[Update: Issue persists] Several Google Pixel 5 users experiencing overheating issues when using Camera, Duo, & other apps

New updates are being added at the bottom of this story…

Original story (published on December 10, 2020) follows:

The Google Pixel 5 hasn’t exactly been shy of issues. Ever since its release on October 15, the device has been the center of attention.

Half of it is due to the many issues that has plagued the phone like auto-rotation issue, poor audio quality issues, 5G connectivity problems, and of course, the notorious screen-gap.

Don’t get us wrong though, for such issues, with the exception of a few, have affected some units only. And even though those ‘some’ units are still a sizeable number, there are plenty of customers who are quite satisfied with their purchase too.

However, a new contender has emerged in the Pixel 5’s ever-growing list of issues – overheating. And reports of the matter have been doing rounds for quite some time now on Reddit as well as the official Pixel Phone forums.

Hi everyone! I just got my pixel 5 two days ago and I immediately noticed the phone gets way too HOT. Today for example I haven’t done anything but browse reddit and it feels hotter then my pixel 4xl. Anyone else have this issue? Is there any app to check internal temp?
Source

Got my Pixel 5 two days ago and have charged it only 2 times so far. The first charge went perfect but today while charging it stopped at 42% and wouldn’t go any further. The phone felt pretty warm so I disconnected the charger to cool and restarted the charge.
Source

As apparent from the above complaints, users are facing plenty of overheating on their Pixel 5 for a variety of reasons. The most common of them have been listed below:

1. Device feels warm or even abnormally hot during regular usage like browsing or chatting – Source
2. Charging produces too much heat – Source
3. Phone gets hot when making use of 5G – Source
4. Recording at 4k 60fps heats up the Pixel 5 way too quickly causing the recording to stop prematurely with an overheating warning – Source
5. A video calling session using apps like Duo, Zoom, or Instagram, even for a short period of time, causes the device to get abnormally hot – Source

Again, these overheating issues have plagued only some Google Pixel 5 units. Affected users may face one or even multiple of the above-mentioned problems.

If you are one of such users, then you are in luck as we have got a few workarounds for you to try.

1. Turn off mobile data always on: If you use mobile data in conjunction with your WiFi, then turning this setting off may help, as this user has reported. The toggle for this will be available under “Developer options.”

2. Switch to LTE only: A few users have reported that their device gets abnormally hot when making use of 5G. If you are not a huge fan of the technology, then you can just switch to LTE only mode for now.

To do this, head over to Settings > Network & internet > Mobile network > Preferred network type, and enable LTE only on your Pixel device.

3. Avoid recording at 4k 60fps in warm conditions: If you are facing overheating issues while recording at 4k 60fps, then there’s a couple of things you should know first.

4k 60fps is a pretty high bitrate and the phone has to process a lot of data which may generate a lot of heat. And if the device gets too hot, it may even have to stop the recording or shut the camera app.

This isn’t exactly limited to the Pixel 5 either, as there are plenty of other flagship devices with similar issues.

Avoiding direct sunlight can help extend video-recording times significantly.

However, for a recording experience free from any worries, your best bet would be switching over to a reduced resolution or a lower framerate.

4. Factory reset: A factory reset may help with overheating faced during regular usage.

To do the same, open your settings app. Then head over to System > Advanced > Reset options > Erase all data. Doing so will wipe your internal storage. Hence, it is important to back up all your data prior to this action.

5. Get a replacement: If you have continually been facing overheating issues on your Pixel 5 no matter what you use it for, then it’s very likely that your device is defective.

Plenty of users have testified that their replacement ran way cooler than their first unit. Don’t believe us? Just go through this Reddit post.

Get it replaced mate, my first pixel had the gap issue and would overheat from normal use. the replacement does not get above 32 even when stressed.
Source

Hopefully, the above workarounds helped with the matter. Let us know in the comments below if it did. Also, be sure to check out our dedicated Android 11 bugs/issues tracker.

06:34 pm (IST): Sadly, the Pixel 5’s overheating issues when recording, especially 4K videos, have continued with no official acknowledgment from Google to date.

And what’s worse about the matter is the fact Google is oblivious to the entire problem. Hence, it is unlikely that a fix is in sight.

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