My power bank or iPhone gets hot. Is that normal?Updated 5 hours ago
Issue: power bank hot, iPhone hot, overheating, too hot, heating up, warm when charging, temperature warning, MagSafe power bank hot
Some warmth is normal when a power bank charges your phone, especially wirelessly. This article helps you tell normal warmth from a real fault, and what to do in each case.
Normal warmth or a possible fault?
| Usually normal | Stop using it and contact us |
|---|---|
| Feels warm, even quite warm, while charging | Too hot to hold comfortably, even in a cool room with light use |
| Warmer when charging wirelessly than with a cable | Gets hot when nothing is connected and it isn’t charging |
| Warmer when charging your phone while the power bank is also plugged in | Stays hot long after you’ve unplugged everything |
| Your iPhone slows or pauses charging, or shows a temperature warning in hot weather | Swelling, bulging, or a split or deformed casing |
| Cools down once you stop charging | Burning or chemical smell, crackling, hissing, smoke, or melted or discoloured parts |
Quick test: is my power bank overheating?
Do this indoors, in a normal room, away from sunlight.
1. Let it cool. Unplug everything and leave the power bank and your iPhone to cool down to room temperature.
2. Charge your phone, nothing else. Take your iPhone out of its case, attach the power bank (not plugged into the wall) and lock the screen. Don’t use the phone during the test.
3. Check after 15 minutes. Pick up the power bank.
4. Test the power bank on its own. Take it off the phone and charge it with its cable for 15 minutes, with nothing attached. Check it again.
Warm but comfortable to hold? That’s normal. Follow the tips below to keep it cooler.
Too hot to hold comfortably, or any swelling, smell or crackling? Stop using it and contact us. If you can, film a short clip showing the setup and you checking the power bank, as it helps us review your claim faster.
Why it gets warm?
Charging creates heat. Wireless charging creates more heat than a cable, and because the power bank sits right against your phone, the heat builds up between them.
Using your phone while it charges adds more. Games, navigation, video calls and streaming all make your iPhone work harder.
Hot surroundings make it worse. Direct sun, a parked car or a dashboard can push both devices past a safe temperature. Apple designs iPhone to be used between 0° and 35°C (32° to 95°F).
Your iPhone protects itself. When it gets too warm, it can slow or stop charging, dim the screen or show a temperature warning until it cools down. This is a built-in safety feature, not a fault with the power bank.
If it’s getting hot, try this
1. Unplug and separate. Take the power bank off your phone and let both cool down somewhere shaded.
2. Get out of the heat. Move away from direct sun and don’t leave either device in a car.
3. Remove thick cases. Use no case or a thin MagSafe-compatible case while charging.
4. Go easy on your phone while it charges. Avoid games, navigation or video while it’s on the power bank.
5. Charge one thing at a time. Charge the power bank first, then use it to charge your phone, rather than doing both at once.
6. Use a good cable and adapter. Use the cable that came with it, and an adapter that meets the minimum wattage on your product page.
7. Test again in a cool room. If it still gets too hot to hold with light use, contact us.
Good to know: For more on iPhone temperatures, see Apple’s guide: If your iPhone or iPad gets too hot or too cold. For general charging warmth, see My device gets a bit warm when charging. Should I be concerned?
⚠️ Stop using your power bank straight away if it swells, smells of burning, crackles, smokes or is visibly damaged. Don’t charge it, keep it away from anything flammable, and contact us.
Still not working? Contact us with:
- your order number or proof of purchase
- your power bank model and iPhone model
- a short video or photos showing the issue (for example any swelling or damage, or the quick test above)
- whether you were charging wirelessly or with a cable, and where you were using it
- which steps you tried
All Native Union products come with a 2-year warranty from the date of purchase. See our warranty policy for details.