Instagram app seems to be causing widespread overheating on Android devices

Over the past few days, many Android users have been finding their phones unusually warm, and it seems the popular social media app Instagram might be the reason. I’ve spotted reports on multiple different subreddits, with users from different device brands noticing their phones heating up significantly, particularly when using the Instagram application.

This isn’t just a minor warmth for some. Users are describing their phones getting “really hot” or even becoming a “furnace” after scrolling through Instagram for just a short period. The issue appears to have started for many following a recent update to the Instagram app. One user on Reddit, Lapswim, noted about their S23 Plus, “for the past week anytime I’ve had instagram open any longer than 5 minutes my phone will get really hot, I can literally use any other app without this being an issue except for Instagram.” This sentiment is echoed by others who say the overheating stops as soon as they close the app.

The problem doesn’t seem to be isolated to a single phone manufacturer. Owners of Samsung Galaxy devices, including the S23, S24, and even the newly released S25 series have voiced concerns.

Pixel phone users, including those with Pixel 9 Pro models, are also reporting similar experiences. Even users with Xiaomi and Sony Xperia phones have joined the chorus of those affected. For instance, a Pixel 9 Pro user mentioned, “The only thing I’ve noticed so far is that whenever i use Instagram for a prolonged time the device starts to heat up, not while scrolling tiktok or watching netflix for couple of hours.”

Alongside the overheating, significant battery drain is another common complaint. Users are observing their battery levels plummeting much faster than usual while Instagram is active. One user, Infamous_Western1874, detailed how their Galaxy S25 Ultra’s battery usage for Instagram spiked dramatically, stating, “Before, around 1h30 of usage would drain between 6–10% of battery. Now, in just 30 minutes, it’s eating up 5/10%.”

Interestingly, I’ve not been able to reproduce this issue on a Pixel 8 and Pixel 7a in my testing. In fact, I tried scrolling through Stories, and Reels while writing this article, but I didn’t notice any overheating out of the ordinary. However, on an Infinix GT 20 Pro, I noticed Instagram apparently ran in the background for 17 hours and 20 mins and had a screen time of 1 hour 30 mins, consuming a total of 64% of battery, according to the stats page. But again, I didn’t notice any major overheating.

Some users speculate that the app might be poorly optimized or that a recent update introduced a bug causing this excessive resource consumption. A few have tried troubleshooting steps like reinstalling the app or clearing the cache, but often to no avail. Frustrated users are resorting to uninstalling Instagram or using its web version through Chrome as a temporary workaround. Many are actively reporting the problem to Meta through the app’s help section, hoping for a swift resolution. For now, if your Android phone feels like it’s working overtime during your Instagram sessions, you’re certainly not alone.

That said, this isn’t the only major bug in recent days. Roughly a week ago we highlighted how many Instagrammers were facing issues such as incomplete follow lists, invisible likes, and a botched Reel sharing algorithm. So let’s just hope for a fix to go live soon.

Featured image: AI-generated