How to Fix an Overheating Laptop at Home

Find the Heat Source

Here’s how you find out where the heat is coming from.

Check airflow and heat transfer: Look where the air vents are on your laptop. It needs these to be clear to expel hot air created by the components. So airflow is important. Most laptops have air vents on the bottom, and some thicker models have them on the back panel. Check if the vents are clear. If not, blow the dust off using short compressed air blasts. If you can, unscrew the panels and lift out the fans so you can clear the dust-out. Blow out the fan bay too. 

Check batteries: When batteries start aging, they lose their efficiency before they die. When they do this, they can generate a lot of heat. Replacement batteries should be easily available online. If not, then remove the battery and use your laptop by plugging it in and using it as a desktop.

Handle persistent heating:  If dirty vents and dying batteries aren’t the sources, then there’s something else. Dusty hard drives can cause heat issues and data loss. Some machines just ‘run hot’ too. Try cleaning these as best as possible. Dust under the processor and RAM. You may need to get the back-off, but do so very carefully and not at all if it’s still in warranty.

Lighten the Load

If you’ve cleaned out the hardware and are still facing heat issues, then it could be related to the processing load. Check the Task Manager to see what’s loading your CPU. Limit apps that start up automatically and stagger the loading of software to balance the load.

Changes in Behavior

And by that, we mean your behavior. Don’t set the laptop down on soft bedding or a carpet when you use it. You’ll block the vents and heat the laptop surprisingly fast. You may want to invest in a laptop cooling pad to promote airflow. There are even powered versions with USB ports so you can connect them to your laptop and a keyboard. Some also have cool lights and other bells and whistles. Your laptop will be less travel friendly, but it will be happy.