Your laptop suddenly heats up and slows down while working on it. Is your laptop overheating? We have shared complete guidelines about how to stop laptop from overheating?
Isn’t the word laptop a misnomer? Who has their laptop on their lap while they work on something? Perhaps a college student is sitting on the ground in the hallway, but no one at work does that. My laptop jiggles a lot when I try and type. This is why I don’t put it on my lap. After it has been on my lap for a while, I get that warm feeling down below.
Laptops can heat up, some laptops included. Laptops older and more potent than those intended for “desktop replacements” can get very hot. Anything older than 5 years and intended for business users are likely to fall in this category. It can double as a hand warmer in cold weather or triple in a pinch. Gaming laptops are more susceptible to overheating due to the high loads.
Modern processors are less likely than older laptops to produce excessive heat. However, simply looking at a computer won’t tell you if it will run hot. I used to steer clear of laptops larger than 17 inches because they generate more heat than those with smaller screens. It’s not the screen size that is the problem, but how the machine’s cooling system and airflow are designed. You can’t see that much unless your laptop is taken apart.
When multiple apps run simultaneously, laptops can become too hot and cause long-term damage. It’s even more critical to ensure your device is protected and running at its best with so much learning from home.
Asurion’s experts can help you get the best out of your tech. They will diagnose and resolve any issues that may arise. These are their top tips to identify and fix an overheated laptop.
Why does my laptop heat up?
Laptops can be smaller than desktop computers and offer less space for their components. Your laptop’s temperature can increase significantly when you attempt to complete computing power tasks, such as loading video games or streaming TV shows. Although internal fans can cool your device down, your laptop can get too hot and malfunction.
Here are some other reasons a laptop could overheat.
- Coverings cover the air vents. This happens when your laptop is placed on a hard or uneven surface like a pillow, bed, or lap. It reduces airflow.
- Dust, dirt, hair, and grime can cause your laptop to have a hard time cooling down.
- Internal hardware problems can include a dead battery or a decaying thermal paste. This substance helps to prevent your computer’s overheating.
Here are some detailed reseasons
Excessive Dirt Buildup
Restricted airflow is one of the significant reasons a laptop heats up. Things heat up when the fan cannot pull in cool air and push out warmer air.
Airflow problems and eventually overheating are caused by excessive dirt and dust buildup. While the fan pulls in the air all day, it also pulls in the dirt, lint, and skin cells. It builds up and stops the air from moving.
Broken Fan
Broken fans indicate no airflow to cool your machine’s internals. Fans are the primary cooling mechanism for laptops, so it is bound to heat up. Listening carefully in a quiet place should allow you to hear the fan of your laptop whirring. This could indicate that your fan is damaged. Some laptops, such as the ASUS ROG and TUF models, can have the fan turned off or slowed by the function keys (F1 through F12). Look for the fan icon on any of these keys to identify which one. This feature is available on some laptops. You can turn it on or off. Sometimes the fan is accidentally turned off. It’s possible your laptop doesn’t have a fan, as we mentioned previously. Many Chrome books and smaller laptops, such as the MacBook Air, don’t have fans. If there is no fan noise, a quick Google search of the model number and name will tell you.
Other Hardware Issues
Sometimes, a hardware problem can cause overheating. This can lead to heat damage and heat. The battery is the first thing to look at. The battery of a laptop that isn’t working correctly or is dead can cause it to expand and swell. It will also start producing heat. It’s a good idea to get your battery replaced if you notice a decrease in time that you can charge your laptop, and your laptop is getting hotter.
Overheating can also be caused by dry-out thermal paste. A thermal paste layer is placed between the heat sink to keep a CPU cool. This paste will lose its ability to conduct heat over time as it dries out. What is the result? The processor heats up, increasing the chance of overheating. Laptops are made of fragile parts. It is easy to disassemble and hard to put back together. You do so at your own risk. It’s easy to damage the case and invalidate any warranties. If you aren’t sure you understand what you’re doing with the case, it’s best to leave the work to professionals.
