Hardware

Laptop is overheating or the fan never stops

Hot case, constant fan and sudden shutdowns. Almost always airflow, dust or a background process — in that order.

Easy15–20 min5 steps

Read before you start

Never spray compressed air into a running machine, and never blow into the vents yourself — moisture is worse than dust.

This guide is for you if

Work top to bottom

0 of 5 steps done

Check the surface and the vents
Use the machine on a hard surface; beds, laps and cushions block the intake. Confirm the vents are clear of cases and fabric.
Measure the heat
Use a sensor tool to read idle temperature. Above roughly 60–65°C at idle points at a cooling problem rather than a heavy workload.
Clear the dust
Power off and unplug. Give short bursts of compressed air into the exhaust vent, holding the fan still with a toothpick if you can reach it. Do it outside.
Spinning the fan with air can damage its bearing.
Find the process heating it
Task Manager or Activity Monitor, sorted by CPU. A background app at 40–100% CPU for no reason keeps the fan on — update, repair or remove it.
Service the cooling
If it is still hot after cleaning, the thermal paste has dried out. That means opening the machine — bring it to us rather than learning on your daily driver.
Machines from 2019 or earlier typically gain 10–20°C from a proper service.