3 Ways To Keep Your Laptop From Overheating - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow 10 Simple Ways Keep Your Laptop from Overheating PDF download Download Article Tips and tricks to prevent your laptop from getting too hot Explore this Article IN THIS ARTICLE 1 Elevate the laptop. 2 Use a laptop cooling mat. 3 Use your laptop on solid surfaces only. 4 Keep a cool environment. 5 Get a program to keep track of your temperature. 6 Avoid overclocking. 7 Adjust your brightness settings. 8 Clean out your laptop. 9 Replace old batteries. 10 Spend less time on your laptop. + Show 7 more... - Show less... Other Sections Expert Q&A Video Tips and Warnings Related Articles References Article Summary Co-authored by Luigi Oppido and Rain Kengly

Last Updated: May 19, 2025 Fact Checked

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This article was co-authored by Luigi Oppido and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 1,043,086 times.

Is your Windows laptop or MacBook overheating? Many laptops overheat because the fan on the bottom is blocked, which can cause the hard drive and other components to fail. Here are the easiest ways to cool down your overheating laptop, identify causes of excess heat, and fix the problem for good.

Easy Tips to Keep Your Laptop Cool

  • Your laptop can overheat when it's unable to circulate air properly. This can cause damage to internal components, discomfort, and even system failure.
  • Use a stand or other flat surface to elevate the laptop. Make sure to keep the vent holes free.
  • Avoid overusing your laptop with demanding programs for extended periods of time.

Steps

1

Elevate the laptop.

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  1. Use a stand, book, or other flat surface under the laptop. Use a stand, book, or other flat surface under the laptop. This slight tilt allows a lot more air to flow under the laptop, keeping it significantly cooler. Ensure that the item is not blocking the bottom fan hole.
    • If a book doesn't help, you can try something more uneven. Try sticking four sockets from an egg tray on four corners of your laptop. Either you can stick them with a sticky tape/masking tape or use hook and loop tape for flexible design.
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2

Use a laptop cooling mat.

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  1. Cooling mats are made to help heat issues with your laptop. Cooling mats are made to help heat issues with your laptop. There are many types of laptop cooling mats to choose from. Brands like Thermaltake, Xion, and Targus make cooling mats that are widely available at electronic stores. You can even buy risers, or computer stands, that have built-in fans and other forms of ventilation.
    • If you can't afford or find a cooling mat, always prefer something hard under the laptop rather than something soft. For example, use a plastic casing, a lap desk, tray table or even a wooden cutting board, to provide a solid flat surface for proper airflow. Just be sure to not block the vent holes.
3

Use your laptop on solid surfaces only.

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  1. Don't use your laptop on soft surfaces like sofas, carpets, or pillows. Don't use your laptop on soft surfaces like sofas, carpets, or pillows. Any vents on the bottom of your laptop will be blocked and airflow will be reduced, causing it to overheat. Your laptop may even overheat enough to catch on fire.
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4

Keep a cool environment.

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  1. Try keeping your laptop in an air-conditioned or cool area. Try keeping your laptop in an air-conditioned or cool area. This is especially important in warmer climates. A climate-controlled environment will help your laptop regulate its temperature better by allowing it to cool down.
5

Get a program to keep track of your temperature.

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  1. Many apps can keep track of your CPU and GPU temperature. Many apps can keep track of your CPU and GPU temperature. Install a PC temperature monitoring app like Open Hardware Monitor, Speedfan, Core Temp, or Real Temp. When you see the temperature rise, you can close CPU and GPU-intensive apps to cool things down.
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6

Avoid overclocking.

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  1. If you overclock your computer, it will be hotter than usual. If you overclock your computer, it will be hotter than usual. If you're already having trouble with your PC overheating, don't start overclocking now. If you didn't have overheating issues before overclocking, it's best to undo the overclocking to preserve your hardware.
7

Adjust your brightness settings.

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  1. Lower the brightness. Lower the brightness. This can also help preserve your battery life if you have issues keeping your laptop charged.[1]
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8

Clean out your laptop.

