How to fix overheating laptop

Nowadays, you may work from almost everywhere. That is why laptops gain their popularity over the years. However, the technology has several restrictions. For instance, dusty and soft surfaces clog the laptop ventilation systems.

Nevertheless, if you have this problem, learn how to repair overheating laptop. Howly's tech team is an expert in hardware and device operation. We gathered all information you need in this brief article to fix overheating in laptop.

Contact us if you need aid with your laptop heating. We are 24/7 to help.

Why is my laptop overheating?

There are several signs of overheating. Except for the temperature, the first sign is the constant running of the cooling fans. You may hear it like a continuous buzzing.

Moreover, to fix laptop getting hot, your laptop CPU decreases the number of operations. Hence, you can feel the incline in its performance.

If your laptop is hot, we recommend reducing operations. Check if the air can freely pass through the vent. It happens when using laptops in bed or on a sofa. Besides, thermal paste around the CPU or GPU loses its efficiency with time.

You can solve these problems yourself. If you want to learn how to fix laptop from overheating, read further.

How to know if your laptop is overheating?

Some experts say a laptop shouldn't become hotter than 95°C (ca. 35 °C). If higher, it may harm the components. There are signs of the coming overheating:

• the fans become loud;
• simple operations take longer than usual;
• applications freeze;
• your laptop shuts down unexpectedly;
• the laptop gets hot.

You can check the temperature with special software to fix heating problem in laptop. The particular settings can automatically shut the laptop down when the temperature increases. For this purpose, you may use numerous software, namely Core Temp.

Decrease the numbers as you like. The Core temperature is the current processor’s temperature. The Tj Max is the max temperature of the computer before being harmed.

How to fix laptop getting hot

As soon as your laptop gets hot, immediately shut it down. Wait for some time until it cools. Proceed as follows.

Clean the fan and ducts

To fix laptop heating, clean it. You will easily find exhaust ports. As opposed to intake holes, they emit warm or hot air.

Take a cotton swab with a drop of isopropyl or rubbing alcohol. Wipe the fan(s). Wait until the alcohol is evaporated before turning on your laptop.

Alternatively, use a vacuum cleaner. The idea is to exhaust the dust and clean the vents while the fan is not rotating. Otherwise, cleaning may harm the parts.

Adjust the fan speed

One more way how to fix laptop heating problem is by boosting the fan speed. A faster fan helps to cool down the device because it circulates more air.

On a Windows laptop, the Control Panel may allow you to accelerate the fan speed fully:

1. Select Power Options in the Сontrol panel.
2. Adjust Power Settings in a dialogue box.
3. Click + near the Processor Power Management option to reveal a submenu.
4. Pick System Cooling Policy.
5. Choose Active for both Plugged-in and On Battery. Apply.

An alternative way to boost the fan speed is through BIOS. If you need to learn how to do it, read the following.

1. Switch off your laptop.
2. When the computer starts to boot, hit Delete or F12. It depends on the version of your laptop. Don't leave it until you see the BIOS screen.
3. Select Monitor > Status > Fan Speed Control. Specifics will vary by the laptop manufacturer. Apply.

A laptop fan runs at a speed of between 600 and 1500 rpm. Consider turning up the fan speed on your laptop to 1500 rpm if it often overheats, but be aware that this can cause your battery to discharge much more quickly while you're not plugged in. Usually, it will help to fix laptop heating up.

Clean the CPU cooling and replace the insulation (thermal paste)

If you feel your laptop is boiling and you want to fix hot laptop, open the laptop cover to clear the dust from the CPU fan and replace the thermal paste. Get ready with isopropyl or rubbing alcohol, a new thermal paste, cleaning appliances, and suitable screwdrivers. Start as follows:

1. Turn off your device and unplug it. Place the laptop upside-down.
2. Take the battery and back cover out. Remember that different laptops have different procedures for removing the cover. Therefore, study the manufacturer's repair manual instructions for disassembling your laptop to fix laptop heating.
3. Take out the cooling fan by taking the power wire out of the cooler and removing each screw.
4. Remove dust from the fan's wings using a tiny brush.
5. Get the old thermal paste off. Apply isopropyl alcohol to the cloth, if needed.
6. Dab a little amount of the new paste on the processor lid's center.
7. Mount the device. Check the laptop's CPU temperature after turning it on.

If the problem occurs, refer to the specialists.

How to prevent the laptop from overheating

Invest in the external cooling

If your laptop's fan is having trouble keeping up, invest in a specialized cooling pad. Some of them lower your laptop temperature by several degrees.

An electric cooling pad is plugged into your laptop and positioned beneath your computer. Thus, the fans blow air straight into the vents. However, if the ducts are clogged with dirt and dust, they won't function correctly, and it will lead to the laptop overheating.

Check for malware

Malware may cause overheating by making your CPU work harder. Any reliable antivirus program can identify and get rid of any malicious software.

To fix high temperature laptop, scan your Windows using the built-in Windows Defender Antivirus or any other. It is simple, but it works.

Avoid intense processes

Intense procedures may cause your laptop to overheat—for instance, browsers that support Flash video, demanding games, etc. The CPU will begin to heat up, and its fans will run faster. Reducing them will cool your laptop.

Add a Flash Block to ensure that flash videos are only activated when necessary to fix laptop heating issue.

Keep the laptop on a hard surface

Most models draw in air from below and vent hot air from the back. If these exhausts are blocked, the laptop will overheat.

Use them on a desk or table, instead. Buy specialized appliances if you want to lay on your sofa or bed while working comfortably.

Cleaning

We have already described how to clean your device. There are still some recommendations on how to fix laptop overheating issue. Use isopropyl alcohol, a vacuum cleaner, and a microfiber cloth. Consistency will make your laptop good.