How to Cool Down an Overheating Laptop

Knowing how to keep one's laptop from overheating is a necessity for all computer users. Laptop owners may notice, a few months after purchase, that their notebook is running extremely hot -- some may even notice their laptop's shutting off as a result. To fix your overheating laptop, follow the instructions below.

Instructions

1. Clean out your laptop fan. Quite often, the source of a laptop's overheating is a result of the fan and its vents being clogged with dirt. Cleaning your laptop's fan is a very easy process. Simply purchase a can of compressed air and, with the laptop powered down and all power cords and peripherals removed, spray the compressed air in between the vents of the laptop's fan (typically, they are located on the bottom and side of the notebook). Make sure to stick a toothpick or q-tip between the blades to keep the fan from spinning too fast. Not doing so could damage the fan.

2. Purchase a laptop cooler. Most, if not all, are usb-powered and come equipped with cooling vents or fans to keep your notebook from getting too hot. They are generally priced $19.99 and up.

3. Don't block your laptop's vents. Many people place their laptops on their bed or in their lap, thus blocking off the fan's vents and rendering it unable to properly cool itself.

4. Download a program to keep track of your laptop's temperature. SpeedFan is an example of a program which will detect your fan's driver and display back how hot your laptop is running. This will allow you to keep tabs on how seriously your laptop may be overheating. Depending on your system, you may also be able to configure SpeedFan (or similar programs) to change your fan's settings, thus causing it to run more often or at lower temperatures. Don't change these settings unless you know what you are doing, however.