As the days and nights get warmer, you might notice that your Apple laptop is getting warmer, too. This heat can be caused by a number of issues and can impact how you use your laptop, especially when you’re on the go in warmer weather. Luckily, there are ways to prevent your Apple laptop from overheating when the temperatures rise!
Ensure Cooler Temperatures
If you’re anything like me, your Apple Laptop gets used almost everywhere—at home, at work, and even on a flight. Unfortunately, that mobility comes with a price: hot temperatures. What can be done about it? Well, there are several steps you can take to ensure your device stays cool as a cucumber.
One way is by investing in a cooling pad or stand; otherwise, try putting it in an open space away from other electronics and make sure not to leave it plugged into power for too long (like overnight). Most importantly of all: avoid exposing your notebook to direct sunlight and use it on your lap for extended periods of time. (We know—terrible.) It may seem counterintuitive, but it’s actually best to let your computer run at room temperature.
To check how hot your laptop is getting, hold down Control-Option-Command-R to bring up a window showing your processor activity. If everything looks good (your CPU isn’t maxing out), then you’re probably safe. Otherwise, consider moving locations or lowering screen brightness before doing anything else! The key here is balance: aim for moderate temperatures and don’t go overboard if things get warm; most devices have automatic throttling mechanisms designed to keep them within their thermal limits without needing intervention from users. As always, monitor your system carefully and report any overheating issues immediately if they arise! Good luck!
Check Battery Capacity
Before hitting send on that new business proposal, take a few minutes to make sure your laptop is at 100 percent charge. When I was in college, my power cord caught fire as I was using it to write an essay. It was alarming, but luckily no one got hurt and everything worked out okay—but what if it had happened when I was on a plane? Instead of taking any chances, always keep your laptop charged up and ready to go. Power surges are much less common than they used to be—so there’s no need for concern; just plug away! (This advice holds true for all laptops.)
In addition to making sure you have enough juice before you leave home, try and avoid running programs that can suck up your battery while you’re traveling. Playing movies or downloading music can use up significant amounts of battery life. If your computer has Bluetooth capabilities, consider transferring files between computers instead of opening them directly on yours. Bluetooth uses significantly less energy than Wi-Fi does. Finally, consider keeping a spare charger handy so you don’t get stuck mid-transit without access to electricity—your electronics will thank you for it!
Restart After an Update to Apple Laptop
It’s not uncommon for a MacBook to feel warmer after an update, but it shouldn’t get so hot that you can no longer use it. Even if your Mac isn’t burning your thighs, it could be a sign of worse things to come. Restarting is easy—just press Command + R and watch as your computer restarts. Once you’re up and running again, check out your Applications folder and look for any apps that are using up a lot of CPU power. If you find one, close it down and see if your laptop runs cooler. If not, try restarting again. there’s still no change, try opening Activity Monitor (which lives in Utilities) and seeing which app is eating up all your resources.
There may be nothing wrong with an app—it might just need updating or a reboot might have caused some temporary issues. If there’s something seriously wrong with an app or process on your system, consider booting into Safe Mode by holding down Shift during startup to stop any background processes from running while you troubleshoot what’s going on. Once everything looks good, go ahead and restart normally by pressing Command + R again (this time without holding down Shift).
Regularly Empty Trash Caches
Do you have an older MacBook or MacBook Pro? It’s possible that your laptop already has a built-in cooling pad. Otherwise, consider buying one of these USB cooling pads and placing it underneath your laptop (or at least on top of your keyboard). Keeping your computer cool is especially important when using it outside in hot weather. If nothing else, make sure that you don’t block its vents if you’re using it on a bed or couch. The last thing you want is for your laptop to overheat because you sat on it! When all else fails, use common sense: keep your laptop out of direct sunlight and keep it away from any other sources of heat. This includes other electronics—even other laptops.
Close Background Apps
This can be easily accomplished by right-clicking on your Apple menu bar and selecting ‘Task Manager. You’ll see a list of apps running and can then click ‘End Task’ to close them. You could also go into each app individually and click off them, but that will take longer. Either way, it’s a great way to ensure that all background apps are closed when you’re not using them. Wwhich will help with heat management and power consumption. This is especially important on laptops that don’t have fans and use passive cooling, like MacBooks. The other option would be to download an app called Caffeine which keeps your computer awake while you’re working on it.
Buy a Cooling Pad if Necessary
If your Apple Laptop is over five years old, or if you plan on using it a lot outside. Then you might want to look into investing in a cooling pad. Don’t worry—while they may make your laptop look like it’s ready for surgery, there’s no risk of harming any internal components. If anything, it will just make your MacBook run smoother for longer. Other than that? Avoid working directly under direct sunlight and don’t work for too long on any one task if possible. Finally, avoid keeping your laptop inside of a backpack when not being used—it will warm up much faster if placed against other items due to its proximity to other objects around it. All in all, keeping your laptop cool doesn’t have to be complicated. Just use common sense!
On average, laptops can run about 20 degrees hotter than normal room temperature—so even when it feels cool out, you should still take precautions. Buy a cooling pad or keep your laptop out of direct sunlight whenever possible!
Start by checking out our guide to learn more about protecting your MacBook from overheating.