Macbook gets hot: What to do?

If your Macbook gets too hot, you should do something about it. Because overheating of the Macbook is not uncommon, especially in the summer months, we give you a few tips in this practical tip on how you can avoid overheating.

Macbook gets hot: Tips to avoid overheating

As with other notebooks, the fans on your Macbook are always working and always active. However, if you work a lot on the PC and the Macbook is busy, the fan speed usually increases as well:

• In general, it is a good idea to close all programmes that are not currently in use. To do this, move the mouse pointer over the programme icon and press the right mouse button. You can then click on “Exit”.

• On older Mac models, the cooling speed may not increase fast enough, causing overheating. To counteract this, there are some freeware tools to control the fan speed. One such tool is Fan Control.

• This option is less recommended for newer models, however, and only if you know your way around computers, because this type of program makes deep system interventions.

• Alternatively, consider an external laptop fan if you use your Macbook continuously or do processor-heavy or graphics-intensive work. Make sure it’s of good quality.

• Also make sure that your Mac is placed on a flat surface and that the ventilation slots are not covered by anything, such as a blanket or pillow. If in doubt, place your Mac briefly on a table and observe whether the fans then work more quietly. A Macbook stand can also be a quick help here.

• You can also check your Mac’s activity meter to see if any of your open applications require a high-performance GPU. If you currently have several programmes open, it may be a good idea to close the programmes listed here in the meantime.

Causes of heat generation on the Mac

• PCs and notebooks as well as Macbooks are generally designed to withstand high temperatures. In the case of the Macbook Pro, the case also serves to dissipate the heat.

• One issue, however, is that if the heat is consistently high, the internal components can be compromised. Therefore, if the heat generation is noticeably high, it is good to counteract this a little bit.

• If you have already witnessed several crashes of your Mac or if your Macbook shuts down on its own, this may be due to overheating. To ensure adequate cooling, it is important where you use and position your Macbook.

• If you use your Macbook in direct sunlight, for example, overheating of the case can no longer be avoided because the heat can no longer be dissipated from the inside.

• Also, be aware that having the Macbook on the carpet, bedspread or sofa will affect its ability to cool. This can clog up the ventilation shafts of the case, making it difficult to cool.