How to Fix a Laptop That Keeps Overheating

Published 2026-10-16 · LuxuriousComputers Repair

Your laptop runs hot. The bottom is uncomfortably warm on your lap, the fans run at full speed constantly, and the laptop may be shutting down unexpectedly during demanding tasks — closing without warning when gaming, rendering video, or running multiple applications. Or it is not shutting down but everything has gotten noticeably slower because the processor is thermal throttling — automatically reducing its speed to generate less heat when temperatures get too high. Laptop overheating is caused by dust-clogged vents and fans, degraded thermal paste, blocked airflow from soft surfaces, a failing fan, or running demanding workloads that exceed the cooling system capacity.

Check temperatures

  1. Install HWiNFO64 or HWMonitor to monitor CPU and GPU temperatures in real time
  2. At idle (no programs running, just the desktop), the CPU should be between 35 and 55 degrees Celsius. If idle temperatures are already above 60 degrees, the cooling system has a problem even before any workload
  3. Under load (running a game, video editing, or a stress test), CPU temperatures up to 85 degrees are normal for laptops. Sustained temperatures above 90 degrees indicate the cooling system is not keeping up. Above 100 degrees, the laptop will thermal throttle aggressively or shut down to protect itself
  4. Check both CPU and GPU temperatures. On gaming laptops, the GPU often runs hotter than the CPU during games and can be the component that triggers thermal shutdown

Clean the vents and fans

Dust accumulation inside the laptop is the most common cause of overheating and the most effective fix:

External cleaning (no disassembly)

  1. Power off the laptop completely and unplug it
  2. Locate the air intake vents (usually on the bottom or sides) and the exhaust vent (usually on the back or side edge)
  3. Use compressed air to blow through the exhaust vent. Hold the can at an angle and use short bursts. You should see dust come out of the intake vents. This pushes dust backward through the fan and heatsink fins, clearing blockages
  4. Blow compressed air into the intake vents as well, pushing dust out the exhaust side
  5. Do not hold the fans in place while blowing compressed air — letting the fans spin freely in the wrong direction can damage the bearings. If possible, hold the fan blade still with a toothpick while cleaning

Internal cleaning (with disassembly)

  1. If external cleaning is not enough, the laptop needs to be opened for thorough cleaning. Remove the bottom panel (usually held by Phillips screws — some laptops use a mix of Phillips and Torx)
  2. Once inside, you can see the fans and heatsink assembly. Dust accumulates most densely between the fan and the heatsink fins — a felt-like mat of dust blocks airflow completely
  3. Use compressed air to blow out the dust from the fan, heatsink fins, and surrounding area. Use a soft brush to remove stubborn dust from the fan blades
  4. Vacuum the area gently with a small nozzle to pick up dislodged dust. Do not use a large household vacuum directly on components — static discharge can damage the motherboard

Replace thermal paste

The thermal paste between the CPU (and GPU on gaming laptops) and the heatsink dries out over time, losing its heat transfer effectiveness:

  • Thermal paste should be replaced every 2 to 3 years for optimal cooling. Factory-applied thermal paste on some laptops is low quality and benefits from replacement even on new machines
  • To replace: remove the heatsink (held by screws in a specific order — note the numbered sequence if printed on the heatsink). Clean off the old paste from both the chip and heatsink with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free cloth. Apply a small dot (pea-sized) of quality thermal paste to the center of the CPU die. Reinstall the heatsink, tightening screws in the correct cross pattern
  • Use a quality thermal paste — Arctic MX-5, Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, or Noctua NT-H1 are all good choices. Avoid liquid metal unless you are experienced — it is electrically conductive and can short circuit components if it spreads
  • After replacing thermal paste, idle temperatures typically drop 5 to 15 degrees and load temperatures drop 10 to 20 degrees, depending on how degraded the old paste was

Improve airflow

  • Never use a laptop on soft surfaces. Beds, couches, pillows, and blankets block the bottom intake vents completely, trapping heat. Always use the laptop on a hard, flat surface that allows air to circulate underneath
  • Laptop cooling pad: A cooling pad with fans elevates the laptop and pushes additional air into the intake vents. Effective cooling pads can reduce temperatures by 5 to 10 degrees. Look for pads with large, slow-spinning fans rather than small, high-speed fans — they move more air with less noise
  • Elevate the rear: Even without a cooling pad, propping up the rear of the laptop by about 2 centimeters (using a book, a laptop stand, or rubber feet) improves airflow significantly. The angle creates more clearance for the bottom intake vents
  • Room temperature matters: A laptop in a hot room (above 30 degrees Celsius) starts closer to its thermal limit. Air conditioning or using the laptop in a cooler room directly affects internal temperatures

Reduce heat generation

Power settings

  • Windows: Settings, System, Power and Battery. Set the Power Mode to Best Power Efficiency or Balanced instead of Best Performance. High performance mode allows the CPU to run at maximum speed continuously, generating maximum heat. Balanced mode reduces clock speeds when full performance is not needed
  • For Intel laptops: check the Intel Extreme Tuning Utility or ThrottleStop — you can undervolt the CPU to reduce heat without reducing performance. Undervolting lowers the voltage supplied to the CPU, which directly reduces heat output. A typical safe undervolt is minus 50 to minus 100 millivolts
  • For AMD laptops: Ryzen Controller allows you to set temperature and power limits. Setting a lower TDP (Thermal Design Power) limit caps how much power the CPU draws, directly limiting heat output

Close unnecessary programs

  • Open Task Manager (Ctrl plus Shift plus Escape) and check the CPU column. Identify programs consuming significant CPU when you are not actively using them. Browser tabs with active content, cloud sync applications, and background updates all generate heat
  • Reduce browser tabs — each open tab can consume CPU for scripts and auto-refreshing content. Use a tab suspender extension to hibernate inactive tabs

Check the fans

  • Listen to the fans. If both fans (some laptops have one, gaming laptops usually have two) are running when the laptop is under load, the cooling system is at least trying to work. If a fan is silent while the other runs, the silent fan may have failed
  • In HWiNFO64, check the fan RPM readings. A fan showing 0 RPM while the system is hot has failed and needs replacement
  • A fan that makes clicking, grinding, or rattling noises has a failing bearing. It may still spin but at reduced effectiveness. Fan replacement is a straightforward repair on most laptops — the fan is a separate module connected by a cable

Battery impact on heat

  • A degraded battery generates more heat during charging and discharging. If the laptop runs significantly hotter than it used to even after cleaning and thermal paste replacement, check battery health
  • A swollen battery is a safety concern that also generates excessive heat. If the laptop bottom is bulging, the trackpad feels raised, or the laptop does not sit flat, the battery may be swollen and needs immediate replacement

Laptop cooling repair in Columbus and Delaware

If your laptop keeps overheating after cleaning the vents and improving airflow, Luxurious Computers can perform a deep internal cleaning, replace degraded thermal paste, diagnose and replace failed fans, and optimize the cooling system so your laptop runs at safe temperatures under all workloads.

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