Computer Overheating
Answer a couple of questions and get the exact fix.
How is your computer overheating?
Why does this happen?
Overheating is almost always dust, a dead fan, or dried thermal paste. There's one case — random shutdowns — where you should treat it as urgent. The fixer below tells you which category your PC is in and the safe order of fixes.
Common causes
- Dust clogging fans and heatsinks.
- A fan that stopped spinning.
- Dried-out thermal paste under the CPU.
- Blocked vents on a laptop.
Symptoms
- Hot even when idle.
- Hot only during gaming or heavy work.
- The PC shuts down or restarts when hot.
- Fan noise is loud but airflow feels weak.
Frequently asked questions
Why is my computer so hot?
Dust is the #1 cause. Power down, open the case or vent covers, and blow out fans and heatsinks with compressed air.
Why does my PC shut down when it gets hot?
That's thermal protection preventing damage. Stop using it, clean the dust and check the fans — if it still trips, the thermal paste needs replacing.