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If you’ve ever wondered why your laptop is starting to sound like a jet engine readying itself for lift-off, chances are that overheating is the culprit.
That’s the thing with laptops- the tradeoff for portability and the ability to work (and play) anywhere is that you get a machine that is prone to heat problems.
Unlike a full-fledged desktop PC, there’s not enough room for air to flow freely and not enough fans to make it so.
And all of those components, like the hard drive and the battery, cramped together just means that heat can easily build up inside your machine, even during regular operations.
How Do I Deal With My Laptop’s Loud Fan?
Modern laptops actually do a good job of keeping their insides cool.
They usually have a single fan that sucks in cool air, which then blows through its internals.
The resulting heated air is then expelled through vents located on the back or the bottom of the laptop’s case.
When everything is running smoothly, the laptop barely makes audible noise at all.
Hearing jet-engine levels of noise from your laptop means that there is a problem somewhere.
It means that there’s something wrong with your laptop’s cooling system and that its fan is currently working on overdrive just to keep everything to a safe temperature level.
The next thing to do in how to fix a loud laptop is to diagnose what exactly is causing this overheating situation to happen.
1) Cooling the Heat
a) Check Where Your Laptop is Placed
Are you resting your laptop on a thick blanket? Or on your lap, perhaps?
Ironically enough, your lap isn’t the best place for a laptop. Soft furnishings such as clothes, blankets, carpets, bed sheets, pillowcases, and/or pillows are great materials for heat insulation.
Thus resting your laptop on them can cause heat to become trapped under the laptop, thus overheating the unit.
Not to mention that using your laptop on your lap for long periods of time can put you at risk for burn injury.
Always, the best place to place your laptop is on a flat, smooth surface like a desk or a lap tray.
Your laptop’s bottom shouldn’t also be touching the surface as much as possible.
Check if its rubber feet on the bottom are still intact since these slightly elevate the unit from the surface a little bit, allowing air to pass through the bottom and thus keeping its chassis cool.
b) Kill Processes
Fans can also go on overdrive if there’s too much demand placed on the hardware, specifically the GPU and the CPU.
For example, you might suddenly find your laptop making loud noises again if you’re playing a particularly graphics-intensive game or working with a program that places a heavy toll on your CPU (e.g., 3D-rendering programs, compilers, data mining programs, etcetera).
The best way to solve the overheating issue, in this case, is to just kill these heavy processes that are taking a toll on your machine.
You can do these by using the Task Manager in Windows or the Activity Manager on the macOS.
This is particularly useful for Windows users with laptops that make a lot of noise during startup- usually, these stem from the huge amount of unnecessary startup processes running whenever they boot their machines up.
2) Clean Your Laptop
Dust, hair, ash- all of these things can gunk up your laptop’s fans and make it malfunction.
They also reduce airflow inside the unit itself, thus making everything run hotter.
When this happens, you might need to physically clean the insides of your laptop yourself.
You can take your laptop to its service center if it’s still under warranty, or you can do it yourself.
If you want to go the DIY route, you’ll need to purchase a can of compressed air, a screwdriver, and a small soft brush.
First, use the compressed air to blow whatever dust you can from the vents of your laptop. Make sure to use the air in short, quick bursts.
Then use the brush to wipe off the rest of the dust that the air wasn’t able to get.
The screwdriver is used for opening up your machine- make sure to only do this when you’re familiar with your laptop’s internals so as to avoid unnecessary damage.
This is your solution for how to fix a loud laptop.
FAQs
1) Why is my laptop making a blowing noise?
If your laptop is making a blowing noise, it’s likely that the fan is blocked or damaged.
The fan is responsible for cooling the processor and preventing the laptop from overheating.
When the fan is blocked, the processor can overheat and become damaged.
In some cases, you may be able to clean the fan and resolve the issue.
However, if the fan is damaged, you’ll need to replace it.
You can usually find replacement fans online or at your local computer store.
Once you’ve replaced the fan, your laptop should run smoothly again.
2) How do I stop my laptop from making a whirring noise?
If your laptop is making a whirring noise, there are a few possible causes.
First, make sure that the ventilation vents are clear and unobstructed. If the vents are blocked, the fan will have to work harder to keep the system cool, which can cause noise.
Second, check to see if the hard drive is trying to spin up. This can sometimes happen if the power settings are set to “spin down” the drive when it’s not in use.
To fix this, simply change the power setting to “never” spin down the drive.
Finally, if all else fails, you may need to replace the fan.
If it’s truly noisy, it may be going bad and needs to be replaced.
In any case, a little troubleshooting should help you figure out the source of the noise and stop it from happening.
3) Why is my laptop fan so loud all of a sudden?
One possible reason why your laptop fan is suddenly very loud is that it is dusty and needs to be cleaned.
Over time, dust can build up on the fan blades and in the vents, making it difficult for the air to flow freely.
As a result, the fan has to work harder to move the air, which can make it noisy.
You can clean your laptop fan by carefully opening up the case and using a can of compressed air to blow away the dust.
Just be careful not to touch any of the sensitive components inside the laptop.
Another possible reason for all of a sudden noisy laptop fan is that the CPU is running hot and the fan is working overtime to keep it cool.
This can happen if you are running a lot of programs at once or if you are using demanding software, such as video editing or gaming programs.
If this is the case, you may need to invest in a cooling pad or upgrade your laptop’s cooling system. Otherwise, you run the risk of damaging your computer.
4) How can I clean my laptop fan without opening it?
To clean the laptop fan without opening it, first, turn off the laptop and unplug it from any power source.
Then, use a small brush or vacuum attachment to gently remove any debris from the outside of the fan grill.
Next, use compressed air to blow any remaining dust out of the fan blades.
Finally, again remove any residues from the outside of the fan grill using a cloth.
Once you’re finished, your laptop’s fan should be clean and ready to work properly again.
5) Can I use a hair dryer to clean my laptop?
Many people think that they can use a hair dryer to clean their laptops, but this is actually not a good idea.
While the heat from the hair dryer can help to dislodge dirt and dust from the keyboard and other components, it can also damage delicate electronic parts.
In addition, the airflow from the hair dryer can actually push dirt and dust further into the laptop, making it more difficult to clean.
If you want to clean your laptop, it is best to use compressed air or a vacuum cleaner with a soft brush attachment.
These methods will remove dirt and dust without damaging delicate parts.
6) How often should you clean your laptop fan?
As a general rule of thumb, it’s a good idea to clean your laptop fan every 6 months or so. If you use your laptop regularly, you may want to clean it more often.
And if you live in a dusty environment, you may need to clean it more frequently as well.
7) Does cleaning your laptop fan make it faster?
Yes, it can.
Your laptop fan pulls air through the vents to cool the internal components.
Over time, the fan can get clogged with dust and other debris, which can impede the flow of air and cause the laptop to overheat and work slower.
Cleaning the fan on a regular basis can help to keep your laptop running cooler and prevent potential damage from overheating.
In addition, cleaning the fan can also help to improve airflow and reduce noise from the fan.
Conclusion on How to Fix a Loud Laptop
We hope this post gives you a solution for “how to fix a loud laptop”.
Enjoy!