How do I know if my laptop is overheating?
You’ll notice that your laptop is heating up. You’ll feel warm to the touch, and your laptop will blow warm air. Hampshire College says that a laptop’s temperature should not exceed 95°F. If you feel your computer getting too hot, take action immediately. You could not only cause permanent damage to your computer, but it may also burn you.
The Internal Temperature Rises
To check your laptop’s temperature, you can use the HWMonitor and Open HardwareMonit. These tools are free and very useful. The CPU temperature of your laptop should be between 40-50degC and 100-120degF if you aren’t doing anything more than browsing the web or running word processors. Gaming or running multiple programs simultaneously is acceptable at 60-70degC (140-163degF).
If the mercury rises to 80degC (or 175degF) over a prolonged period, you should be concerned. You should be concerned if you are experiencing these temperatures, even if you don’t use your laptop a lot, and you need to check how your cooling system is performing.
Performance slows down
A huge performance drop is another sign your laptop may be overheating. Hot laptops will perform as they did in 2006. Programs and apps will slow down to a crawl. It takes longer for browsers to load. Even typing and moving the mouse pointer takes longer than usual.
This is self-preservation. To bring down its temperature, the laptop throttles down its hardware performance. The hardware could suffer long-term damage if it was allowed to continue to run unassisted and the temperature continued rising.
The fan gets Louder.
Ironically, the laptop starts screaming like an Airbus A380 as it accelerates down the runway. The hardware tells the system fans to speed up and run more frequently to get excess heat out. A computer can also overheat silently. Many overheating problems are caused by fan failure. Some laptops do not have fans. If your laptop is becoming significantly hotter, you won’t be able to hear the fan.
Without warning, the laptop turns off.
Most people associate with this when they hear that your laptop is heating up. The machine acts as if you have ripped out the battery without warning. You may be doing something important one second, staring blankly at a black screen.
The laptop’s performance will decrease as a result. Most laptops have internal heat warning mechanisms, which kick in when the machine gets too hot. It will turn off the computer automatically if it reaches a specific temperature.
Why is my laptop Fan is so loud?
If your laptop’s fan sounds loud, it could be a sign that it is trying to cool off. There are many possible causes. It could be due to dust buildup or the fan being blocked. Or it could also be because your laptop is on your lap or a soft surface such as your bed. You could also be using your computer in a way that causes it to spin. Fans could be affected by software constantly running in the background, or software that consumes a lot of energy (e.g., video games or video editing software), which can cause them to spin loudly.
Why do you need to prevent the laptops from overheating?
Overheating your laptop can cause more problems than just inconvenience. Overheating your laptop can pose a risk to you and your computer. These are the top three dangers of overheating your laptop.
Reduced Function
If your laptop is too hot, it won’t work as well. It will also slow down as an animal or person overheated. Your operating system will run slower if it has a hot processor.
Battery Damage
Too hot batteries can cause problems. They might not hold a charge for as long or need to be replaced. This can sometimes cost as much as the replacement of the entire laptop.
Hardware Failure
Your laptop’s components are mostly made of metal and plastic. They can burn themselves if they become too hot.. Your laptop may stop functioning if there are major components that fail.
Loss of Information
Overheating your laptop can lead to a hardware failure that could cause data loss. You can reduce this risk by taking precautions to avoid overheating. However, you should also ensure that data is always backed up on an external hard disk or in the cloud.
Increased Risk of Male Infertility
The heat from a laptop sitting on your lap can cause hat buildup and lower male fertility. Even if they have cooling pads, men who use laptops might want to avoid putting them on their laps.
Risk of Burns
Although most laptops that overheat will not cause injury, it is essential to be aware of the danger. Sony had to recall many laptops due to their overheating, which caused the keyboards and cases to become deformed in a manner that could have created a severe burn risk for users.
