Alex Ruben
How To Resolve iPhone Overheating Problems After Installing iOS 26 in 2025
Experiencing overheating issues on your iPhone after updating to iOS 26? Yeah, it’s kinda annoying. This quick rundown covers some fixes that might help you cool down that hot device. Because of course, Apple has to make everything a little more complex than necessary.
Step 1: Check Available Storage
Start with storage. If your iPhone is running low on space, it can cause the processor to run all the time trying to manage stuff, which heats things up. Here’s how to do it:
- Open the Settings app.
- Tap on General.
- Select iPhone Storage.
- Look at how much space is free—if it’s tight, start deleting apps or files. That frees up RAM and helps reduce overheating.
Fair warning: on some setups, this step alone doesn’t fix the problem, but it’s a good starting point.
Step 2: Disconnect VPN Connections
VPNs are notorious for messing with network activity, which can cause your iPhone to heat up. Time to check if you’re connected:
- Go to Settings.
- Scroll down and tap VPN & Device Management.
- If a VPN is active, switch it off.
This step helps because some VPN configurations make your device work harder in the background, which isn’t great when you’re already overheating. After disconnecting, keep an eye on the temperature. On one setup it worked pretty quick, but on another, it took a reboot or two.
Step 3: Perform a Force Restart
If your phone’s still feeling like a toaster, restarting it might help clear some background processes that have gone rogue:
- iPhone 8 or later: Quickly press and release the Volume Up, then the Volume Down. Then press and hold the Side button until the Apple logo appears.
- iPhone 7 and 7 Plus: Press and hold both Volume Down and Side buttons until the logo pops up.
- iPhone 6s or earlier: Hold down both the Home and Top (or Side) buttons until you see the apple.
After that magic moment, the phone restarts. Sometimes, that’s all it takes—then you can check if it still heats up or not. Not sure why, but on some newer phones, it seems to help. Worth a shot.
Extra Tips & Common Issues
Here are some other things that could help cool things down:
- Don’t leave it in direct sunlight or hot cars. Because of course, Windows has to make it harder than necessary.
- Close apps running in the background. Double tap Home or swipe up (depending on your model) to view open apps, then swipe away the ones you don’t need.
- Disable location services or push notifications for apps that aren’t needed—less background activity equals less heat.
Conclusion
Following these steps should at least make a dent in the overheating problem after updating to iOS 26. It’s all about managing background tasks, storage, and network connections to keep the CPU from going into overdrive. Sometimes it’s simple, sometimes not so much, but these are solid places to start.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my iPhone overheating after the iOS update?
Mostly because newer updates can push CPU usage higher or introduce bugs that cause excessive power drain—especially if storage is tight or background apps are doing their thing.
What if my iPhone still runs hot?
If it keeps getting hot after trying these, might be worth reaching out to Apple Support or checking if there’s a hardware issue. Sometimes, a clean install or restore helps, too.
Can software updates cause overheating?
Yep, updates can temporarily cause more CPU activity (background indexing, etc.) or bugs that cause excessive load. Usually, it settles down after a few days or when updates get fixed.
Summary
- Check storage and clear out junk.
- Disconnect VPN if you’re using one.
- Force restart to refresh system processes.
- Limit background app activity and disable unnecessary services.
- Avoid hot environments and direct sunlight.
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours for someone, because yeah, overheating bugs are a pain. Good luck fixing it!