<p>Climate change-induced temperature increases are exacerbating residential overheating, reducing indoor thermal comfort and increasing cooling energy demand. During extreme heat events, indoor temperatures in buildings with high thermal mass and inadequate cooling measures may increase by 20–40%, posing significant risks to occupant health and well-being. This study systematically investigates the factors contributing to residential overheating and evaluates the effectiveness of passive cooling strategies for mitigating thermal discomfort. A systematic literature review was conducted on 120 peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2024 and retrieved from ScienceDirect, Scopus, Taylor &amp; Francis, and Google Scholar using structured Boolean search strategies. The selected studies were assessed according to predefined inclusion criteria encompassing building design, construction characteristics, climatic conditions, and occupant behavior. The findings demonstrate that passive cooling measures, particularly natural ventilation, solar shading, and reflective coatings, can reduce indoor overheating by approximately 15–20%, although their performance varies considerably depending on building typology, construction quality, climatic context, and user behavior. Analysis of the reviewed literature revealed that modelling-based approaches constituted 46.9% of the studies, while 45.8% focused on residential buildings in the United Kingdom, highlighting both methodological and geographical concentrations within the field. Consequently, the results provide evidence-based insights for architects, planners, and policymakers seeking to integrate passive cooling strategies into residential building design. Such measures can reduce dependence on energy-intensive mechanical cooling systems, enhance climate adaptation capacity, and promote long-term environmental sustainability and occupant well-being.</p> Graphical abstract <p></p>