While replacing or buying a new battery can be time-consuming and costly, the cost of a hot laptop can prove to be much more expensive. Most laptops have a programmed shutdown function that shuts down when the heat exceeds a certain point. However, if this protection fails, the risk increases significantly. Faulty laptops can even cause house fires.
Five Ways to follow, How to stop laptop from overheating?
Clean the Laptop Vents and Fan
As we said, most laptops overheat due to dust buildup, which restricts airflow. You can solve this problem by cleaning your laptop’s fan & vents.
It can be done at home with a pressurized spray without taking apart your laptop. First, turn off your computer and take out the charger. Next, locate the air vents. These vents are usually located on the sides, bottom, or near the screen hinge. If it isn’t obvious, check the manufacturer’s site.
Once the vents are located, point the pressurized air nozzle at them and let out a brief burst. You might be able to see the fan blades through some vents on laptops. If that happens, blow the air directly onto the fan blades.
You should be careful as liquids can escape from the can faster than air. This is more likely to happen when you only apply slight pressure to the spray button. You should use short, sharp sprays.
Things to do to clean your laptop:
You can do many things to clean your laptop other than the fans and vents. Compressed air can also remove dust, crumbs, and hair from between the keys. Rechargeable air dusters are also available, don’t require compressed air, and are worth looking into for frequent use.
Although mini vacuum cleaners may be an option, we are not impressed by their ability to remove stubborn dirt and dust. You should not use regular vacuum cleaners on your laptop. They create static electricity and too much air pressure. Both can damage your hardware.
It’s worth taking your laptop to a computer service or repair shop to get rid of dirt and dust. It’s possible to have the case opened and given a thorough clean. Prices are different it depends on the area you live.
Modify the speed settings of your fan
A fan that runs faster might solve your overheating laptop. Your laptop should cool down if your fan is faster.
You may be able to increase the fan speed via the Control Panel if you have a Windows laptop. This is not possible for all laptops, but you can do it for some.
- Go to Control Panel and click on Sound and Hardware. Then, choose the Power Option.
- A new window will open. The new window will open. Click Modify Plan Settings, then Edit Advanced Power Settings. The Power Options dialog will open.
- The Advanced Setting tab. Click the “+” symbol next to any Processor Power Management option to open a submenu.
- Select System cooling policy from this submenu.
- Select Active on both On Batteries as well as Plugged in. This will increase CPU cooling fan speed.
- Click Apply and then OK.
Your BIOS settings may allow you to adjust the fan speed. This approach has the advantage of having more control and can often manually adjust the fan speed. These are the steps to follow:
- Restart your laptop.
- To open the BIOS settings, hold the key and delete while it boots. If you don’t know what key to press, check out the manufacturer’s website.
- Go to Monitoring > Status > Fan speed control or something similar. The exact details of each laptop will differ (not all laptops have it), so take a look around to find a similar setting.
- If this option is available, RPM settings will be displayed for your cooling Fan. Multiple RPM Settings will be displayed if your laptop has multiple fans.
- A laptop fan should run at 600-1500 RPM. You should increase your fan speed to 600 RPM if you notice a lower fan speed. You can increase the fan speed to 1500 RPM if your laptop heats up frequently. However, this will cause your battery to drain much faster if you aren’t plugged in.
- By selecting “Save Changes and Setup.” you can save your setting.
If the fan speed is not increased, it won’t work. Therefore, cleaning the vents should be your priority. If the fan is damaged or faulty, it won’t help increase the speed.
Pay attention to where you use your laptop.
Your laptop will likely be unbearably hot if it is. The cooling system will be less efficient the hotter it is. The laptop should not be placed in direct sunlight, near a radiator, or anywhere that could heat it. You can make a massive difference with a portable fan or breeze through an open window. A laptop placed on a sofa, bed, or other soft furniture will heat up faster than one sitting at a desk. Cushions and blankets will block air vents and absorb heat and retain it. It doesn’t matter how fast the fan spins; a laptop sitting on a pillow that is as hot as an oven will not cool down.
