Why is my phone so hot?

[AC Question]

So I bought the Moto Z a few days ago. It keeps getting really hot, even if i'm not doing anything especially heavy. For example, if I'm browsing the web, sending some e-mails and sending some texts, it gets really hot after about 10 minutes.

I got an app to measure the battery temperature, and it can rise to 38 or 39 degrees Celsius pretty easily (100 or 102 in fahrenheit).

Could a factory reset help this?

 

[Javier P]

Welcome to the forums. Before a factory reset there are a couple of things worth trying. First check out regularly your battery stats and see if there's any app/process using a very high percentage.

Also, does this happen while on WiFi, mobile data or both? How's your cell signal?

 

[danielserpabg]

Thanks for replying. This happens everytime, on WiFi, on mobile data, or when I have good reception.

I did check the battery usage, and no app seemed suspicious. The screen is using most of the battery, around 20 percent.

I posted this question 9 minutes ago, proceeded to use my phone to answer some texts and browse the web. When o started the battery was at 32 degrees, it now is at 39.

 

[Javier P]

Hey Daniel, thanks for registering! Did you receive a system update after buying the phone? I would start for some basic troubleshooting before considering the factory reset, or some hardware problem.

Clear cached data in your storage settings and then wipe the cache partition from recovery. These are Motorola instructions for the Z Play.

https://mobilesupport.lenovo.com/us/en/solution/MS113289

 

[danielserpabg]

Yes, it did several (maybe 5) updates after I purchased it, including the big upgrade from marshmallow to nougat.

I have wiped the cache several times, but will do it from recovery and get back to you. Thanks for taking the time.

But do you think that this rise in temperature is something abnormal? It has now gone to 40 degrees ( 104 Fahrenheit)

 

[Javier P]

Yeah, I think that's a bit too hot for just basic usage. Have you noticed the same problem since day one or did it start after any of those updates?

I'll move your thread to the Moto Z forum where it'll be easier getting feedback from other owners.

 

[danielserpabg]

Ok, so I just wipes the cache partition as you instructed. I then waited for the phone too cool down back to 32 degrees Celsius, as before, and have been using the phone for nine minutes. The temperature app says it is now at 38 degrees. During this time I opened a news app and open one article, browsed Google chrome, wrote one SMS, and open my email to check if something new was there.
I would say it's pretty much the same as before...

Oh, regarding updates, it was the first thing I did when I got the phone, so I never really used it without the nougat update...

 

[benjamminh]

What's the temperature of the room where you're using it? Not that it should cause it to go this high under little use though.

 

[turbochgd]

I would troubleshoot this backwards. Turn off everything that you have running, like location, bluetooth, nfc, etc. Then turn them back on one at a time and see if any of them are causing the heating. For me, location on High Accuracy seems to heat my phone up.

if nothing there it could be an app that's running in the background and misbehaving. See which apps you have that run in the background and do the same thing shutting them down and running them one at a time.

 

[danielserpabg]

It is pretty hot where I am (Portugal). I don't know the exact temperature, because I am indoors, that's why I let it cool down for half an hour before starting to use it (it was 32 degrees at that time). I have since done a factory reset, and it gets just as hot. Sometimes it reached 40 degrees.

However, I must say that I later compared it to a galaxy s7. It started at 33 degrees, and about 10 minutes later was at 37, while my Moto Z was at 38, wich is pretty much the same. I'm guessing that it might be mostly due to materials used and thinness that makes it feel hotter, given the s7 was pretty much at the same temperature.

 

[danielserpabg]

I have since done a factory reset, so i'm guessing troubleshooting it backwards wouldn't make much of a difference. Like I said on a previous comment, my girfriend's s7 got just as hot yesterday with the same type of usage, but it wasn't as warm to the touch.

Maybe it has something to do with the materials...

How hot does your Moto Z get?

 

[turbochgd]

Hard to say because I always keep a battery mod on it so I can never really feel if and when it gets warm. I don't believe it does though, maybe on occasion. I know when I charged it wirelessly thought the battery mod the mod was quite warm while charging.

 

[420247365]

I figured it out! Disable Google chrome and download a Different browser. I use Firefox. Hasn't crashed since. Hasn't gotten the slightest but of warm. And my battery Is no longer draining like it was before