Laptop overheating and shutting down? Start here

A laptop that shuts down in the middle of a game or a video export, a base too hot to touch, a fan that sounds like a jet — in most cases these share one cause: the cooling system has stopped doing its job.

Why laptops overheat

The processor produces heat, copper pipes carry that heat to a radiator, and the fan pushes it outside. Break any link in that chain and the temperature climbs until the board cuts power to protect itself. Three causes cover most cases:

• Dust. It packs between the radiator fins like felt until air can no longer pass through.
• Dried thermal paste. The compound between processor and heatsink dries out after two to four years and stops conducting heat.
• A worn fan. Bearings age, the fan slows down or stops entirely.

What you can check at home

1. Look at the exhaust vent. Is warm air coming out steadily while the laptop works, or almost nothing?
2. Stop using it on soft surfaces. Beds, rugs and blankets block the intake. A hard desk is best.
3. Install a free temperature monitor and watch the readings under load. Consistently above 90°C means the cooling needs attention.
4. Blowing compressed air from outside may help briefly, but it does not remove the dust packed inside the radiator.

When to bring it in

It is time for a full clean if any of these repeat: shutdowns within five to ten minutes of heavy work, a base that becomes too hot to rest your hand on, a fan you can no longer hear, or the picture starting to freeze.

A proper service means removing the radiator and fan, cleaning both, replacing the old thermal compound, then running a load test after reassembly to confirm the temperatures. In our experience a laptop that has not been cleaned for three years or more runs noticeably cooler afterwards.