This can be fixed by purchasing little stands or props to elevate your laptop. This allows the fan to move more air through its vents and disperses heat. To keep your laptop elevated, you can cut two wine corks in half.
Malware is a problem.
Overheating can sometimes be caused by malware, viruses, or other malicious software that makes your computer work harder. Antivirus software should detect and eliminate unwanted software that causes your laptop to work too hard. You can run a scan using the built-in Windows Defender Antivirus if you have a Windows 10 laptop. Click on Start and type in “Windows Security,” then click on the same name’s app. Click the Scan options to start a full scan.
Always use your laptop on flat surfaces.
Many laptops have air vents on the sides or at the bottom. Your laptop will heat up if placed on a flat surface, such as a pillow, bed, or lap, for too long. This could cause your laptop to heat up. You can prevent your laptop from heating up by lifting it with a book or a plate to ensure that none of the vents are blocked. To elevate your laptop, you can buy a laptop stand.
My trick is to add rubber feet to my laptop’s bottom to make it look higher than the desk. These feet must be glued on well. Otherwise, they might fall off as you take your laptop out of the bag. This can cause your laptop to wobble when you type on it.
Monitor your laptop’s temperature
Many temperature monitoring programs include Core Temp, GPU-Z, and GPU-Z. All of these programs are free and can be used for monitoring your laptop’s temperature. Your laptop’s processor temperature should be at least 65C and your GPU at less than 80C. These temperatures can be considered safe for the components.
Avoid direct sunlight.
If you’re using your laptop, keep it out of direct sunlight. The plastic parts can warp from the heat too. Your laptop’s internal temperature will rise if exposed to the sun. It can cause damage to certain parts if it runs for long periods. If certain plastic parts warp, it can cause damage to your laptop if you leave it in a hot car.
Are the hardware’s capabilities sufficient?
Old hardware can pose a problem if it is incompatible with modern software and operating systems. It will struggle to complete basic tasks if the hardware on your laptop is older. This will undoubtedly raise the laptop’s temperature. The CPU will work hard and will need lots of power from its battery to continue operating. There are no tricks that can be used to solve the problem. A new laptop is the only solution. I’ve been on this path numerous times, installing a lightweight Linux operating system to make my laptop more productive. It’s not worth it, and I’ve always replaced it.
An external graphics card may be an option for gamers whose internal GPU doesn’t meet specs. Depending on your circumstances, you may decide to replace the laptop. This is because the laptop will not be as portable and will cost more than an external graphics card.
Verify the BIOS settings
You must ensure that settings do not hinder your fan. Make sure that fan control settings don’t get too conservative. This could cause your laptop to run at a higher temperature than it should. Do not overload it with too many programs. Keeps the number of programs running to a minimum? Consider closing an application if you have completed a task. This will allow your laptop to perform better than you currently use. Limit the number of tabs you have open in your browser to a minimum. This will save you memory and make your laptop more responsive to other tasks.
Make sure you check the power settings.
Windows has a few settings that will help you keep your computer cool. Change power plan settings to “Balanced. “Modify the ‘System Cooling Policy’ from ‘Plugged In’ to Active. This will keep your laptop cool by reducing the power consumption of specific internal components that aren’t being used at a higher level.
Purchase a cooling pad
If your fan is not working, a dedicated cooling pad can be a great solution to maintain your laptop’s temperature. The cooling pads are powered by either one or more fans. The fan-powered fans blow air directly into the vents, cooling the internal components.
These pads can help keep your laptop cool and prevent it from overheating. The best ones can even drop the internal temperature by several degrees. If your vents are blocked by dirt or dust, they won’t work as well as they should. However, it is a good idea to clean them first.
Conclusion
These tips will help you prevent your laptop’s overheating. If the problem persists, it’s worth calling a professional to examine your computer. Overheating your laptop too often can lead to severe damage. This could result in a dead computer and expensive repairs. It’s worth taking precautions to avoid problems.