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  1. Deep clean your laptop once per month. Deep clean your laptop once per month. Use a can of compressed air to clear out any dust or unwanted particles so your fans function smoothly. Always make sure to power off your device completely and unplug all connected cables before cleaning it.
9

Replace old batteries.

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  1. If you've had... If you've had your laptop for a long time, replace the battery. Old, defective, and worn-out batteries can cause thermal damage by overheating all components in your laptop. If the heat is coming from the battery, it's time for a replacement.
    • Newer laptops have batteries that can't be removed.
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10

Spend less time on your laptop.

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  1. If your laptop keeps overheating, it's best to minimize use. If your laptop keeps overheating, it's best to minimize use. Until you can safely repair the laptop, avoid using it until you've corrected the problem. Otherwise, you may cause irreparable damage to the components.

Expert Q&A

Search Add New Question
  • Question Is it OK if my laptop gets hot? Luigi Oppido Luigi Oppido Computer & Tech Specialist Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years. Luigi Oppido Luigi Oppido Computer & Tech Specialist Expert Answer If you feel heat coming from the laptop, that means that the machine is at least 120 degrees and that it's probably warmer than it should be. And if it's too hot to touch, then you know it's too hot to be running. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 21 Helpful 34
  • Question How can I cool my laptop if the fan vents are underneath and in the center? Community Answer Community Answer Put four items under the corners of the laptop to lift it and give the fan airflow. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 30 Helpful 130
  • Question What can I do if my laptop overheats so badly that it lags and begins to sound strange and loud? Community Answer Community Answer Buy an external fan for laptops. And make sure the room you're in has a nice cool temperature. Also, make sure you don't multitask too much, if you're running lots of programs at once, you may be giving your laptop more than it can handle. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 16 Helpful 52
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Video

Tips

  • Even though laptops have a word "lap" in their name, don't put them on your lap for a longer period of time. Fabrics will block the airflow, which lead to overheating. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

  • Never block the fan for your laptop. Thanks Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
  • Don't put your laptop on your lap if it's overheating. Thanks Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1
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References

  1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/change-screen-brightness-in-windows-3f67a2f2-5c65-ceca-778b-5858fc007041

About This Article

Luigi Oppido Co-authored by: Luigi Oppido Computer & Tech Specialist This article was co-authored by Luigi Oppido and by wikiHow staff writer, Rain Kengly. Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years. This article has been viewed 1,043,086 times. How helpful is this? Co-authors: 62 Updated: May 19, 2025 Views: 1,043,086 Categories: Laptop Maintenance and Repair Article SummaryX

To keep your laptop from overheating, try putting a small book or other item underneath it to elevate the battery and increase air flow. You can also invest in a laptop cooling mat or a ventilated computer stand to keep your computer cool. Avoid placing your laptop on soft surfaces like couch cushions, which can block the fan and cause the system to heat up even faster. Remember to keep your laptop in an air-conditioned room so it can cool down properly. For tips on adjusting your computer's settings to prevent overheating, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • Brant Dilworth

    Brant Dilworth

    May 5, 2016

    "This article helped me solve an argument with my wife. Our daughter had our brand new laptop on her bed, sitting on..." more
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Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Luigi Oppido Co-authored by: Luigi Oppido Computer & Tech Specialist Click a star to vote Co-authors: 62 Updated: May 19, 2025 Views: 1,043,086 Brant Dilworth

Brant Dilworth

May 5, 2016

"This article helped me solve an argument with my wife. Our daughter had our brand new laptop on her bed, sitting on..." more Chrissy Sayers

Chrissy Sayers

Dec 15, 2016

"It explains how to keep your laptop cool and the tips are brilliant. I'd use this page again because it..." more V. Beers

V. Beers

Aug 20, 2016

"Elevating it and keeping a cool environment help. I've found that aiming an external fan at the fan openings..." more Anonymous

Anonymous

Jun 3, 2017

"The settings were a life saver. I usually wait 1 day, and the laptop overheated in 1 hour." Bat 🦇

Bat 🦇

Nov 14, 2017

"Thank you. The info on reducing the power plan helped, but it could be more detailed." Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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