An overheating laptop is not uncommon.
When I got my first computer I was able to use it for a few months before its processor fan stopped working. As a result I started experiencing a lot of problems with my laptop and there are some periods I’ll be using it only for it to shut itself down in the middle of a project.
Having your laptop suffer from overheating issue can be really frustrating, especially if your business depends on it, and based on my experience with my overheating laptop I’ve been able to learn a few tips. The tips below will help you prevent your laptop from overheating.
Always use your laptop on a flat surface
I can remember vividly using my first laptop on the bed regularly. I believed since it is a laptop I can easily use it anywhere I please without any problems. Unknown to me I have been preventing fresh air to pass through to my laptop and as a result making it to overheat.
You can easily prevent your laptop from overheating by ensuring you only use it on a flat surface. Each laptop has been designed in a way to be used only on a flat surface and using your laptop on your mattress or on the top of your clothes can be very dangerous – even if you want to use your laptop on the floor, there is no need to place anything beneath it. You have nothing to worry about since it has been designed to be used on a flat surface.
Ensure it is completely shut down before putting it in a bag
Another mistake most people make especially when they are in a hurry is to put their laptop in a bag without shutting it down or without allowing it to shut down completely. Whenever your laptop is still running it is generating a particular amount of heat and it needs enough fresh air to neutralize that heat.
Placing your laptop in a bag without shutting it down only complicates things and prevents it from getting the fresh air that it needs, which might lead to overheating problems for it on the long run.
Always use it in a cool dry area
It is also very important for you to be careful with where you use your laptop computer. Heat is a very dangerous enemy to any computer so it is important to only use your laptop computer in a cool dry area. Your laptop generates enough heat already and you will be able to prevent it from overheating if you use it in a cool dry area.
Paul T is a tech pro who help people learn the best way to get free laptops.
{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }
I always use a coolinngpad to make sure it doesn’t overheat, and still it sometimes overheat during Antivirus scan or when using any application which users heavy system resources
Sreejesh you’re right. When you’re using scans laptops get overheated for sure, since the whole disk is busy!
Hi Jane,
I just stimbled upon your new blog from Oni’s blog and I can say it is really cool. Thanks a ton for the tips you shared in this article.
Thanks for stopping by Olawale. I’m glad that the post was useful to you
When I use my laptop on my lap it feels like it is on fire! Good post here.
I always do that thing you talk about (jamming the laptop in a bag as I am heading out the door). Not good! Sometimes the laptop does not shut down quickly and it is practically melting in my bag.
You’re so right Greg. We must always ensure that the laptop is properly shutdown as well as there is no heat at the bottom while putting it in the bag.
For this reason it is good to shut it down way before we are about to leave!
It helps my laptop temp if I keep the number of programs running to am minimum. Then it isn’t working so hard.
Yup that’s a great Idea Rebecca, thanks for your comment!
I bought a Targus laptop cooler/fan and it has really helped.
Awesome …tips to prevent laptop from overheating !! This article was an eye-opener to me as I felt the same as you did (#1)
I have a Acer 533 notebook and after using it for couple of hours it gets heated up. After reading your post I came to know that I have to use in a surface where there is enough of air flow. Thanks for the information and really enjoyed reading it. Brilliant…
Overheating laptops are a regular trade for us. Very often the manufacturers use poor quality heatsinks and thermal paste which allow for poor heat dissipation over prolonged periods of use. Your methods are most certainly likely to improve the usage time prior to overheating, and also to prevent the problem from occuring in the first instance.
I know what you mean. I’ve found a external cooler for my laptop, I was afraid it would turn my desk on fire. LOL!
Great review, thanks for sharing such amazing information.
Hi Jane,
overheating of laptop is the mazor problem at this time….using of flat surfaces is essential for decreasing overheating…..
thanks Jane…….
Hi Jane,
Great tips. That was a great reminder to make sure it is shut down before “bagging it”. Come to think of it I have missed on that one time to do better.
~Stephen
May be this is the problem for me till the laptop battery is now not charged anymore “I`am not use them in flat area, I always put it on my pillow while doing thing from my bed”. Now i will not do it again. Thanks for the best advices, This is the second page i read in your blog, Allow me to visit again in someday.
Buying a cooling pad also works wonder for laptop overheating problem.Nowadays one can get cooling pad for under 1000INR easily.
I am very thankful to you for your effort in making us aware through these useful solutions. I would like to add that if you are using overheated laptop or even a heated laptop on your laps, then immediately stop using it on laps, otherwise radiations consisting lithium coming out in form of heat will cause minor alterations in muscle activities of your legs, which is a harmful issue leading to cramps and muscle pains. I read it somewhere, so I thought to share it, but I was looking for a post like above where I could express my point.So once again I am thankful for this opportunity.
This is a very good post. Im quite happy that i found this article. My laptop seems to get very hot after only 30 minutes of usage.Thanks a lot Jane.
Thanks for the cool tips Jane!
Usually I place my lapi on the flat surface with a cooling pad!
Will check the other ways which you mentioned here to avoid over heating of laptop.
Cooling pad is the answer to all problems of overheating. And however much you hate it, but from time to time you need to clean the fans within your laptop (I do that once a year, approximately, by giving my laptop to specialists who clean it). Thus overheating won’t be a problem.
..thank you so much for sharing this information..i always use my laptop on my bed..but after reading this post..i ll never do that…i didn’t know that heat was such a big enemy of laptop…
..this is my first visit to your blog..i will be returning back to read more from you..
Hey Jane,
You are writing tech articles also, that’s great (Sorry Today only I came to know).
And by the way post is awesome, we bloggers have to use laptop daily and we are facing so much heating problem all the day. So, thanks for sharing these tips.
Another best way is to use Cooling pad and they are the effective one..
Thanks for a great post!!