Laptop Overheating? What Causes It and How to Fix It
A laptop that runs hot slows itself down to protect the processor, and if heat keeps building it shuts down. Most overheating has a simple physical cause you can check first.
Give it room to breathe
Laptops pull air in through vents underneath or on the sides. Using one on a bed, pillow or lap blocks those vents. Use a hard, flat surface, or a stand that lifts the back.
Check for a busy app
Open Task Manager and sort by CPU. A browser tab, an update or a stuck program running at full load produces a lot of heat. Close it or restart the laptop.
Dust in the fan
Over time, dust builds up on the fan and the cooling fins. If the fan sounds loud but little air comes out, the cooling system needs cleaning. This is a common fix during a service.
Dried thermal paste
Thermal paste carries heat from the processor to the heatsink. After a few years it dries out and stops working well. Replacing it, along with a cleaning, often lowers temperatures noticeably.
When to get it checked
- The laptop shuts down on its own under load
- The fan is very loud or makes a grinding noise
- The base is too hot to touch
- Performance drops sharply after a few minutes of use
