Macbook Overheating – Causes and Solutions

If you are a Macbook user and suddenly one day your Macbook Pro M1 gets hot, it can be a worrying situation as you might not know the reason behind it. In this article, Meohay.vn will analyze the possible causes for your Macbook getting hot and provide the best solutions to resolve the issue.

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If your MacBook is overheating, you should check the MacBook’s temperature. The best way to check the MacBook’s temperature is to install and use the Temperature Gauge and CleanMyMac applications.

Download Temperature Gauge here

Download CleanMyMac here.

These software allows you to monitor the temperature in your MacBook. If you notice abnormally high MacBook temperatures and the cooling fan is not running, there may be a series of underlying issues.

Why is the MacBook Pro M1 overheating?

When designing the MacBook Pro M1, Apple paid great attention to the cooling system to help the machine not get hot and operate smoothly. However, in the process of use, some customers have reported that this MacBook heats up when in use. So what is the cause of this condition?

Running too many programs at the same time

When you have too many tasks running at the same time, especially games and graphics software, it will also increase the temperature of the machine. Using in this way for a long time will reduce the lifespan of the machine or, if more serious, it will be interrupted, interrupting work in the middle.

You need to note that this MacBook is designed with the goal of optimizing it for applications to run smoothly. Therefore, if you open too many applications at the same time, especially when playing games, it is easy to cause overheating, leading to machine hang, jitter or lag.

Performing heavy tasks

When performing heavy tasks such as gaming, graphic design, etc. for a long time, the MacBook’s thermal management system will overload the CPU, as well as consume a lot of RAM, read a lot of data from the HDD, and significantly decrease performance.

What you need to do is check the programs running on your computer, turn off programs you don’t need, and limit heavy tasks.

High ambient temperature

The advice for everyone is not to use the computer in an environment with too high temperature. If in the standby screen state, the machine has a temperature ranging from 21 to 28 degrees Celsius. However, if the machine is operating, the temperature can increase to 35 degrees Celsius and can reach up to 100 degrees Celsius. Therefore, if the working environment temperature is too high, it can lead to device damage.

Too much dust on the cooling system

Many users do not pay attention to cleaning their machines. If this happens for a long time, it can cause dust to stick to the cooling fan. If this happens, the MacBook’s cooling fan cannot function effectively. In this case, the machine heating up during long-term use is very likely to occur.

Machine infected with viruses

If the machine is infected with viruses, it can also affect the operation of the machine, causing applications to be interrupted or lag during operation. Although this reason rarely occurs, it can still happen.

Causes from MacBook charger

Because they are not quality-assured, non-genuine MacBook chargers, low-priced ones are highly likely to be low-quality goods. This results in the adapters not meeting the requirements for current intensity, voltage, unstable power supply, etc.

This affects the electrical system of the machine, making it easy to heat up, even leading to explosion, electrical short circuit when newly plugged in.

To overcome this cause, you should buy genuine MacBook chargers from the company’s website or authorized distributors.

What should you do when using an overheating Macbook Pro M1?

Close unnecessary applications

Check to see if your MacBook is running apps that consume too much. These apps can consume battery power and CPU resources unnecessarily for the system.

Open Activity Monitor > Select All Processes > Click on CPU > Click on %CPU column. If you see any application using over 70% CPU, you should close them.

Avoid placing the machine on soft surfaces

Do not place the MacBook on objects such as pillows, blankets when using because these objects make the machine heat up quickly due to heat unable to escape. Therefore, make a habit of sitting on a desk when using a computer.

Clean the machine

Regularly cleaning the machine will help remove dust accumulated on the cooling fan and components, restore heat dissipation capability for the machine.

Limit access to heavy, ad-laden websites

Advertising on websites has long been annoying for users, they not only drain the battery but also cause MacBook to overheat.

The best way to solve this problem is to use Adblock Plus to block ads on all major web browsers including Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc.

Reset SMC

If you have tried all of this and still have issues with your Mac overheating, you should consider resetting the SMC (System Management Controller). In general, this is considered the last resort to fix most Mac issues before going to the Apple Store.

Perform the following steps:

Step 1: Turn off the machine completely. Connect the charger to the machine and make sure there is power input.

Step 2: On the keyboard (on the left side), press the combination of keys Shift + Control + Option and the Power button at the same time.

Step 3: Release all the keys at the same time and turn on the machine again.

Do not use fan control software

Currently, many users often install fan control software with the desire to make their MacBook run smoother and quieter. However, this is a bad idea if you want to keep your computer cool.

In addition, in practice, using this control software may make the machine run smoother, but in the long run, it can damage the MacBook. Therefore, delete this software from your MacBook by dragging and dropping the application into the trash.

Use a cooling pad

A cooling pad is a perfect accessory, which helps the MacBook function efficiently for a long time without getting hot. However, the disadvantage of this accessory is that it often emits loud noise.

Currently, the market has many cooling pad products specifically for MacBook, with different designs and prices. Therefore, when choosing, you need to choose a solid product to avoid making the MacBook slippery when using.

Some notes when using MacBook

  • Clean your MacBook regularly (about 6 months/time). You should go to reputable centers for the most optimal cleaning.
  • Maintain a stable working environment temperature, dry, and cool, preferably room temperature. Avoid sudden temperature changes.
  • Should equip a cooling fan for MacBook.
  • Do not place the MacBook on your lap or objects such as blankets, pillows, which will cause heat to accumulate.
  • Keep the number of tabs to a minimum. Close and bookmark tabs you haven’t used. This will help store and save resources for the CPU.
  • Show background applications and turn off unnecessary ones.
  • Regularly update macOS operating system versions to avoid viruses and malware.

In conclusion, the reason why the MacBook Pro M1 heats up may be due to the user’s improper use, affecting the machine’s operation. However, if after trying all measures and still not effective, the machine still heats abnormally when running. In this case, you should bring it to the warranty center for inspection and assurance.

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