Mac Fan Keeps Running

Why does your MacBook fan keep running

Why is your MacBook fan so loud? There are several reasons why your fan may be making more noise than you’d prefer. This may be due to excessive CPU strain, malware infection, or external factors such as dust accumulation or high ambient temperature.

1. High CPU usage or background processes

As mentioned, one major factor could be a high CPU usage due to numerous resource-intensive apps and processes running simultaneously. This overloads the CPU, leading to overheating, high memory usage, and consequently, noisy fans.

2. Dust accumulation in Mac

External factors can contribute to fan noise. A common cause is the accumulation of dust inside your computer. Surprisingly, dust can lead to disturbing sounds when your Mac is in operation. We recommend using a vacuum cleaner to gently clean the area about an inch away from the air vents. However, make sure to do this only briefly to avoid damaging the fans.

3. Ambient temperature

A room that’s too hot and poorly ventilated can be another reason to blame. When the temperature is high, your computer may struggle to operate effectively, so it’s important to work in a cooler environment. We suggest avoiding direct sunlight when using your laptop and using a MacBook temperature monitor to ensure that the device remains within an optimal temperature range.

4. Malware or apps consuming system resources

Finally, another internal factor that could be causing persistent noise is a potential malware infection. Malware can consume a significant amount of system resources, leading to overheating and forcing the fans to work harder than usual.

Is it bad if Mac fan keeps running

If your MacBook fan keeps running, it doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem. The fan is designed to prevent the CPU from overheating, which can lead to serious issues. It’s normal for the fan to be active during resource-intensive tasks, such as playing graphically demanding games, editing and exporting videos, or having multiple apps open simultaneously.

A note from our experts: 

 

When you encounter a problem with your Mac, the best course of action is to seek advice from professional experts. Our technical team is available 24/7 to provide you with top-notch support. They’re equipped to resolve any issue efficiently and quickly.

 

Here’s our brief guide to use MacKeeper’s Premium Services:

1. Launch the MacKeeper app on your Mac or MacBook.
2. Select Premium Services from the list on your left.
3. Click Chat Now.
4. Type in your message to start chatting with one of our agents.

How to stop Mac fan from running constantly

There’s no one solution for when your MacBook Air fan won't turn off. You can start with some quick and simple steps, and then go for more methods that demand more technical knowledge:

1. Reduce CPU usage.
2. Close apps and background processes.
3. Update macOS.
4. Free up RAM.
5. Reboot your Mac.
6. Reset the SMC and VRAM.
7. Run Apple Diagnostics.

1. Reduce CPU usage

As mentioned earlier, running multiple intensive tasks simultaneously on your Mac can lead to overheating and noisy fans. As such, our first tip is to reduce your CPU usage.

To free up processing power, follow these simple steps:

1. Launch Finder, then select the Applications folder.
2. Open the Utilities folder.
3. Double-click on Activity Monitor to open it.
4. Find and select those processes that are draining your CPU.
5. Click the X icon, then click Quit to confirm.

2. Close unnecessary apps

Having multiple apps open simultaneously—especially those that consume a lot of CPU and RAM—can negatively impact your device’s performance. This may also cause your fans to run faster than usual. We think it’s a good idea to close any programs you’re not currently using.

Below, we outline several methods to check which apps are open and how to close them:

1. First, look at your Dock and identify which apps you wish to close.
2. Right-click on the icon, then select Quit from the menu.
3. Second, press the Mission Control key on your keyboard.
4. Click on any unnecessary app, select the app name in the menu bar, then click Quit [app name].
5. For unresponsive apps, press Option + Command + Esc simultaneously.
6. Select all the apps you want to close, then click Force Quit twice.
7. Alternatively, go through the steps in the section above to close apps using Activity Monitor.

3. Reset SMC

Our third and fourth tips are aimed at those with some technical knowledge or enough confidence to attempt them. If you have a Mac with an Intel-based chip, we recommend resetting the SMC by following the steps below:

1. Select the Apple icon in the menu bar.
2. Click on the Shut Down option from the drop-down menu.
3. Press and hold Shift+Option+Control and the Power button at the same time.
4. Let go of all keys after about 10 seconds.
5. Press the Power button again.

4. Reset NVRAM or PRAM

Additionally, if you still own an Intel Mac, we suggest resetting the NVRAM or PRAM. From our experience, this can help resolve potential hardware issues that may be causing fan problems.

Follow our tips to reset your NVRAM:

1. Click on the Apple icon in the menu bar.
2. Choose Shut Down from the dropdown menu.
3. Press the power button.
4. When you hear your laptop powering up, press and hold Command+Option+P+R.
5. Let go of all keys after about 20 seconds.

5. Update Mac software

To address issues with your Mac’s fan, we also suggest updating macOS as a way to determine whether the problems are due to a software bug.

Here are the steps to upgrade to the latest version of macOS:

1. Click on the Apple logo in the menu bar, then click System Settings.
2. Choose General on the left-side menu.
3. Click Software Update on the right.
4. Check if any software updates are available.
5. If so, hit the Update Now button.
6. Follow the onscreen instructions to update to the latest macOS version.

6. Free up RAM

Another effective way to keep your fans from running constantly and your Mac from overheating is by shutting down processes that consume too much RAM.

To free up memory on your Mac, follow our tips:

1. Open Finder on your Mac, then select the Applications folder.
2. Double-click on the Utilities folder to open it.
3. Launch Activity Monitor, then select the Memory tab.
4. Find and select those processes that are using too much memory RAM.
5. Select the X icon, then hit Quit to confirm.

7. Reboot your Mac

If you ask an IT agent about issues with your Mac, their first suggestion is often to simply reboot the device. This is a good starting point, as restarting your Mac can help resolve minor issues that may be causing it to overheat.

Follow our brief guide on how to reboot your Mac:

1. Click on the Apple logo in the menu bar.
2. Select Restart in the dropdown menu.
3. In the new window, choose Restart.

8. Run Apple Diagnostics

If you suspect that the loud noise from your fans might be due to a hardware issue, we advise that you run Apple Diagnostics to identify which internal component of your Mac is causing the problem.

Below, we explain how to run Apple Diagnostics:

1. Go to the Apple icon in the menu bar.
2. Click Shut Down from the drop-down menu.
3. Press the power button until the startup options appear on your screen.
4. Press and hold Command+D.
5. Let go of all keys when your Mac starts powering on.

Stop fan on MacBook Air and be noise-free!

Why is our MacBook overheating? There are several reasons why the fan or fans on your Apple device may keep running. It could be due to a software bug, in which case restarting your Mac or updating macOS might resolve the issue. If the problem is related to hardware, you may want to try resetting your NVRAM and SMC or running Apple Diagnostics.

As a general tip, consider closing any processes and applications that consume excessive CPU and memory resources. If you need further advice, we recommend contacting our team of experts through MacKeeper’s Premium Services. Our agents are available 24/7 to discuss your Mac-related problem in detail.