How to Stop a Laptop from Overheating: 10 Cooling Tips (2024)

Table of Contents
Easy Tips to Keep Your Laptop Cool Elevate the laptop. Use a laptop cooling mat. Use your laptop on solid surfaces only. Keep a cool environment. Get a program to keep track of your temperature. Avoid overclocking. Adjust your brightness settings. Clean out your laptop. Replace old batteries. Spend less time on your laptop. Expert Q&A Video Tips Warnings You Might Also Like References About This Article Reader Success Stories Is this article up to date?
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  • Computers and Electronics
  • Computers
  • Laptops
  • Laptop Maintenance and Repair

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Tips and tricks to prevent your laptop from getting too hot

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IN THIS ARTICLE

1Elevate the laptop.

2Use a laptop cooling mat.

3Use your laptop on solid surfaces only.

4Keep a cool environment.

5Get a program to keep track of your temperature.

6Avoid overclocking.

7Adjust your brightness settings.

8Clean out your laptop.

9Replace old batteries.

10Spend less time on your laptop.

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Article Summary

Co-authored byLuigi Oppidoand Rain Kengly

Last Updated: March 20, 2024Fact Checked

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Is your Windows laptop or MacBook overheating? Many laptops overheat because the fan on the bottom is blocked, which can cause the hard drive and other components to fail. Here are the easiest ways to cool down your overheating laptop, identify causes of excess heat, and fix the problem for good.

Easy Tips to Keep Your Laptop Cool

  • Your laptop can overheat when it's unable to circulate air properly. This can cause damage to internal components, discomfort, and even system failure.
  • Use a stand or other flat surface to elevate the laptop. Make sure to keep the vent holes free.
  • Avoid overusing your laptop with demanding programs for extended periods of time.

1

Elevate the laptop.

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  1. Use a stand, book, or other flat surface under the laptop. This slight tilt allows a lot more air to flow under the laptop, keeping it significantly cooler. Ensure that the item is not blocking the bottom fan hole.

    • If a book doesn't help, you can try something more uneven. Try sticking four sockets from an egg tray on four corners of your laptop. Either you can stick them with a sticky tape/masking tape or use hook and loop tape for flexible design.

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2

Use a laptop cooling mat.

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  1. Cooling mats are made to help heat issues with your laptop. There are many types of laptop cooling mats to choose from. Brands like Thermaltake, Xion, and Targus make cooling mats that are widely available at electronic stores. You can even buy risers, or computer stands, that have built-in fans and other forms of ventilation.

    • If you can't afford or find a cooling mat, always prefer something hard under the laptop rather than something soft. For example, use a plastic casing, a lap desk, tray table or even a wooden cutting board, to provide a solid flat surface for proper airflow. Just be sure to not block the vent holes.

3

Use your laptop on solid surfaces only.

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  1. Don't use your laptop on soft surfaces like sofas, carpets, or pillows. Any vents on the bottom of your laptop will be blocked and airflow will be reduced, causing it to overheat. Your laptop may even overheat enough to catch on fire.

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4

Keep a cool environment.

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  1. Try keeping your laptop in an air-conditioned or cool area. This is especially important in warmer climates. A climate-controlled environment will help your laptop regulate its temperature better by allowing it to cool down.

5

Get a program to keep track of your temperature.

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  1. Many apps can keep track of your CPU and GPU temperature. Install a PC temperature monitoring app like Open Hardware Monitor, Speedfan, Core Temp, or Real Temp. When you see the temperature rise, you can close CPU and GPU-intensive apps to cool things down.

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6

Avoid overclocking.

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  1. If you overclock your computer, it will be hotter than usual. If you're already having trouble with your PC overheating, don't start overclocking now. If you didn't have overheating issues before overclocking, it's best to undo the overclocking to preserve your hardware.

7

Adjust your brightness settings.

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  1. Lower the brightness. This can also help preserve your battery life if you have issues keeping your laptop charged.[1]

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8

Clean out your laptop.

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  1. Deep clean your laptop once per month. Use a can of compressed air to clear out any dust or unwanted particles so your fans function smoothly. Always make sure to power off your device completely and unplug all connected cables before cleaning it.

9

Replace old batteries.

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  1. If you've had your laptop for a long time, replace the battery. Old, defective, and worn-out batteries can cause thermal damage by overheating all components in your laptop. If the heat is coming from the battery, it's time for a replacement.

    • Newer laptops have batteries that can't be removed.

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10

Spend less time on your laptop.

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  1. If your laptop keeps overheating, it's best to minimize use. Until you can safely repair the laptop, avoid using it until you've corrected the problem. Otherwise, you may cause irreparable damage to the components.

Expert Q&A

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  • Question

    Is it OK if my laptop gets hot?

    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist

    Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

    Luigi Oppido

    See Also
    Do Laptop Stands Help Cooling?

    Computer & Tech Specialist

    Expert Answer

    If you feel heat coming from the laptop, that means that the machine is at least 120 degrees and that it's probably warmer than it should be. And if it's too hot to touch, then you know it's too hot to be running.

    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHow

    YesNo

    Not Helpful 7Helpful 10

  • Question

    How can I cool my laptop if the fan vents are underneath and in the center?

    How to Stop a Laptop from Overheating: 10 Cooling Tips (25)

    Community Answer

    Put four items under the corners of the laptop to lift it and give the fan airflow.

    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHow

    YesNo

    Not Helpful 23Helpful 104

  • Question

    What can I do if my laptop overheats so badly that it lags and begins to sound strange and loud?

    How to Stop a Laptop from Overheating: 10 Cooling Tips (26)

    Community Answer

    Buy an external fan for laptops. And make sure the room you're in has a nice cool temperature. Also, make sure you don't multitask too much, if you're running lots of programs at once, you may be giving your laptop more than it can handle.

    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support wikiHow

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    Not Helpful 15Helpful 40

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      Tips

      • Even though laptops have a word "lap" in their name, don't put them on your lap for a longer period of time. Fabrics will block the airflow, which lead to overheating.

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      Warnings

      • Don't put your laptop on your lap if it's overheating.

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      • Never block the fan for your laptop.

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      About This Article

      How to Stop a Laptop from Overheating: 10 Cooling Tips (41)

      Co-authored by:

      Luigi Oppido

      Computer & Tech Specialist

      This article was co-authored by Luigi Oppido and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years. This article has been viewed 950,394 times.

      How helpful is this?

      Co-authors: 61

      Updated: March 20, 2024

      Views:950,394

      Categories: Laptop Maintenance and Repair

      Article SummaryX

      To keep your laptop from overheating, try putting a small book or other item underneath it to elevate the battery and increase air flow. You can also invest in a laptop cooling mat or a ventilated computer stand to keep your computer cool. Avoid placing your laptop on soft surfaces like couch cushions, which can block the fan and cause the system to heat up even faster. Remember to keep your laptop in an air-conditioned room so it can cool down properly. For tips on adjusting your computer's settings to prevent overheating, read on!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • How to Stop a Laptop from Overheating: 10 Cooling Tips (42)

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        May 5, 2016

        "This article helped me solve an argument with my wife. Our daughter had our brand new laptop on her bed, sitting on..." more

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