OnePlus 9 Pro could have a big overheating problem — what you need to know

OnePlus 9 Pro review
(Image credit: Tom's Guide)

The otherwise excellent OnePlus 9 Pro has an unfortunate habit of getting too hot to use, according to multiple reports from users.

OnePlus' latest flagship seems to be getting regular overheating warnings, as detailed in a long thread on the OnePlus Forum support pages. The variety of reports indicate there's a definite problem, but also hopefully points the way to a forthcoming solution.

Several users on the OnePlus Forum thread mention this problem appears most consistently when using the camera app. The exact mode, whether video or photo, doesn't seem to matter, with a warning message popping up after less than five minutes of trying to use the phone's Hasselblad-tuned cameras. Others report getting warnings when carrying out activities including charging the phone and watching video, and say that the notifications persist overnight, even after the phone hasn't been used for hours.

It's unclear as to whether there is actually consistent overheating going on within the 9 Pro's Snapdragon 888 chipset, or if there's a fault in the software or internal temperature sensors. Some users report that their phones don't feel warm to the touch after getting the warnings, while others are claiming that they do.

To add further confusion, other forum posters have said that the phone gets hotter in different circumstances, such as charging, without producing warnings. These inconsistent causes hopefully indicate that the problem has an easy software fix, rather than it being a hardware-level issue.

This appears to be exactly what OnePlus thinks, too. Speaking to Android Police, OnePlus said it was aware of the problem and was working on multiple software updates to fix it, which will launch "over the next few weeks."

When TG tested both of our OnePlus 9 Pro handsets for a review, neither one produced this warning. The 9 Pro is currently our top pick of the best Android phones, but if this widely reported problem doesn't get a quick fix, we may have to reconsider this ranking.

TOPICS
Richard Priday
Assistant Phones Editor

Richard is based in London, covering news, reviews and how-tos for phones, tablets, gaming, and whatever else people need advice on. Following on from his MA in Magazine Journalism at the University of Sheffield, he's also written for WIRED U.K., The Register and Creative Bloq. When not at work, he's likely thinking about how to brew the perfect cup of specialty coffee.

Read more
OnePlus 13 back
OnePlus 13 is here — everything you need to know
OnePlus 13 vs iPhone 16 Pro Max
OnePlus 13 vs iPhone 16 Pro Max: which flagship wins?
OnePlus AIRVOOC 50W Magnetic Charger on a OnePlus 13 with a Sandstone Case
I tried OnePlus' new wireless charger on the OnePlus 13 and iPhone 16 Pro Max — here's the results
A render of the iPhone 17 Pro Max
iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max just tipped for this performance secret weapon
Fitbit Versa 3
These Fitbit models are overheating — see if yours is on the list to get $50 from Google
Galaxy S25 Ultra against night sky.
Galaxy S25 Ultra camera glitch is real — here's what Samsung has to say
Latest in OnePlus Phones
Oppo Find N5 from the top, partly open
OnePlus Open 2 could have been the best foldable of the year — so why is it not happening?
OnePlus 13 and OnePlus 13R
OnePlus reportedly developing massive smartphone batteries — what we know
Oppo Find N5 partly open, from behind
We won't be getting the OnePlus Open 2 this year
OnePlus 13 back
Major OnePlus leak claims OnePlus 13 Mini is actually OnePlus 13T — here's the specs
OnePlus 13R main interface
I left my OnePlus 13R alone for a week — and I was shocked at what happened when I returned
oppo find 5 teaser images showcasing thickness
OnePlus Open 2 images reveal just how thin this foldable phone could be
Latest in News
Google Chromecast
Google has a fix for broken Chromecasts as long as you didn't factory reset
NYTimes Connections
NYT Connections today hints and answers — Friday, March 14 (#642)
Intel CPU
Intel's Panther Lake appears in public for the first time — what we know about the new chip
OnePlus Pad 2 with keyboard
OnePlus Pad 2 Pro specs leak — this tablet is a beast
Josh Hartnett in Trap
Netflix top 10 movies — here’s the 3 worth watching right now
Gemini logo on smartphone
Google is giving away Gemini's best paid features for free — here's the tools you can try now