If your phone feels normal during everyday use but quickly heats up the moment you enable the mobile hotspot, you’re not imagining it. Hotspot mode is one of the most demanding tasks a phone can perform. It turns the device into a small wireless router, constantly sending and receiving data while keeping cellular and Wi-Fi radios active at the same time. When something in that process isn’t optimized, heat builds up fast.
The good news is that this usually isn’t hardware damage. In most cases, a few adjustments stop the overheating almost immediately.
Start with the simplest check
Look at signal strength first. Weak cellular reception forces the phone’s modem to work much harder to maintain a data connection, and hotspot usage multiplies that load.
Try this:
- Move closer to a window or open area.
- Avoid basements, elevators, or thick concrete walls.
- If possible, switch locations and test again for a few minutes.
Many people notice the temperature drop simply by improving signal quality.
Limit how many devices are connected
Each connected device increases processing work and radio activity. Streaming video on multiple laptops or tablets can push even newer phones beyond their thermal comfort zone.
Open your hotspot settings and:
- Disconnect devices you aren’t actively using.
- Pause large downloads or cloud backups.
- Avoid video streaming on several devices at once.
If the phone cools down after reducing connections, the issue is load-related rather than a fault.
Turn off background activity on the phone itself
Hotspot mode already uses significant power. When apps continue syncing, updating, or refreshing in the background, the processor stays under constant stress.
Before enabling hotspot:
- Close unused apps from the recent apps screen.
- Pause automatic app updates temporarily.
- Disable Bluetooth if you’re not using it.
- Turn off location services for nonessential apps.
This reduces overlapping workloads that quietly generate extra heat.
Check charging habits while tethering
One common trigger is using hotspot while charging, especially with fast chargers. Charging produces heat on its own; combining it with heavy data transmission often pushes temperatures higher than expected.
If possible, run the hotspot on battery power for a test session. If charging is necessary, use a standard charger instead of fast charging.
Adjust hotspot band or settings
Some phones allow switching between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz hotspot bands. The faster 5 GHz option can run hotter because it transfers data more aggressively.
In hotspot settings:
- Switch to 2.4 GHz band if available.
- Disable extended compatibility or performance boost options.
Speed may drop slightly, but temperature usually stabilizes.
Check for system updates
Firmware bugs occasionally cause excessive modem activity during tethering. Install pending system updates, then restart the phone. Updates often include modem and thermal management fixes that aren’t obvious in release notes.
A practical habit that helps
Place the phone on a hard surface while using hotspot. Soft materials like beds, couches, or pockets trap heat and prevent cooling. Even a small airflow improvement makes a noticeable difference.
If the phone stays cool after these changes, the overheating was caused by workload and environmental factors rather than hardware failure. If it still overheats quickly with only one device connected and strong signal, testing another SIM or contacting device support would be the next step.