Laptop Fan Noise: Causes And Solutions


The other day, I was minding my own business, doing some important work on my laptop, when suddenly I was ambushed by a deafening noise. It sounded like a jet engine was trying to take off right next to me. After a moment of panicked searching, I narrowed down the source of the noise: my laptop fan was making a racket.

laptop fan making noise

What was I supposed to do?

I mean, sure, I could have just dealt with the noise and pretended I was in a noisy coffee shop or something. But that's definitely not my style. I wanted to figure out what was going on and make the noise stop. So I did some digging and found out what to do when your laptop fan is making noise.

unplug laptop

First things first: unplug your laptop.

It might seem counterintuitive, but if your laptop fan is making noise, the first thing you should do is unplug it. That's because when your laptop is plugged in, it's drawing more power, which means the fan has to work harder to keep everything cool. By unplugging it, you're reducing the workload on the fan, which might solve the problem.

clean laptop fan

Next up: clean that laptop fan.

Over time, dust and debris can gather on your laptop fan, which can cause it to work less efficiently and make more noise. So the solution is simple: clean it! Depending on your laptop model, you may be able to open it up and clean the fan that way. But if you're not confident doing that, you can also use compressed air or a soft brush to gently remove any dust buildup.

replace laptop fan

And if all else fails: replace the laptop fan.

If you've tried unplugging your laptop and cleaning the fan, and the noise is still there, it might be time to replace the fan altogether. Don't worry, it's not as hard as it sounds! You can usually find replacement fans online for fairly cheap, and with some basic tools and a little bit of know-how, you can install it yourself. Just be sure to double-check your laptop model and the specs of the replacement fan before you buy anything.

Conclusion:

So there you have it: what to do when your laptop fan is making noise. Unplug it, clean it, or replace it. And now, you can get back to work without any annoying distractions (or at least, without that annoying jet engine sound). Happy computing!