A smartphone can become a bomb — how to avoid overheating

The modern smartphone has long been an indispensable tool in everyday life. However, it can sometimes be a source of serious danger — in particular, when the device has battery problems or overheats. A sudden fire in your pocket is one of the most risky cases.

Why this happens and how to minimize the threat is discussed in We Are Ukraine.

What are the main causes of fire?

Overheating of the device

One of the most common causes of a phone fire is overheating. If the temperature of the battery and internal components rises to critical levels, there is a risk of serious malfunctions.

Situations where the device heats up while running resource-intensive applications are particularly dangerous:

• games with high graphics;
• shooting and recording video in high resolution, including long sessions of more than 30 minutes;
• constant use of GPS services;
• watching streaming video in high quality;
• simultaneous operation of many "heavy" applications.

High ambient temperatures (for example, in hot weather) can also increase heat. If your smartphone is left in direct sunlight or in a car, the risk of overheating increases significantly.

Mechanical damage

Physical deformation or other damage to the phone can also cause dangerous malfunctions. In particular, you should be careful to avoid:

• strong impacts or drops on hard surfaces;
• deformation of the body due to pressure (for example, when the smartphone is in your back pocket);
• exposure to water and dust, which can damage internal components.

The biggest concern is damage to the lithium-ion battery. If the battery is deformed, a short circuit may occur, often accompanied by intense heat or fire.

What are the signs of a dangerous battery situation?

Battery bloating

If the case begins to deform or the back cover comes off, this may indicate that the battery is bloated. This is an extremely dangerous condition, as it can cause a fire.

Excessive heating without load

When your smartphone gets hot even when it’s in standby mode, it could be a sign of an internal short circuit or a broken battery.

Spontaneous shutdown or reboot

If the device suddenly turns off despite having a sufficient charge, you should suspect that the battery is worn out, which leads to unstable operation.

Non-original components

Using cheap chargers or non-certified batteries can cause voltage fluctuations and overheating. The best choice is original accessories or high-quality analogs from trusted brands.

How to prevent overheating and fire

Do not play "heavy" games or run resource-intensive applications while charging. This puts a double strain on the battery, and avoid overheating in the sun or in a car. Do not leave your phone in direct sunlight or on hot surfaces.

It is important to use only high-quality and original chargers, as cheap accessories can cause a short circuit. You should also keep your smartphone software up-to-date, as manufacturers often release updates that optimize power consumption and improve battery life.

What do you do if your smartphone has already overheated?

If you find yourself in a situation where your smartphone has already overheated, follow these steps:

• switch off the phone and let it cool down;
• remove the case to improve heat transfer, place the device on a cool surface (but not in the refrigerator);
• if the smartphone was connected to the power supply, disconnect it from charging;
• uninstall or close applications that may cause a significant load on the processor.

If the heating recurs, you should contact a specialist to check the device and diagnose the battery.

As a reminder, the new version of HyperOS 2.0 for Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco smartphones offers extensive personalization options. In particular, users have found the "battery firmware update" function to save battery power.

We also wrote about the pros and cons of charging a smartphone from a laptop and vice versa.