How to Deal with Samsung Gear VR Overheating

Product status and source notes

Samsung Gear VR: status checked 24 September 2026

Samsung no longer sells the Gear VR, and the platform has been winding down since 2019. Oculus stopped Gear VR software updates on 31 March 2020, Samsung shut down its own XR/VR video service on 30 September 2020, and the last supported phones are the Galaxy S10 series. The Galaxy Note10 and later models do not work with it. If you still own a compatible phone and an existing account, the tips below still apply: the phone does all the processing, so heat is the main limit on session length. If you're buying a headset today, a standalone headset such as the Meta Quest 3S or Quest 3 is the practical choice, and it doesn't tie up your phone.

Original review introduction

Don’t you hate getting the Samsung Gear VR overheat message when you are in the middle of your VR experience? Well, I absolutely cannot stand it.

So, I set out to search for all the ways I could delay the overheating process (since prevention is not an option).

Unfortunately, the overheating message may appear on your screen more often than you would like.

In this nifty little guide, I have compiled all tricks and tips for you (with pro tips as a bonus) to make sure that you never have to go through the overheating situation in the middle of a game again.

With so many methods listed here, try a few and see which ones work for you.

Is Gear VR still worth fixing?

The steps in this guide were written for Gear VR’s active years, when the headset worked with Galaxy phones from the Note 4 up to the S10 series. According to GSMArena, Samsung left Gear VR support out of the Galaxy Note10, and no later Galaxy phone has supported it. Meta told developers in November 2019 that it would wind down Gear VR software support, and Gear VR stopped receiving updates in 2020.

Existing setups may still run already-installed apps, but getting started from scratch is harder. The fan site The Gear VR Codex reported in August 2023 that new users could not sign in because account creation through the Gear VR app failed; people who had converted an old Oculus account to a Meta account with Facebook linked could still log in using a workaround. We could not confirm whether this has changed since, so treat a second-hand Gear VR as a project for existing owners rather than a way into VR.

If the overheating warning is the reason you’re looking for a fix, consider that standalone headsets have their own processor, battery and cooling. As of September 2026, Meta’s comparison page lists the Quest 3S from $349.99 and the Quest 3 at $599.99 in the US. For a broader look at the old headset, see our Samsung Gear VR review and the Quest 3 vs Quest 3S comparison.

What Will You Need?

You will need the following things along with your Samsung phone, Gear VR headset, and charger:

• Standard size aluminum foil for heat sink
• Electrical tape and scissors
• Cooling gel pack

Before You Start the VR

Here is what to do before you put the headset on.

1. What is your Battery Level?

Using VR for extended periods will end up draining your phone battery. Many people charge their phone while using VR but that overheats the phone beyond recommended temperatures, especially in case of quick chargers.

The reason is that you are already running graphics-intensive applications on your phone and also heating it through charging.

• Charge your phone before jumping into Virtual Reality.

2. Try Out New Apps Before VR

You may want to try out new apps or games to play during your VR. Download the apps before you insert the phone in the headset. Doing this will give you more playtime and also keep your phone cooler during the VR.

3. Close Unnecessary Applications

Your phone runs a heavy load when it is running too many applications. Closing all the applications will increase efficiency while reducing the workload. Here’s how you can close all the apps running in the background:

• Tap the Recent apps button on your Samsung phone (the left button on phones such as the Galaxy S8).
• Switch off all the apps that you don’t need for your VR.

Closing all apps also prevents overheating of your phone.

4. Keep the Rear Cover Detached

Don’t make the mistake of attaching the rear cover of your Gear VR unless you are under the sun or in a bright room. The cover only traps the heat given out by your phone making it overheat.

• Leave the Gear VR cover off to help the phone radiate heat.

While You are in VR

5. Turn on 'Do Not Disturb' Mode

You have a separate “Do Not Disturb” Mode in your Gear VR to stop the pesky notifications from your phone. Switch on the feature to enhance performance and reduce heating.

• Open the Universal Menu using the controller or pressing on the side of the Gear VR
• Choose Settings
• Scroll down to the bottom of the screen and choose Notifications

You should also put your phone on flight mode to avoid unnecessary interruptions.

• Pull down the tab on your home screen to reveal all icons
• Turn on Flight Mode

Pro Tip

• You can switch on WiFi in airplane mode if you want to access online services.

6. Turn off Bluetooth and WiFi

Turn both Bluetooth and WiFi off if you are not using online services or a controller.

• Swipe down on the home screen
• Tap on Bluetooth and WiFi to turn them off

7. Adjust Screen Brightness

Your Gear VR has a separate brightness feature, and you should keep it between levels 3 and 5.

• Open the Settings Menu
• Adjust the brightness with a slider bar

8. The Ghetto Heat Sink Method

When you have a large surface area, heat dissipates effectively. This DIY method uses the same principle where you make a homemade heatsink out of aluminum foil. You can increase your VR time roughly by twenty minutes to one hour using this method.

