Symptoms
- Bottom or keyboard area gets very hot to the touch
- Laptop shuts off or restarts suddenly under load
- Fans run at max speed constantly
- Performance drops noticeably when the laptop gets hot (throttling)
Likely causes
- CommonUsing the laptop on a soft surface (bed, couch, lap) that blocks intake ventsFabric surfaces trap heat around the vents on the bottom.
- CommonDust clogging the internal heatsink and fanDust insulates the heatsink and reduces airflow over time.
- CommonDried-out thermal paste between the CPU/GPU and heatsinkPaste degrades over years, letting heat build up even with clean fans.
- PossibleRunning demanding tasks (gaming, video editing) beyond the laptop's cooling capacityThin laptops especially can struggle under sustained heavy load.
- PossibleA stuck or failing fanA fan that isn't spinning properly can't remove heat effectively.
What to do
- Stop use immediately if it shuts off unexpectedly, and let it cool fully before continuing.
- Always use the laptop on a hard, flat surface, or a cooling pad, to keep vents clear.
- Shut down and use compressed air to clear dust from vents and any accessible intake grilles.
- Check Task Manager for any process spiking CPU usage that could be adding unnecessary heat.
- Update the laptop's BIOS and chipset/graphics drivers, which sometimes include thermal management fixes.
- Use a free temperature monitoring tool to watch CPU temps; sustained readings above roughly 90C at idle point to a real cooling problem.
- If temps stay high after cleaning, the thermal paste has likely dried out and needs replacing.
- Avoid covering the laptop while it's running, and give it breaks during long demanding sessions.
Tools and parts
- Compressed air
- Cooling pad (optional)
Thermal paste (if repasting)Search: “laptop CPU thermal paste”
When to call a pro
If it shuts down repeatedly under normal use or cleaning doesn't lower temperatures, have a repair shop repaste it or check for a failing fan.
Safety
Use caution
Let the laptop cool completely and power it off before cleaning vents; opening the case to repaste voids warranty on many models, so check that first.