This paper examines the RF heating of the contaminants on a diamond window. Both heating of an isolated internal graphite impurity, and of a thin film on the window surface, are discussed. Comparison with recent experiments is given. It is found that heating of isolated internal graphite impurities is unlikely to account for diamond window failure. Upon averaging over the entire window, the thin surface film in general absorbs approximately a fraction of one percent of the total incident power. Intense local heating on the surface contaminant is possible, however. © 2003 American Institute of Physics