• Tear off a large piece of regular-sized aluminum foil, about 30 cm long.
• Fold it into a strip about three times the height of your phone. In my case, it was three times my Galaxy Note 8.
• Place your phone in your Samsung VR headset.
• Place the aluminum strip against the back of your phone. Use tape to attach it to the Gear VR.
• Check that some of the aluminum foil is extending on both sides of the headset.
• Don’t put the back cover on the headset.

Pro Tip

• Use electrical tape to secure the aluminum strip, as it is easy to remove.

9. Stay Frosty

If you are happy to spend a few dollars, try this easy method.

• Buy a cooling gel pack and put it in your fridge.
• Use tape to secure the gel pack between your Samsung phone and VR headset cover.

I increased my gameplay time by around thirty minutes to one hour using a regular gel pack. If you want more help with the step, you can check out the video by David Giudice. He claims to have extended his gaming by one hour using 3 x 5-inch gel packs.

What are the drawbacks?

• You have to freeze and keep a gel pack ready every time you want to play a game.
• Wait for a couple of minutes to allow the gel packs to turn a bit soft.
• The gel pack can increase the weight of the VR gear. I tried the combination with Galaxy S6 and could feel the weight a bit!

Pro Tip

• The 3 x 5-inch gel packs are compact enough to fit inside the VR cover. You can order yourself a few of them from any online store.

Consider the Accessories

You can try out a few accessories that can help you keep the temperature of your Samsung Gear VR under control and extend your gaming time.

10. Cooling Fan

Some of you may not prefer to hook a cooling pack at the back of your phone, so I have got another option for you. But this will require some investment whether you are buying a product off the shelf or trying a homemade technique. You can order yourself a readymade cooling fan which fits at the back of your Samsung phone and keeps it cooler. The fans don’t use anything cold, so there is no need to worry about any condensation. You can also use the clip-on technique to place the fans over any portion of your Samsung phone.

The cooling fans come with batteries and provide a sustainable cooling option for your VR. You can check out this video by ModeVR to get a close look at one such cooling fan used with Galaxy S7.

Clip-on Gear VR fans were third-party accessories made while the headset was on sale. With the Gear VR discontinued, expect to find them mainly second-hand.

Pro Tip

• You should make sure that the fan you are buying fits your Samsung Gear VR. Samsung keeps on changing and refining the design of the headsets so a cooling fan made for Innovator Edition Gear VR would not work for the Oculus version.

Homemade Cooling Fan

Here’s a video by Szeszo showing you how to make a homemade cooling fan for your Samsung VR. You will need a 3D printer to get the parts required for the setup. You will also need a CPU fan, rechargeable batteries and USB cable.

11. Desk Fan

Using a desk fan is one of the simplest methods to control gear overheat:

• Just point a fan right at your face while you are using your VR.
• Maintain a short distance from the fan for maximum airflow.

Desk fans or oscillating fans are best as you can direct the airflow easily and point it towards your phone. The method is not always practical as you may move and turn during your VR experience but works fine when you are sitting still and watching a movie or video.

Other Ways to Reduce Gear VR Overheating

12. Take a Short Break

I understand you are here to solve your Samsung VR overheat problem but taking a short break is much needed. Even 20 minutes inside VR feels like an hour, and experts recommend that you take a break every 20 minutes.

Just lay down your VR and wait till your phone has cooled down enough to play again!

13. Cache Clearing and Factory Reset Might Help

Reddit is full of threads where users have explored different methods to get rid of VR overheating. One user with Samsung Galaxy S8 advised clearing the cache to keep the phone cooler.

• Access the settings on your Samsung phone
• Go to Storage and navigate to cache
• Delete the cache

Keeping your phone free of junk files and cache can help performance too.

You can also perform a factory reset to solve your heating problem. A reset erases everything on the phone, so back up your data first. To do this on a Galaxy S8 (menu names vary between Android versions):

• Go to the Settings menu
• Navigate to General management and tap Reset (Backup and reset on some versions)
• Choose Factory data reset and tap Reset
• Select Delete all

Do These Gear VR Overheating Fixes Work?

Well, we hope that you found the tips to reduce your Samsung VR overheating useful and enjoyable.

I was able to reduce the heating problem of my Samsung Gear VR and increase my game time using the above methods. I’m sure you will find a few that suit you and help you enjoy longer, uninterrupted VR sessions.

Keep in mind that Gear VR is discontinued and no longer updated. These tricks can extend the life of a setup you already own, but if you’re buying new, a standalone headset avoids phone overheating altogether.

Research behind this guide

Check the linked specifications and support documents, or read how we research. Original review experience stays attributed to its author.

View 7 sources

• Wikipedia: Samsung Gear VR
• UploadVR: Oculus ends Samsung Gear VR updates
• Meta for Developers: Gear VR app development no longer supported from SDK Suite 1.42
• Engadget: Samsung is killing its VR applications now that Gear VR is dead
• GSMArena: Galaxy Note10 and Note10+ are not compatible with the Gear VR
• The Gear VR Codex (fan site): Meta killed the Gear VR
• Meta: Compare Meta Quest headsets

Explore the related guides in Samsung Gear VR Headset Review: Is It Still Usable?.