Your MacBook Air fan may be especially loud due to several factors. The CPU could be working hard making the fan spin faster to keep it cool, the fan could be blocked by debris, or you might be blocking air circulation– like if you are using it directly on your bed.
I’m Ty; I have been in the IT field for a few years now, and a resident tech nerd since my adolescence. I know the ins and outs of recent tech and have been a Mac user for the last year.
A loud fan on your MacBook Air is nothing to worry about, it means that it is doing its job of keeping itself cool. This article will go into the many reasons your fan may be chugging harder than normal, and some fixes or workarounds.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- A lack of circulation could be suffocating the MacBook Air, causing the fan to work extremely hard against the absence of airflow.
- The temperature in your room could cause the device to be warmer than usual, forcing your fan to work harder to keep the device cool.
- If you are heavily loading the CPU, the fan will sound louder due to it needing to speed up, to keep everything within safe temperatures.
Reason 1: Lack of Ventilation
One of the first things to look out for when you hear your fans start to kick up a notch is ventilation and circulation. You might use your MacBook Air in bed. It is nice, comfy, and convenient. But it can also be a bit dangerous if you aren’t aware.
The vents on a MacBook Air are located in the hinge, toward the bottom. Using your laptop directly on a soft cushiony surface, such as your bed, could obstruct the airflow, in effect, suffocating your device.
Intel Macbook Airs have fans, while the newer M1 and M2 chipsets have a fanless cooling design using a heat-spreader. To check which chipset you have, navigate to the top left apple logo and select “About this Mac”.
This causes your MacBook Air to begin to heat up, so the loud fan you hear is trying its best to keep your MacBook Air from overheating and damaging any internal parts.
In the short term, to get your temps down you should lift it off of your comforter directly. But this does not mean you can’t use your MacBook Air while in bed. There are laptop risers made to help increase air circulation while in the comfort of your bed, you can find one on Amazon here!
It is also good practice to make sure that there are no blockages or debris on or near the vent. If you use a laptop carrying case, it is possible some lint, or dust has accumulated near the vent, which will limit airflow, and cause the fans to have to work harder.
Use a compressed air duster with a brush top to loosen, and clear out the blockage. This will free up the airway, and help put less strain on your fans.
Reason 2: High CPU Usage
When your MacBook Air is put under heavy load, the fans will speed up. If your fans are louder than usual, it could be the software you are currently running.
An easy way to check your CPU usage is to navigate to the Spotlight Search on the top right of your screen, then search for Activity Monitor. Once it is open, it will show you all of your active processes and software, as well as the percentage of CPU they are currently using.
Check which Apps are using the majority of your CPU and if they are essential. If you do not need them open or aren’t currently using them, it would be best to exit them. To terminate a process, click on it, and then select the X icon next to Activity Monitor.
Some software is just taxing on the CPU in total. If you are using a photo or video editor with a lot going into it, your CPU may be at a high usage percentage, causing the fans to be louder, and work harder than normal, but it is nothing to worry about.
Reason 3: The Environment Can Effect Fan Speed
Even the room the MacBook Air is being used can cause the fans to be louder than usual. That’s right, environmental factors could have a detrimental effect on your device.
If you are using your MacBook Air in a hot room, with no fan or air conditioning, and you are using intensive software, your fans could be loud, out of necessity to keep your device from overheating in the condition it is in.
It is best to use your MacBook Air in a room temperature room, or take steps to lower the temperature in the room you are using it in. Turn on the AC, open a window, and even turn on a fan. Any of these will help your MacBook and its fans, to keep the device at a workable temp.
Final Thoughts
If your MacBook Air is louder than usual, it is best to check the ventilation for blockages, make sure you are not using the device directly on a blanket or comforter, and check your CPU Usage to see what is used the most and stop what you can.
Most of the time, your fan being louder than usual is not something to worry about. If it becomes a constant, then you should bring it into an Apple Store to get it diagnosed, as it could be an issue with fans themselves.
