How to Fix Laptop Overheating
Cool down an overheating Windows laptop or MacBook. Clear the vents, close the program using the most CPU, lower the power mode, update the BIOS, test the fans, and replace dried thermal paste.
You will end up with a laptop that runs cooler and quieter, or with a clear answer about which part needs a repair. Dust and dried thermal paste, two of the usual causes, get worse with time, so the heat will not go away on its own.
The steps run from the quickest checks to the ones that mean opening the case. Steps 1 to 6 need nothing more than a can of compressed air and a book or a laptop stand. Step 7 tests the fans, and step 8, replacing the thermal paste, means taking the laptop apart. Test after each step and stop when the heat is gone.
We checked the Windows steps against Microsoft's support pages for Windows 11 and the Mac steps against Apple's support pages for macOS 27 in October 2026. We did not run them on a test laptop.
Can of compressed air Soft brush or cotton swabs (for around the vents) A book or a laptop stand Cooling pad (optional) Your laptop's service manual and the screwdriver it names (for step 8) Thermal paste such as Arctic MX-6 (for step 8) Isopropyl alcohol and a soft lint-free cloth (for removing old paste)
Move your laptop to a hard, flat surface
Before you try anything else, check where your laptop is sitting. Beds, couches, pillows, and blankets block the air vents on the bottom and sides of your laptop, trapping heat inside the case. Microsoft recommends a hard, flat surface with ample airflow and says to avoid soft surfaces like beds or couches. Apple says to use a Mac laptop on a stable work surface that allows for good ventilation, and never in bed, on a pillow, or under bedding. Use a desk or table. If you need to use your laptop on the couch, put a large hardcover book or a lap desk underneath it so the vents stay clear. Check the room too. Apple gives 50 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit (10 to 35 degrees Celsius) as the range to use a Mac laptop in and warns that a parked car can go past it. Microsoft says to keep a laptop away from direct sunlight and heat sources.
Good to know: Check where the vents are on your specific laptop model. Some exhaust out the back, some out the sides, and some pull air through the bottom. Make sure none of those openings are blocked.
Check for power-hungry programs
A program stuck at high CPU use keeps the processor working and making heat. Microsoft says to close unnecessary background apps to reduce the CPU load, and Apple tells Mac laptop owners whose fans run for a long time to check CPU activity for malfunctioning processes. On Windows, press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to open Task Manager. Click the Processes tab and look at the "Power usage" and "Power usage trend" columns. If one program shows "Very High" in both, it is the one to close. Save any work open in it first, then right-click it and choose End task. On Mac, open Activity Monitor from Applications, then Utilities. Click the CPU tab and sort by % CPU. If the top process is kernel_task, leave it running. Apple says kernel_task helps manage CPU temperature by making the CPU less available to processes that are using it heavily. It backs off when the CPU cools down, so it is a sign of heat, not the cause. For any other process using a large share of CPU, select it, click the Stop button in the upper-left corner of the window, then choose Quit. Apple says Quit closes the process only when it is safe to, while Force Quit closes it immediately and can lose data. If an app is frozen, our guide on how to force quit on a Mac covers the other ways to close it. If the top entry is your web browser, close its tabs one at a time and watch the figure drop to find the tab responsible.
Switch to a lower power mode
Running a laptop at full power all the time makes more heat than everyday work needs. PCWorld explains that a processor produces less heat when it runs a bit slower. On Windows 11, go to Settings, then System, then Power & battery. Under Power mode, choose "Best power efficiency" or "Balanced" instead of "Best performance" for Plugged in and for On battery. For a stronger limit, open Control Panel, then System and Security, then Power Options. Click "Change plan settings" on your active plan, then "Change advanced power settings." Expand "Processor power management," then "Maximum processor state," and set both Plugged in and On battery to 75%. The laptop runs a little slower and makes less heat. On Mac, click the Apple menu, then System Settings, then Battery. Under Energy Mode, choose "Low Power Mode" from the "On battery" or "On power adapter" pop-up menu. Apple says Low Power Mode reduces energy use, and in macOS Sequoia 15.1 or later it also reduces fan noise on models that have fans.
