I have a Pixel 8 and ever since I updated to Android 15 last month, it's been getting really hot whenever I play games or watch videos. Even with battery saver mode on it doesn't change anything. Is anyone else having the same problem? Is this normal or is there a fix?
Start by checking which apps are consuming the most power by going into battery settings - you might have an app that's been broken since the update and is making the processor run at full throttle. I'd say 90% of abnormal overheating cases are just an app glitching, not Android 15 itself. Try disabling push notifications for your most power-hungry apps (especially social media and games) and see if that makes a difference.
If it's not an app causing the problem, try something simple before digging deeper: completely restart your phone and let it cool down for a good half hour. Then launch a video or game and see how it performs. Sometimes Android 15 just needs a reboot to stabilize after the update. If it's still heating up, you can also try going into developer settings (tap the build number seven times) and check if you've enabled something that boosts performance and uses more power. Stuff like ray tracing or certain GPU settings can really drive the temperature up.
As for whether others have the same issue, yeah some people are complaining but it's far from massive on the Pixel 8. It could also be related to external temperature - in the middle of summer like this, your phone's already starting from a higher baseline. A worst-case scenario is that your battery's aging, but on a Pixel 8 that's unlikely unless you've had it since launch. If after all this it keeps heating up badly during normal stuff like watching YouTube, it might be worth hitting up Google support or checking your warranty.
Same thing happened to me with my old phone after a big update - it would heat up the moment I did anything.
I had to force-stop a few apps and clear the system cache, but honestly the thing that really helped was just waiting for the bug fix update a month later. If it's really unbearable right now, at least try keeping your phone away from direct sunlight and without a case while they put out a patch, because sometimes it's just Google optimizing poorly at first and it gets fixed with the next updates.
Try disabling background app updates, that's often what causes this kind of problem after a major system update. Go to Settings > Apps > Show all apps, then check which ones have pending updates or are constantly running. I'm saying this because I had the exact same issue with my phone a few months ago - it would get hot whenever I didn't properly close background apps, and once I turned off unnecessary syncs, it became way more manageable.
One other thing: your battery might be degrading or the update might have a bug with your device's sensors. Before you freak out, check if it's heating up specifically with certain apps or if it's really happening everywhere. If it's just YouTube or games, it's probably an optimization issue. But if it's even in standby mode, then you really need to clear the system partition cache. You go into Recovery (turn off your phone, then press Power + Volume Down until you get the menu), select "Wipe cache partition" and that should help.
If it keeps happening after all that, honestly I'd say it's a bug specific to Android 15 on the Pixel 8, and then you either need to wait for a patch update or consider a factory reset. But 90% of the time, it's just an app acting up or sync services you didn't notice. Let me know if anything changes.
The issue often isn't just from one app but from something bigger - after a major update, the system indexing and code compilation running in the background can really eat up resources for the first 24-48 hours.
If it's been like that for a month already, try a full phone restart (not just a normal shutdown, an actual restart), and also check Settings > Battery > Battery usage to see if some specific system process is eating up 30-40% or more - that'll give you a better idea of where the heat's actually coming from instead of just guessing with apps.
If it keeps going after that, honestly it could be a hardware bug related to the update, and then you might need to think about doing a factory reset or contacting Google support.
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