Why is my MacBook fan so loud? Reasons and fixes

Imagine that, out of nowhere, your Mac starts sounding like a jet engine. If you’ve ever experienced it, you probably asked yourself, “Why is my Mac fan so loud?” Luckily, you’ve landed in the right place. In this article, we’ll explain why Mac fan is running loud and show you how to fix it.

Why is your Mac fan so loud?

With MacBooks in particular, fan noise can sound as though your Mac wants to take off. Here are some reasons that may explain why your MacBook fan is so loud:

• Running intensive tasks or resource-heavy apps. These apps make fans louder and may cause overheating due to putting the CPU under significant pressure and consuming too much memory.
• External factors. If air circulation is poor or room temperature is too high, it may cause Mac fan noise. The same goes for fans clogged with dust or vents blocked with any items.
• Adapter. If you are not using an official adapter, it may cause the Mac fan noise issue.

If your fan has been louder than usual, there are some safe ways to reduce fan noise and cool down your Mac, which we’ll cover in this article.

How to fix MacBook Pro loud fan

There are several solutions for a loud Mac cooling fan, and you should be able to get it under control fairly soon.

1. Improve air circulation 

Sometimes, we’re all tempted to use our Macs in bed. But any soft surface you put your Mac on can cover the air vents on your machine, making the fan run faster and louder. So, the quickest solution is to place your Mac on a flat surface and give the fan more air to work with. Just give your Mac a few minutes to cool down.

For a more long-term fix, there are countless Mac holders and laptop stands for a bed you can buy. They elevate a Mac off the surface and provide a better view angle, which helps improve your posture, solving several problems at once.

2. Free up memory and processing power

Another solution — also a useful short and long-term fix — is finding out what uses so much processing power. It can be an app or process that runs in the background and drains your CPU.

To find out what is taking up processing power, the first place to look is Activity Monitor:

1. Open Activity Monitor (Applications > Utilities).
2. In the CPU tab, you will see the list of all active tasks and apps. The most resource-heavy will be at the top.
3. Click the task and hit the “X” sign in the top left corner to quit the process.

   

Disable heavy memory consumers

There’s a quicker and easier way to identify heavy-consuming apps and processes and quit them. CleanMyMac has a handy Menu app that monitors those intensive tasks as you use your Mac and allows you to shut them down. The app is notarized by Apple and has a free version to try out.

1. Download CleanMyMac for free here.
2. Open the app.
3. Go to your menu bar and click the CleanMyMac icon.
4. Here, click CPU. Your CPU monitor will appear.
5. Look for resource hoggers under Top Consumers and click Quit next to any app you don’t currently use.

With just a few clicks, CleanMyMac quits heavy consumers and reduces Mac strain. Easy!

3. Check your Mac’s temperature

One more tip to try out is to check your Mac’s temperature. The thing is that, sometimes, fan noise may be caused by overheating. If you want to find out if that’s your case, you will need a third-party app.

For example, you can install an application called TG Pro. It is a paid app (costs around $10) that lets you monitor Mac temperature. The normal temperature range for MacBooks is between 45 and 66 degrees Celsius. So if it’s higher for prolonged periods of time, it may cause severe damage.

If you are wondering what to do with overheating, check out this handy guide on how to fix it.

4. Check your Mac for malware

It is not uncommon for Mac fans to start working like a jet engine if your computer is infected with malware. The main reason behind it is that viruses and infections consume too many system resources, draining its memory and CPU.

You can try to hunt down malware manually by checking browser settings and Activity Monitor. However, most infections are good at hiding, so it is better to use a tool designed for the job. We recommend CleanMyMac and its Protection feature. Not only does it detect any threat rapidly and effectively, but it also has a constantly updated database and tools for background monitoring. In this way, no hidden threat will remain unnoticed.

Here’s how to use this smart tool:

1. Open CleanMyMac (free download here).
2. From the sidebar, click Protection.
3. Click Scan.
4. Once the scan is complete, you will either receive a clean bill of health or see the list of threats detected. Click Remove.