Good to know: If you need full performance for a task like video editing, switch back to "Best performance" on Windows for that session, then drop back to "Balanced" when you are done. On a Mac, return to Automatic, which is Apple's default. High Power Mode exists only on some MacBook Pro models and lets the fans run at higher speeds, so expect more fan noise while it is on.
Clean the vents and fans with compressed air
PCWorld, in the guide linked in step 8, counts dust among the main reasons laptops overheat as they age. It builds up on vents, fan blades, and heatsink fins and blocks the air the cooling system needs. Shut down your laptop completely, unplug it, and disconnect anything plugged into it. Work in a well-ventilated room. Dell says to hold the can of compressed air upright to avoid moisture buildup, so do not tilt it. Blow short bursts into each vent opening and do not push the nozzle inside. Keep the bursts short so the air does not spin the fan fast, because Dell warns that too much airflow can damage the fan's bearings. Then clean around the vent openings with a soft brush or cotton swab, without pushing dust back in. Microsoft recommends cleaning the vents regularly. Repeat whenever you see dust in the vent openings.
Heads up: Never use a vacuum cleaner on laptop vents. Dell says vacuum cleaners can generate static electricity, which might damage internal components.
Raise the back of your laptop
PCWorld notes that most laptops pull in cool air from the bottom and push hot air out the sides or back. Microsoft says elevating your laptop can improve airflow and prevent heat buildup. A laptop stand does this. A small book under the back edge also works, as long as it does not cover a vent. Check the vent locations from step 1 first. A cooling pad adds fans under the laptop and blows air at its underside. It helps only if your laptop takes air in through the bottom, and FAQ 5 below covers what a pad can and cannot do.
Update your drivers and BIOS
Plug your laptop in before you start a BIOS update, and do not close the lid or interrupt it until it finishes. A failed BIOS update can leave the laptop unable to start. Dell says updating the BIOS can improve thermal performance. Go to your laptop manufacturer's support page, enter your model number, and check for BIOS and chipset driver updates. Read the release notes, install any update that mentions fan control or thermal behavior, and follow the manufacturer's instructions for it. On Windows, run Windows Update, which Microsoft calls the best way to get driver updates. Then open Device Manager and look for any device with a warning icon. Right-click it, choose "Update driver," then "Search automatically for updated driver software." On Mac, Apple says to install all Mac software updates. Click the Apple menu, then System Settings, then General, then Software Update.
Heads up: Install only the BIOS file your manufacturer's support page lists for your exact model number.
Check that the fans are working
Do this before you open the laptop in step 8. A fan that has stopped explains heat that new thermal paste will not fix. Put your hand near the exhaust vent while the laptop is under load (running a game, exporting a video, or anything that makes the CPU work). You should feel warm air being pushed out. If the laptop is hot but there is no airflow, or you hear clicking, grinding, or rattling from inside, a fan may be failing. Dell also lists a fan that keeps spinning fast and abnormally loud as a possible sign of a problem. Run your manufacturer's hardware test. Dell's SupportAssist app has a fan test, and Lenovo's Vantage app runs a hardware scan. On a Mac, use Apple Diagnostics. Shut the Mac down first. On a Mac with Apple silicon, press and hold the power button until you see Options, then press and hold Command-D. On an Intel Mac, hold the D key as it starts up. Apple lists the reference codes PPF001, PPF003, and PPF004 as a possible fan issue. If a Mac's fans run for a long time with nothing heavy open, Apple suggests restarting it and, on an Intel Mac, resetting the SMC, which controls the fans. A fan that does not spin, or that grinds, needs repair or replacement. If your laptop is under warranty, contact the manufacturer first. If it is out of warranty, look up a replacement fan by your exact model number. Fitting one means opening the laptop, so follow your model's service manual or take it to a repair shop.
Heads up: Do not push anything into the vents to check or stop the fan. Apple tells Mac laptop owners not to put anything into the ventilation openings.
