Laptop overheating? 6 proven tips to cool it down
There are many telltale signs your laptop is overheating. You might notice excess fan noise, system crashes, spontaneous resets, or just the physical signs of overheating like an underside that’s hot to the touch. But no matter the signs, a hot laptop is a drag, causing your PC to not function as efficiently. Here are six ways to keep your laptop cool and keep heat at bay.
1. Limit the processing power
You can reduce the heat produced by lowering your CPU’s maximum power to 75 percent. This works because your laptop’s processor produces less heat when it runs a bit slower. To do that, follow these steps.
- In Search type “Control Panel,” then open the control panel.
- Click on Power Options then click Change plan settings.
- In the next window click on Change advanced power settings.
- Expand Processor power management and then Maximum processor state.
- Change the values next to Plugged in and On battery to 75 percent.
You also may want to switch from Best performance mode to Balanced mode for the power mode in the power and battery system settings.
2. Give your laptop room to breathe
Your laptop needs air to stay cool. Most laptops pull in cool air from the bottom and push hot air out the sides or back. If you block off these openings, your laptop gets hot very quickly.
There are a number of ways you can keep air flowing into your laptop’s cooling apparatus. Firstly, you should always use your laptop on firm surfaces. Never use your laptop on beds, couches, or soft surfaces where the air vents are likely to be covered. Ideally, you want to leave at least six inches of space between your laptop’s air vents and any walls or furniture. You might also like to try a laptop stand that elevates your laptop off of its surface and ensures maximum airflow around it. A cooling pad is also a worthwhile investment that can provide active cooling from underneath.
3. Clean out the dust
Dust is one of the biggest reasons laptops overheat over time. When dust builds up on fans and cooling parts, it traps heat inside and blocks air from flowing through.
You should perform regular cleaning of your laptop air vents to prevent dust from building up. To do that, make sure your laptop is powered down then spray short bursts of compressed air into the air vents. You’ll want to do it in a well-ventilated room, holding the can of compressed air straight up. Also be sure to clean around the air vents. You can do this with a soft brush or cotton swab. Just be careful not to push any dust back inside the vents.
4. Replace old thermal paste
Thermal paste helps move heat out from your CPU to the laptop’s cooling system. But like everything, it has an expiry date, which is approximately three to four years after application when it dries out and stops working as well. This makes your laptop hotter, even if it’s clean. You’ll want to replace your thermal paste after this time with a good quality thermal paste designed for a laptop, such as ARCTIC MX-6 for $6 from Amazon. This does involve taking your laptop apart, so you should refer to technical expertise if you need it and know that doing so could void your warranty.
Pexels: Elias Gamez
5. Manage your battery better
Keeping your laptop plugged in all the time creates extra heat from the charging process. Smarter charging habits can reduce heat and make your battery last longer.
You should aim to unplug your laptop when it’s fully charged. You might also check your laptop battery health since old and malfunctioning batteries create excessive heat. If your laptop has a removable battery, you could consider removing it while using your laptop, if you always use it plugged in. If you have the option of charge limiting, you should use that also. By stopping charging at 80 percent you can prevent a whole lot of heat from building in your battery.
6. Keep your room cool
The temperature of a room affects how well a laptop can cool itself. A cooler room helps your laptop stay cooler too.
Ideally, you should try to keep your workspace below 75 degrees Fahrenheit — use air conditioning, fans, or open windows to bring the temperature of the room down. You’ll also want to think about proximity. By that I mean you shouldn’t use your laptop in direct sunlight, near heaters, or close to other hot devices like games consoles. You might also consider using a dehumidifier if the air in the room is very humid as excessively humid air can also cause overheating problems too.