What happens if computer gets too hot

When possible, clean your laptops regularly and take them to a professional to clean off the fans if you don't have the expertise to do it yourself. For more handy users, taking the laptop apart with the battery removed and cleaning the inside with a soft cloth often provides a noticeable decrease in overheating. As a professional writer, she has written for Education. Martin contributed English translations for a collection of Japanese poems by Misuzu Kaneko.

She has worked as an educator in Japan, and she runs a private voice studio out of her home. She writes about education, music and travel. By Avery Martin. Processor An overheated processor slows down and operates less efficiently. Most modern computers will shut themselves down if they get too hot, to prevent themselves from becoming damaged.

If your computer keeps shutting down, this might be the reason. If your computer is overheating, you will probably need to get it repaired. Got a comment? Spotted an error? Found the instructions unclear? Send feedback about this page. Running at high temperatures can permanently damage the computer. Thanks to the second law of thermodynamics , the electricity in your computer generates heat. Unfortunately, that warmth can damage the same components that produce it.

Sometimes, the overworked computer will just slow down. However, in some cases—particularly in older or poorly-manufactured machines—that heat can still damage certain parts of the motherboard before it automatically turns off.

Be sure you get a heat sink and fan that is designed for your CPU. Check the filters over the fans and make sure they are clean. Then check the fan on the power supply to see that it is operating properly.

Also check the temperature of the air being drawn into the computer. Sometimes nearby equipment such as laser printers will be blowing hot air into the computer's air intakes. If your computer sits in a desk or other enclosure, make sure there is an adequate flow of cooling air to the rear of the system where the fans are.