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Many people use their laptops excessively, often pushing the technological equipment to their manufactured limits. When your laptop is under a lot of processing strain, you may have noticed a disruptive noise emitting from the device. This sound is usually a sign of trouble, indicating that your laptop fan is hampered by internal or external factors.
Fan issues tend to be rarer in newer laptops, especially high-quality gaming laptops, which are supported by eons of processing power. For older laptops with more limited capabilities, a subtle noise may become apparent after long hours of usage. The noise may start off as a tiny inaudible murmur, but it can grow louder in volume until the sound becomes unbearable to your eardrums.
To troubleshoot a noisy laptop, you can try these seven methods to make the fan quieter:
1. Shut down your computer programs
If you are a serial multitasker, you may have many browser windows open, running in adjunction with countless other background programs. All these computer programs are competing for limited memory resources at once. Your laptop will become overexerted, which also causes the fans to go into overdrive and produce a lot of noise.
This issue can be resolved by shutting down any extra processes that place high demands on your laptop’s hardware. Do you really need all those browser windows open at once? If not, use your laptop’s task manager to find and eliminate these processes. You should notice a significant improvement in your laptop fan. By closing a multitude of programs, you will also increase your laptop’s performance.
If you run into this issue frequently, it may indicate that your current laptop’s capacity doesn’t meet your productivity demands. In this case, you may need to purchase a new laptop, preferably one with a stronger processing power. The ROG Zephyrus G17 from ASUS is a great gaming laptop with quiet intuitive fans, supported by innovative cooling technology. This means you can run multiple programs on the ASUS laptop, smoothly and silently, without encountering the dreaded fan issues.
2. Upgrade the operating system
System updates are essential to the long-term health of your laptop. When your laptop’s operating system is out-of-date, this means your hardware will work overtime to compensate for any insufficiencies. As a result, your laptop fan will suffer and may possibly produce an audible noise.
The best solution is to upgrade your laptop’s OS as soon as you detect an available update. It may seem like a small gesture, but these prompt and urgent updates will ensure the fan’s performance doesn’t exacerbate.
3. Remove any malware
Malware refers to any malicious piece of software that infects your laptop. The malware can demand a lot of internal resources from your laptop, putting the processor under excessive and unnecessary strain. As the fans work overtime to ward off the infecting software, the noise levels will rise significantly.
The malware can put your laptop in great risk, so it should be removed with the highest urgency. As a general best practice, always protect your laptop with suitable antivirus software, which should be updated regularly.
4. Perform defragmentation
At certain points in your laptop’s lifespan, it would be wise to conduct a defragmenting of your operating system. This defragmentation optimizes the laptop and clears away any internal components that have been clogging up your hardware. Think of the process as an internal deep cleaning, which will improve your laptop’s fan performance.
You should run a defragmentation every couple of months, which will allow both your software and physical hardware to work more efficiently. In case you need a reminder, there is an option to set up your system for an automatic defragging schedule.
5. Clean the laptop
There is seldom anything in this world not affected by dust buildup, and your laptop is one of the prime targets. Laptops, especially when used for long periods of time, are prone to being infiltrated by dust. Over time, the dust will seep into the inner compartments of the laptop, obstructing the fan’s ability to run effectively. At this point, the laptop fan will still work, but an audible noise may generate from the accumulation of dust.
You’ll want to conduct a thorough cleaning of your laptop, by unscrewing its back and removing the dust in question. This cleaning should be done on a regular basis to ensure the laptop’s fan runs freely.
A great way to reduce the amount of upkeep is by investing in laptops with anti-dust technology. Manufacturers like ASUS have developed innovative self-cleaning systems in their laptops. This technology clears away dust and particles from the machine, so that your laptop fan isn’t overworked and will produce less noise as a result.
6. Cool your laptop
In your laptop, you may have noticed the fan noises are often accompanied by heat and rising temperatures. If your laptop becomes noticeably warmer, it means the fan is being overexerted. The hotter your laptop feels, the more overloaded your fan may be. This inevitably results in a loud noise emanating from the hardware.
You can purchase external accessories to cool down your laptop. For those who keep their devices in a stationary position, laptop coolers are a wonderful addition to your setup. Simply have the cooler placed underneath your laptop, and the airflow will return to an operational capacity. This prevents overflow, mitigating the chances for the fan to create that irritating noise.
For a more permanent solution, you may want to upgrade your laptop to a newer model that includes self-cleaning technology. Many ASUS ROG laptops use an intuitive ROG Intelligent Cooling system, which combines hardware and software to maximize cooling levels. These laptops are physically engineered to increase the amount of breathing room for the fans. As a result, you will experience superior cooling performances with your machine.
Alternatively, there are also ASUS laptops that come with the Ergolift technology. The ErgoLift hinge lets the user tilt the keyboard, which creates additional ventilation and increases airflow for your device. Since this mechanism is designed discretely, your laptop will remain aesthetically pleasing as you enjoy all the cooling benefits.
7. Elevate your laptop
If you don’t want to purchase a laptop cooler, an elevation stand may be a cheaper alternative. The laptop stand allows your device to remain stationary at an elevated height. This accessory ensures the airflow remains normal and unobstructed, which will improve your laptop’s fan performance. As a result, you should notice less noise coming from your laptop.