temperature drops, the screen should return to the regular brightness level.

If your iPhone screen dims when hot, keep on reading! This article explores everything you need to know about the common causes behind overheating problems and the possible fixes.

7 Reasons Why iPhone Screen Dims When Hot

It’s not rare for an iPhone screen to dim if the device is overheating. Here are the common reasons and how to fix them:

  1. Outdated Software

Apple provides software updates to fix bugs and improve its system functionality, which ensures that you won’t overload your device with regular usage. So, if you miss an update, it might cause several issues, like overheating.

To verify that your iPhone’s software is up to date, navigate to Settings, and select Software Update in the General menu.

It’s even better to turn on automatic updates on your device so you won’t miss out on future updates.

  1. Running Too Many Apps

Running too many performance-intensive apps can cause an iPhone to overheat.

To remove apps running in the background, go to Homescreen. From there, drag your thumb from the bottom of the screen and swipe up on the app’s preview to close it.

  1. Faulty Battery

Overheating is one of the main warning signs of a faulty battery.

To verify your battery capacity, go to Settings, select Battery, and click Battery Health. If your battery is normal, you’ll see a message on the screen that says: “Your battery is currently supporting normal peak performance.”

Meanwhile, if your battery’s capacity is unusually low, you might encounter unexpected shutdowns. In this case, you’ll have a message that says your battery is unable to deliver the necessary peak power and that performance management has been applied.

The Performance management feature can prevent shutdowns but also dims the screen along the way.

The best solution you can do is to take your iPhone to your nearest Apple Store or schedule a repair request from Apple Support. If your device is covered by AppleCare, you can replace the faulty battery without paying an additional cost.

  1. Sun Exposure

Exposing an iPhone to direct sunlight for too long can cause the screen to dim due to overheating.

To cool down your device, start by removing the protective case.

Then, restart the device by holding the Power and Volume Up buttons until a slider appears on the screen. Next, press and slide the power icon on that prompt, then place the phone in front of a fan to speed up the cooling process.

After a few minutes, you can turn your device back on and see if the screen is back to normal brightness levels.

  1. Over-streaming

Streaming your favorite movies or series on your iPhone for a long period can lead to excessive heat. So, if your screen becomes too hot to touch or starts to dim, it’s time to give your device (and eyes!) a break.

Plus, the over-streaming habit could also drain your battery faster, pushing the device to function on the Low-Power mode with a reduced display brightness level.

To manually change that, navigate to Settings and select Battery to shift the toggle for Low-Power mode. 

  1. Using While Charging

Using your iPhone while charging can overwork its battery and eventually overheat the device.

If that happens, your best bet is to unplug the device from the power source immediately and let it cool for 10-15 minutes.

Furthermore, try to avoid the habit of using your iPhone while charging, as this can affect its battery capacity in the long run.

  1. Brightness Set Too High

This sounds counterintuitive, but when the brightness is set to a high level, it can affect the iPhone’s battery life and cause the device to overheat. Then, the device might need to dim the screen to cool down the hardware.

So, try setting your brightness at a moderate level. Better yet, enable Auto-Brightness.

Just head to Settings and select Accessibility. Then, tap on Display and Text Size and scroll down to the bottom. From there, you can turn on the toggle for the Auto-Brightness feature.

Wrapping Up

Read more: See iPhone notification history

There you have it! Your ultimate guide for when your phone is overheating. Now, you’ll know why your iPhone screen dims when the device is hot and how you can fix the problem by tackling the root cause.

However, if you’ve tried the suggested fixes and still haven’t resolved the issue, the issue might not be overheating at all. Instead, you might be dealing with a faulty screen.

Read more: iPhone died while updating