How to Cool Your Laptop Without a Cooling Mat

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All computers heat up when in use, especially when running heavy tasks such as gaming. However, laptops can get particularly hot because they don’t dissipate heat as well as desktop computers. You can use a laptop cooling pad to keep your laptop cool (especially if you want to put it on your lap), but you may not need this accessory if you use a few simple tricks.

If you find that your laptop is getting a little too hot for your liking, you should first make sure that the cooling vents (often on the back or side) are not blocked and have enough space: placing them against a wall will not allow air to circulate properly. In fact, you should avoid putting a laptop on your lap altogether. Instead, set a laptop on a flat, hard surface to maintain constant airflow into the computer. Placing the device on soft surfaces will slowly kill your laptop, especially if you use these surfaces often. Besides heat dissipation, using a table is also simply better for ergonomics.

Since laptops gradually generate more heat as they use more power for processes, you can also keep your laptop somewhat cool if you limit power consumption by adjusting certain settings. Lowering the brightness of a screen or throttling the processor with a “Power Saving” or equivalent energy plan, for example, can prevent a laptop’s keyboard from getting too hot. Hell, just scan your computer for unnecessary programs and close them so the processor can take a break. Keep overheating when playing games or using other power-demanding applications. In these situations, you usually can’t have it both ways.

Desktop computers can stay cool with traditional fan systems or liquid cooling kits. However, liquid-cooled laptops are rare, so if standard tricks don’t reduce your laptop’s heat levels, it might be time to step up your fan maintenance game.

As a general rule, if you own a computer (laptop or otherwise), you should purchase a duster. It doesn’t matter whether you buy a compressed gas cylinder or a $32 electric duster on Amazon – you just need something that has enough power to blow dust away from cooling fans. Otherwise, particle buildup will obstruct airways and weigh down fans, making it harder for your laptop to stay cool. Give your computer a few knocks every now and then as a preventative measure, as it’s easier to get rid of dust that hasn’t completely settled yet than months or even years of accumulated dirt.

Depending on the age of the laptop, you may also need to explore the computer’s internal components to troubleshoot overheating issues. For example, although fans keep computers cool, they don’t last forever: screws and bearings can become loose, making them less effective. You may need to tighten or replace these components, especially if you hear strange noises when the fans speed up. And while you’re at it, you might as well check the laptop’s thermal paste. This material helps carry heat away from components like the CPU and GPU, but it can dry out over time. If your computer is running hotter than it should be, you may want to apply another dab of thermal paste. Given the complexity of disassembling and reassembling a laptop, you may also want to hire an expert at your local computer store.

For the sake of argument, let’s assume your laptop is heating up and you’ve done everything we’ve mentioned so far. Hell, let’s also assume that you’ve used the best antivirus software on the market to rule out the possibility of malware, but your laptop is barely cooler than before you started. Is it time to buy a cooling pad? It’s more likely you’re in the wrong place.

Although air cooling systems are simple and inexpensive, they all share the same Achilles heel: the hotter the air they draw in, the more difficult it is to cool it. Sometimes finding fresh air is as simple as getting into a well-ventilated area or getting out of direct sunlight. But if you live somewhere normally warm, or you’re in the middle of a heatwave, you might just have to wait for cooler weather…or turn on the air conditioning. Otherwise, a cooling pad could potentially have some benefits, such as if you work in a hot or cramped office.

In any case, a little heat is normal for standard laptop features. However, constant and extremely hot temperatures are not. If you think your computer is getting too hot, use a built-in temperature monitoring program or install one and keep an eye on the data. Your laptop may get hot, but it may well perform within the acceptable limits of its design. However, it always pays to double-check.