Computer Gadgets Tips & Tricks

How to Fix an Overheating Laptop in Just 20 Minutes?

How to Fix an Overheating Laptop
Written by William Adeel

Is your laptop irritating you a lot with overheating issues? Looking for an ultimate guide to answer fix to calm it down? Here we’ll reveal some quick fixes you can use to cool down your laptop in just 20 mins.

Overheating in laptops is quite common, and we all have been there. It can be due to an issue in internal hardware, or there might be inadequate airflow between the machine. But treating it with the right steps can save its life for years to come.

Moreover, overheating can cause disturbance in your workflow, especially when you have to work from home. And at times, you will observe high battery drainage.

So, let’s talk about ways to cool it down!

Signs of an Overheating Laptop

Before we move on to the actual part, it’s crucial to understand the reasons or signs of an overheating laptop. Because if delayed for long, it can damage your machine, which you obviously don’t want.

The laptop overheats when you open too many programs or working on a large software. Similarly, old laptops might not be able to handle modern-day software and contribute to overheating.

Look for the following signs when you see your laptop is getting uncomfortably hot:

  1. The cooling fan runs at its maximum speed and starts making noise. Heavy operations can also trigger fans to work at max speed. It is a sign that the workload is too much to handle, and the laptop may soon heat up.
  2. You see a dip in performance. When the internal components get hot, the processor cuts off some operations to minimize workload. Hence, the performance lowers or machine lags.
  3. It starts malfunctioning—glitches, software errors, or abrupt behavior may occur.
  4. Finally, the most significant sign is that the laptop suddenly shuts down.

How to Fix an Overheating Laptop?

Now, as you know the signs that an overheating laptop shows. Let’s see how we can fix them. It will also help you to avoid such situations in the future.

1.     Shut it Down for Some Time

Credit Source: Pixabay

It’s the best way to tackle an overheating issue. The laptop may be running many programs in the background. Or you might be operating in real-time. So, it generates extra heat while putting effort to work.

In case you are working on numerous programs at a time, and you see the laptop is heating up and the performance is not up to the mark. Close them all and shut down the laptop for a while. Don’t forget to save progress.

Leave itfor15-20 minutes. We hope it will cool down in the meantime. After that, turn it on and continue your work.

2.     Clean the Interior

Credit Source: WikiMedia

The above step can be practiced once or twice. But if you frequently face the same problem, there might be some other problem. Clean its internal, as sometimes, overheating can be due to dust stored in the internal hardware.

If left unchecked, it causes programs to work inefficiently and contributes to overheating. Also, it blocks the grills, which hinders smooth airflow and blocks energy dissipation from the system.

So, it’s recommended to clean your laptop regularly and make sure the air can flow easily.

3.     Use Cooling Pads or Cooling System

Credit Source: WikiMedia

Another great method is using a laptop cooling pad or a cooling system. You can easily find them online for $10-50. It could be a great investment and save your money from spending on costly laptop repairs.

The cooling pads help a lot in keeping the temperature under control. Some have integrated fans or fluids, while others are cooling gels. But each serves the same purpose.

 

4.     Don’t Block the Fan’s Grill

Credit Source: Pexels

While working, we often place a laptop on our lap or bed, which blocks the airflow, resulting in overheating.

Therefore, keep the laptop on a sturdy, flat or solid surface. Uneven or soft surfaces like a mattress block the grills, which prevents the required airflow and heat up the components.

So, either work on a table or place something solid beneath it when using it on the bed.

5.     Add More RAM Power

Credit Source: Pixabay

As we mentioned earlier, laptops heat up when you’re running multiple or, at times, heavy programs. So, to aid its performance, you can add more RAM. Not only it will help you handle bulky software but also boosts your laptop performance, which ultimately prevents heating issues.

Software Solutions

Many people control the overheating issue with software by optimizing their laptop functions. Although these software solutions are free, but not viable for the long-term and can impact your laptop’s performance.

For instance, you can tackle the issue with BIOS configurations. These configurations take charge of the laptop’s fan speed, internal programs, and power consumption. Sometimes, these even limit the max RAM and CPU usage to remain within the safe temperature.

Apart from BIOS settings, many laptop cooling software are available to monitor and control internal functions.

Say No to Laptop Overheating!

Operating an overheated laptop is a terrible experience. Neither it functions well, nor can you work smoothly. But, fortunately, you don’t have to deal with this anymore. Because our above-given fixes are tried and tested and work well to answer the question of how to fix an overheating laptop.

However, in a worse scenario, it’s always recommended to seek professional help. Often, we are not aware of the actual cause, and this can result in machine damage.

About the author

William Adeel

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