Apple has a lot of safety mechanisms built into the iPhone to protect the battery from conditions that might damage it. High on that list of things that can damage a battery is heat.
Apple has a lot to say on the subject of heat, saying that the iPhone (and iPad, iPod, and Apple Watch) operate best at 32° to 95° F (0° to 35° C). The company warns that it is “especially important to avoid exposing your device to ambient temperatures higher than 95° F (35° C), which can permanently damage battery capacity.”
Apple has built in a mechanism that kicks in when the iPhone gets too hot, but it seems that with iOS 16, the company has taken this further.
This is mentioned in Apple’s support page What happens when an iPhone or iPad gets too hot or too cold, which says that “charging is put on hold when your iPhone becomes too hot or too cold to charge.”
But there’s more in Apple’s support documentations. On a different page covering iPhones and iPod touch devices that won’t charge, Apple says that “software might limit charging above 80 percent” if the battery gets too warm, and this is done to “extend the lifespan of your battery.”
iOS 16 “Charging On Hold” notification on the lock screen with charging paused at 80%. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
The notification states that “Charging will resume when the iPhone returns to normal temperature.”
There’s also a message that can be found if you tap on Settings > Battery:
Message shown in Settings > Battery. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Once charging has resumed, the message changes to “Charging was on hold due to iPhone temperature.”
Something that I do find odd — and I’m not sure if it is a bug or a feature — is that the battery indicator at the top of the display continues to show the battery as charging.
It’s a mixed message that adds to the confusion.
The notification still shows the battery as charging, even though charging has been disabled. Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
So, if you see this message, rest assured that it is normal, and your iPhone is working to protect your battery from damage and prolong its life, and not some bug or sign that your iPhone is damaged.
Is there anything you can do?
Well, you have a few options. The best one is that you could just let iOS 16 and your iPhone do their thing. But don’t do some of the things I’ve seen recommended online to “fix” this issue, such as putting your iPhone into a refrigerator or freezer, or dunking it into ice or ice water. All these methods carry with them a risk of damaging the battery or the device.
If you are in a rush and need to get your device charging again, there are a few things you can do to help safely cool down your device and get it charging again
How to safely cool down your iPhone
Here are a few things you can do:
- Move the iPhone to a cooler location.
- Remove the iPhone from its case.
- Lower the brightness of the display.
- Stop running power-intensive apps while it is charging.
- Put the iPhone into Airplane Mode.
