Unlike iMacs, MacBooks always need to rest flush against a surface during use. Cleaning out dust could be an easy way to reduce fan noise. It makes sense, right? The fans are programmed to spin faster when the temperature gets hotter, so if they're constantly spinning at top speed, excess heat could be the issue. If your Mac has started to sound like it's going to take off, then it's time to learn how to clean your iMac or Macbook fan. This could be due to a messed-up system setting, but it's likely being caused by overheating. You may also notice that your Mac's fans spin at top speed all the time. Excess Fan NoiseĪs your Mac gets older, you may notice your fans getting louder and louder. If you feel like apps are taking too long to load or if your overall system feels slow or choppy, it may point to overheating. Throttling prevents the CPU from working too hard, which in turn generates less heat.įew things are as frustrating as a throttled CPU as it will slow down everything on your system. If you experience unexpected shutdowns or restarts, your Mac may be overheating.Īnother feature in modern computer parts, especially CPUs, is the ability to throttle performance when it gets too hot. However, modern systems are good at detecting overheating and shutting down your hardware before things get out of control. If the heat can't escape, the internal equilibrium temperature will keep rising and eventually overheat.Īt its worst, overheating can cause permanent damage to CPUs, GPUs, hard drives, and more. If air can't circulate, heat can't escape. Unexpected ShutdownsĪs dust accumulates on various internal components, it begins to affect air circulation. Three Signs You Have a Dust Problemīefore you rush to open up your Apple device and void whatever warranty you might have, know that you probably don't have a dust buildup problem unless you live in an environment with a lot of dander, pet hair, smoke, carpets that are rarely vacuumed, and so on.īut if you're still worried that your system may be in danger, here are the three main symptoms of a dust problem that requires immediate attention.

Cleaning dust out of a Mac isn't as easy as cleaning dust out of a PC, but it's not impossible.

Cleaning macbook air hard drive