There’s undoubtedly one major reason why your Windows PC sounds like a jet engine: loud fans. Fans may appear trivial, yet they are critical PC components that must be maintained on a regular basis. Unless you’re utilizing water cooling, you’ll need your PC fans to keep components like your CPU cold enough to keep them running.

Dust, grime, and other impurities in the air can affect the effectiveness of your fan, but there are many other issues that can arise, which is why regular maintenance is so important. If your computer fans are becoming too noisy, try these six troubleshooting steps to resolve the issue.

Clean Up Your Computer Fans

As your fans pull air into your PC or laptop casing, they also bring in additional impurities. Your computer fans will likely become louder and louder if you don’t give them a good clean every now and then, much like a bookshelf will if you don’t wipe and polish it every now and then.

This is easier to accomplish on a desktop PC, since removing the side panel and gaining access to your fans for cleaning is typically a straightforward operation. Keep a screwdriver available because most case panels are held in place by a few screws. The technique is a little more difficult with laptops.

If you’re comfortable disassembling your laptop, this will offer you complete access to clean your fans, but only do so if you’re certain (and don’t invalidate your guarantee). You may use an air duster, compressed air, or a special electric air duster vacuum to clear dust from your PC or laptop.

Your fans should have to work a little less hard to cool your computer now that the dust has been eliminated, resulting in a quieter PC overall (if the fans are working correctly).

For better airflow, move your computer or laptop.

It’s critical to consider where you store your computer or laptop since it might affect whether or not your computer fans have enough airflow to keep your machine cool. You probably won’t put your PC fans near a heater or radiator, but you could put it in a desk cupboard with the fans at the rear.

This is harmful for your PC because it restricts the amount of air available to your fans, causing the air surrounding it to heat up rapidly. Hotter air equals a hotter computer, which means your fans will have to work more to keep your computer cool, resulting in louder computer fans. A laptop placed on surfaces that might block your fans follows the same rule.

Allow adequate air for your desktop PC or laptop fans to do their work, and you should notice a cooler computer (as well as quieter fans).

Use A Laptop Cooling Pad If You Have A Laptop

You may not have as much access to your fans on a laptop as you would on a desktop PC if you had fan troubles. If you’re afraid of taking your laptop apart, there are other alternatives, such using an external laptop cooling pad.

A laptop cooling pad (or laptop cooler) is a collection of external fans that you may install on top of your laptop to suck heat away from the motherboard and direct it beneath the machine. It lifts your laptop physically, allowing adequate airflow beneath it for your fans to adequately cool it.

If you don’t want to deal with more significant maintenance, this is a fantastic method to keep your laptop cool.

Examine the software that is now running.

When your PC is performing the most intense apps, the computer fans generally kick in the most. If your computer fans are loud even when your computer is turned down, it might be a sign of a software or virus problem.

Some viruses (such as cryptominers) will, for example, utilize your idle PC for other reasons. Because you may not be aware of an infection, it’s critical to scan your Windows PC for malware on a frequent basis.

If malware isn’t the issue, utilize the Windows Task Manager to look for any ongoing programs, which you can access by typing Ctrl + Shift + Esc on your keyboard. You’ll find a list of active programs and background processes, as well as any resource utilization, under the Processes area.

If your CPU or RAM percentages are locked at 100%, your machine is in overdrive, and you’ll need to pause, deactivate, or delete any hyperactive apps that are causing the issue.

Use Fan Management Software

You may use third-party fan control software to reduce the speed of your computer fans if they are too noisy. However, if your PC is overheating and your fans aren’t working, this isn’t a smart idea, as a computer or laptop that is too hot might be destroyed.

Some motherboard manufacturers, such as MSI, have their own fan control software, however SpeedFan is an useful third-party app for Windows users. This tool will show you your current PC temps and allow you to adjust your fan speeds based on your device’s requirements.

If you opt to slow down your fans, keep an eye on your computer’s temperature. If the temperatures continue to rise, you’ll need to revert to the previous settings to ensure that your fans can efficiently cool your PC.

Your Fans Should Be Replaced

If you’ve exhausted all other possibilities, the only remaining alternative is to replace your computer fans. Even with proper maintenance, fans, like all other PC components, do not live indefinitely.

The ball bearings used to spin the blades of older PC fans are one source of failure. These lose their lubricant over time, causing your computer fan to become noisier.

Desktop PC fans, thankfully, are typically easy to repair because they utilize standard size and plug straight into your motherboard or power supply. Laptop fans are more difficult to replace since they are made particularly for various laptops to fit the smaller housing.

That doesn’t rule out the possibility, as laptop fans may be purchased through third-party vendors, auction sites like eBay, or directly from the manufacturer. Also, keep in mind your warranty: If your laptop is still under warranty, you may be able to receive a free laptop fan replacement.

Maintaining Your Windows PC on a Regular Basis

Dust and grime are the most common causes of a noisy computer fan, so pull out the compressed air cans and clean your PC or laptop as part of your normal PC maintenance practice. Loud computer fans are overworked fans, which may affect your PC’s overall performance.

Of course, your computer’s fans aren’t the sole source of noise. Components like your hard disk, especially if it’s malfunctioning, are likely to be the source of other whirring computer noises. Your PC won’t live indefinitely without some TLC, but with a little TLC now and then, it should last for many years.