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A cooling fan is one of the most crucial components of a laptop. It maintains the temperature of the laptop by preventing it from overheating. The prime function of a laptop fan is to cool down the device’s internal hardware.
Cooling fans are already embedded in the internal structure of the laptop. A laptop may contain one large or numerous small cooling fans.
If a laptop is overheating frequently and continuously shutting down, it might be because the laptop fan is not working. You instantly have to check laptop fans.
To overcome the confusion, I have compiled how to check if laptop fan is working. This article will answer all possible methods to test laptop fans. So, hook with the article till the end to find out a relatable solution.
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How to check if laptop fan is working?
Laptop fans are the constructive reason behind the cooling of the laptop. Laptop fans not working correctly will directly affect your activity. You can experience inevitable failures or lags while operating the system.
Some fundamental signs to check if laptop fan is working properly:
- Laptop fans are entirely silent.
- The laptop surface, especially bottom, is extremely hot.
- You can hear the laptop fan making grinding noise.
- Air is not circulating through the vents.
- The laptop shuts down immediately without any known reason.
- Error messages suddenly pop up on the screen.
- A laptop fan is running louder than usual.
Check laptop fans instantaneously after experiencing any of these indicators. The main reason can be faulty fans, mechanical or technical issues in the system.
Faulty fans can result in overheating, and it can make glitches or even damage your system’s internal components. However, a timely check can save your laptop from any expensive fix.
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Check if laptop fan is working:
Checking laptop fans is easy and time-saving at the same time. Some common ways to test if a laptop fan is working:
Method 1: feel the air
Laptops are compact and portable, so the built-in fans are smaller than desktop computers. It is somehow tricky to notice the circulating air. You can check the airflow through the central exhaust vent designed on one side of the laptop.
Below is a simple procedure to physically feel the air:
- Turn on the laptop and run a heavy program.
- Put your hand or palm half an inch away, facing the laptop vent.
- You should feel warm or faint airflow.
- You can replace hand with a piece of paper or cloth.
- A slight movement should be seen due to proper airflow.
- If there is no airflow, it indicates that the fan is broken, and it is time to replace laptop fan.
- If the airflow is normal but the laptop fan making buzzing noise, it hints there is any hindrance. So, laptop fan cleaning must be done to avoid any damage.
Even if you cannot hear the laptop fan noise, you must feel the air passing through the vents. If the system is slow, the airflow can be almost negligible. In this case, you must restart the laptop to observe the improvements.
Read More: Do Gaming Laptops Overheat?
Method 2: check errors
Sometimes laptop fans are working completely fine, but there can be any issue in the cooling system. If the problem is not fixed timely, it can damage the cooling system. So, timely fixes are always a good option.
But how will you know about the issue in the cooling system? There are specific ways to address the problem. One of the ways is to watch for errors. If a Blue screen of death appears on the screen, the laptop restart without any signal or laptop activity slows down; it indicates an error. The error can be in the cooling system or heat sink.
Method 3: listen to the noise
It should be the first step of the laptop fan test. A regular laptop fan sound is almost not audible when you first switch on the laptop. But after five minutes of activity, the laptop starts producing a sound like a soft propeller fan. If you run a heavy program, you can hear a laptop fan louder than usual, which is completely fine.
You can check the laptop fan by putting your ear close to the fan. The fan is typically designed at the sides or bottom of the laptop. You can follow the steps to test the working of laptop fans:
- Turn on the laptop and perform any regular activity for five to ten minutes.
- The fan will not start producing sound immediately after turning on the laptop because they are designed to perform activity when the laptop starts heating up.
- After a specific activity, you will start hearing the noise of the fans.
- If you still cannot hear the fans, it is recommended to run any heavy program. Open 4k video editing software, picture editing software, or video games, to listen to the sound.
- Once you start hearing the sound of laptop fans, then no need to worry fans are perfectly fine.
- If the laptop fan’s noise is significantly louder than usual, the laptop fan making buzzing noise, or in general, fans are silent. It indicates an alarming situation that should be resolved as soon as possible.
The possibility is that the fan is broken or faulty. Often dirt is stuck on the system, and fans cannot spin properly. So, clean the laptop fan or consult any expert to eliminate the problem.
I hope this answers why is my laptop fan so loud.
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Method 4: notice temperature
Temperature can be used to check the working of laptop fans. Temperature reading appears on the screen as we switch on the laptop. But for other laptops to test temperature, download a hardware monitoring program. If the temperature is more than 160 degrees, then the cooling system is definitely a problem.
If the temperature of a laptop increases due to continuous function or running of a heavy program, instantly shut down the laptop. Let the laptop take some rest and maintain its temperature normal again.
Method 5: third-party software
Most of the methods mentioned above are physical, but this method involves software. Numerous paid and free software are used to track the performance of the laptop’s hardware. The software provides in-depth information about the laptop’s internal system, function, faults, and errors.
- Software like HW Monitor, Arhus Monitor, SpeedFan, and Real Temp work best for Windows. Core temp and Burnin test are among the list of free software. All of these are exceptionally good in tracking the laptop’s hardware data.
- For Mac system, iStart Menu, Fanny, and MSI Afterburner software is recommended to control system hardware.
All you have to do is download the software that matches your laptop requirements and keep an eye on the laptop’s fans. So, third-party software is best for monitoring and controlling a laptop’s hardware.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
One frequently asked question of new laptop users is how to test laptop fans. The easiest way to test the laptop fan is by feeling the air. Put your hand half an inch away, facing the vent. If you feel warm air, then the fan is working. In case of no airflow, the fan may be damaged or has an issue.
It is effortless to examine a laptop fan’s functioning. Put your ear in front of the vents after switching on the laptop. Carefully listen to the air escaping from the vents of the laptop. If the laptop fan making grinding noise, then there is any fault in the system. If the laptop produces a soft propeller fan like sound, the cooling fan works completely fine.
Final Words
Cooling fans are one of the crucial elements for the smooth functioning of the laptop. I have listed five easy methods to solve the mystery of How to check if laptop fan is working?
All methods are easy and can be done within minutes to verify the health of laptop fans. Make it a routine to clean a laptop fan twice a month if you are a frequent laptop user. A laptop fan table is an excellent substitute for laptop cooling pads. They help to control the temperature while using a laptop on the bed.
In outline, laptop fan speed control is essential to maintain the quality and reliability of the fans. I hope after reading the complete article, how do I know if my laptop fan is working is no longer a question.
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