5. Wipe the dust off your Mac

Mac fans may go wild if you haven’t cleaned them for a while. Just like they need proper air circulation, they may become noisy if dust builds up. In this case, the solution is pretty straightforward — use a hoover to remove dust. Be sure, though, to keep the nozzle at a distance to avoid any damage. Alternatively, you can use compressed air to clean dust. If you’re not sure you can cope with it by yourself, it is generally a good idea to have your Mac cleaned by professionals. Usually, it is available at repair shops.

6. Test your cooling fans

If your Mac has been continuously exposed to heat, its cooling devices may become unstable. Overheating may damage not only the fan but your whole computer: your Mac may shut down unexpectedly when the thermals fail to cool the laptop.

If your Mac has been overheating, and you’re worried whether the fan is not damaged, one thing you could do is run Apple Diagnostics.

How to run Apple Diagnostics (Apple Hardware Test)

To run Apple Diagnostics on your Mac, open this instruction on any other device and get started. First, disconnect all external devices except the keyboard, speakers, mouse, and display. Now, follow the steps below based on the Mac model you have. 

For a Mac with Apple silicon:

1. Start up your Mac.
2. Continue to press and hold the power button as your Mac turns on.
3. Release the power button when the startup options window appears.
4. Press Command-D to run the Diagnostics.
5. Apple Diagnostics will run automatically. When it is complete, it will present a list of the problems encountered.

For an Intel-based Mac:

1. Start up your Mac and press and hold the D key while it turns on.
2. Release the key when the progress bar appears or when you’re asked to select a language.

When it’s finished, you will see the list of problems it has diagnosed.

7. Check for the latest software updates

Another possible reason why your Mac fan is so loud is outdated software. You may face other issues like Mac running slow or increased battery drain. So, it’s recommended to update your macOS:

1. Open System Settings. 
2. Go to General > Software Update. 
3. Wait for it to check for updates. If there is one available, click Update Now and follow the on-screen instructions to install it.
4. Enable Automatic updates while the update is being downloaded.

In addition to updating your macOS, it is also recommended to update your apps. There are several ways to do it:

• Open the App Store and navigate to Updates from the sidebar. Click Update All.
  



• For non-App Store apps, open an app, click its name in the menu bar, and choose Check for Updates.

• If none of the above worked, you may need to visit the developer’s website and check for updates there — usually, the support section.
• Use the Applications feature in CleanMyMac to update all apps in one go.

  

8. Reset SMC settings

SMC stands for System Management Controller. This is a driver responsible for your Mac’s hardware, including fans, processor, and motherboard. So, one potential solution to loud fan noise is to reset SMC settings.

For Macs with non-removable batteries (which is the majority in use now):

1. Unplug the power cord.
2. Go to the Apple menu > Shut Down.
3. Once it has shut down, press Shift-Control-Option on the left side of the keyboard.
4. Now press the power button and keep all four buttons pressed for 10 seconds.
5. Release all of the keys and press the power button to switch it on again.

For Macs with removable batteries:

1. Turn off your Mac.
2. Remove the battery.
3. Press the power button and hold it for a few seconds.
4. Reinstall the battery.
5. Press the power button to turn on your Mac.

For newer Macs with an Apple T2 Security Chip (2018 and later Macs), the process is slightly different:

1. Shut down your computer.
2. Press and hold Control-Option-Shift for 7 seconds.
3. Then press the power button and hold all four keys for another 7 seconds. The Mac may turn on and off during the process.
4. Release the keys, wait a few seconds, and turn on your Mac.

For a Mac with Apple silicon, go to the Apple menu > Restart.

After giving your Mac some brief rest and preventing heavy or unnecessary apps from running when they aren’t needed, your computer should cool down and start operating normally. If those solutions still haven’t solved the problem, then it could be a hardware malfunction. It is then worth taking the Mac to a certified Apple repair shop.