Replace the thermal paste (advanced)
Thermal paste sits between the processor and its heatsink and carries heat into the cooling system. PCWorld says it dries out and stops working as well about 3 to 4 years after it is applied, which makes a laptop run hotter even when it is clean. Repaste only after steps 4 and 7. If the vents are clean and the fans work, but the fans still run hard during light work that used to be quiet, old paste is the next thing to check. Check your warranty before you open the case. In the US, the FTC says companies cannot void your warranty or deny coverage solely because you or someone unaffiliated with them did the work, unless they supply that service free under the warranty. They can still refuse to cover damage that the outside repair caused. If your laptop is under warranty, contact the manufacturer and describe the overheating first. Shut the laptop down and unplug it. Follow your model's service manual to open the case and disconnect the battery before you touch the heatsink. Dell, for example, says to unplug from all power sources and to remove the battery if your model has a detachable one. Remove the heatsink as the manual shows, then clean the old paste off the chip and the heatsink with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth. Put a small dot of fresh paste in the center of the chip and reseat the heatsink. Do not spread the paste yourself. Arctic says MX-6 cannot be spread with a spatula and that the pressure of the cooler spreads it. PCWorld names Arctic MX-6 as a paste to use. Arctic states that MX-6 is neither electrically conductive nor capacitive, which removes the risk of a short circuit if some squeezes out past the chip.
If the laptop still runs hot after step 8, take it to the manufacturer. Apple says to contact Apple, visit an Apple Store, or go to an Apple Authorized Service Provider about a Mac laptop's operating temperature, and to bring the reference code from Apple Diagnostics. Dell sends readers to its technical support once its own troubleshooting steps are done. Bring the results of the fan test from step 7. If the laptop shuts itself off during heavy work, stop that work until the cause is fixed. Intel says a processor shuts down automatically when throttling can no longer keep it at a safe temperature, as FAQ 1 below explains. To keep the heat from coming back, clean the vents whenever you see dust (step 4), keep the laptop on a hard surface, and open Task Manager or Activity Monitor whenever the fans run hard while you are doing very little. If your Mac is slow to start rather than hot, our guide on fixing a slow-booting Mac covers that.
Questions we get asked about this
Answers from experience, not a textbook.
Each processor has its own limit. Intel calls it Tjunction max, the highest temperature the chip allows before it reduces power to limit heat, and says it usually falls between 100 and 110 degrees Celsius. AMD lists it as Max. Operating Temperature (Tjmax). Look up your exact processor on Intel's or AMD's product page to see its limit. Intel says a processor that cannot stay at a safe temperature by throttling shuts down automatically to prevent permanent damage. If your laptop slows down or shuts off during light work like web browsing or document editing, the cooling needs attention. On a Mac, Apple says third-party temperature apps do not measure the case temperature and should never be used to diagnose hardware, so use Apple Diagnostics from step 7.
Yes, over time. Microsoft warns that prolonged exposure to high temperatures can damage internal components such as the processor and storage drive, and that excessive heat accelerates battery degradation, reducing its capacity and lifespan. Throttling and automatic shutdown (FAQ 1 above) protect the processor in the moment. Microsoft's warning is about heat that lasts, so fix a laptop that runs hot every day instead of relying on them.
Using a laptop while it charges is normal, but charging does add heat. Microsoft says overcharging can stress the battery and generate excess heat, and recommends not keeping a laptop plugged in 24/7 and not letting it reach 100% too often. If your laptop has a charge limit setting, PCWorld suggests using it to stop charging at 80%. Microsoft says to use high-quality chargers and cables, and Apple says to use only Apple-authorized power adapters with a Mac laptop. If the laptop gets unusually hot only while charging, stop using that charger and contact the manufacturer.
PCWorld puts the paste's useful life at about 3 to 4 years after it is applied. Before you repaste on that schedule, clean the vents (step 4) and test the fans (step 7), because dust and a failing fan also make a laptop run hotter. Step 8 covers what the FTC says about warranties if you open the laptop yourself.
On a laptop that takes air in through the bottom, yes. Microsoft says a cooling pad can significantly lower a laptop's temperature by providing additional airflow. A pad cannot clear dust from the vents, replace dried thermal paste, or make up for a failing fan, so use it alongside steps 4, 7, and 8 rather than instead of them.
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