Why your laptop overheats and how to cool it in the heat: important tips

At least once in our lives, each of us has encountered various problems arising from the use of household appliances. And if you know how to clean your laptop keyboard at home, we recommend that you pay attention to why it overheats and how to cool it down.

theLime has shared simple life hacks to help you keep your laptop in good condition.

Read also: How to clean a laptop display without damaging it

First of all, you should find out how to detect signs of laptop overheating:

1. The computer suddenly freezes and automatically shuts down after a while.
2. The laptop case, in particular its bottom or side, becomes very hot. Sometimes it gets so hot that you can't even touch it.
3. Strange stripes or artifacts appear on the screen, which may indicate that the video card is overheating.
4. Laptop fans (coolers) start making loud noise.
5. Some ports (USB, Lightning, card reader) may stop working.
6. You may experience freezes when playing movies or computer games.

Now let's look at the main causes of overheating:

1. Dust. Dust, hair, pet hair, and other contaminants get inside the laptop and clog its cooling system. This disrupts air circulation and causes the device to overheat.
2. Improper placement of the laptop. When you place it on soft surfaces, such as a bed or sofa, the hot air vents are closed. This leads to overheating.
3. Too much load. If the laptop is not designed for heavy tasks, but you use it for gaming or demanding programs, this can lead to overheating.
4. The fan (cooler) is broken. Fans ensure normal air circulation, and if they are damaged, the laptop overheats. In this case, it is better to replace them as soon as possible.
5. The thermal paste is drying out. Thermal paste, which provides thermal conductivity between the processor and the cooling system, can lose its properties over time, which leads to overheating.
6. High ambient temperature. During the hot season, laptops overheat more often, especially when the air temperature is above +25°C.

Read also: How to find out the degree of wear on a Windows laptop battery

Here are some tips to help you cool your laptop at home:

1. Place the laptop properly when using it. It should be on a hard and flat surface. Raise the back of the laptop using the built-in feet or stand to improve ventilation.
2. Clean it from dust regularly. To do this, disassemble it and clean the inside thoroughly with a vacuum cleaner or compressed air.
3. Change the thermal paste every 1-2 years.
4. Use special cooling stands that provide additional air circulation.
5. Use it in well-ventilated and cooled areas.
6. Pay attention to the condition of the fans (coolers) and replace them in a time in case of malfunction.
7. Clean the system of viruses and unnecessary programs that can load the processor.
8. If nothing helps and the problem continues, a mechanical failure may have occurred. In this case, it is better to contact a specialized service center to diagnose and fix the problem.

Earlier, we wrote about whether you should turn off your laptop after using it.

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