The fan of a Mac is an essential part for its proper functioning. Obviously, it is focused on dissipating all the heat that is generated by the hardware such as the processor or the GPU. In the event that it does not exist, one of these components could be burned. But unfortunately sometimes it can be annoying to hear the fan running at high speed for no reason. In this article we discuss why a fan on Mac sounds uncontrollably.
Why do the fans sound?
The sound of the fan can reach a point where it is unbearable. The problem lies especially when the device is not being used as such, and only the browser is open. Below we present the most common reasons for this to occur.
accumulated dirt
One of the most common faults that can occur on both a Mac and a Windows PC is dirt . We must bear in mind that we are surrounded by microparticles and lint that enter the interior of the device through the different slits. And just as a house must be cleaned practically constantly, the same thing happens on a Mac. All this dirt that is in the environment can be deposited in the fans.
As is logical, the fact of accumulating dirt on a surface that is in constant movement causes it to end up slowing down and clogging. Given this fact, the system must respond by increasing their speed and therefore also the noise that will be generated. Obviously, this is going to affect especially those people who have a quite old Mac and that has not received adequate maintenance.
abnormal rise in temperature
As we have previously mentioned, the fans of a Mac are an active heat dissipation system that is combined with passive systems. These respond to an increase in temperature as a result of the hardware working more intensively or any other component. That is why the fault may not be in the fans themselves, but rather they respond that way because it is necessary . As is logical, the system will always put all the necessary means in order to avoid reaching a temperature that touches the dangerous.
This can be due to many reasons, both internal and external. The most probable one is related to the intensive use of the hardware due to a system failure or because you are simply using software that consumes these resources. But it can also be due to the environment where you are. It is quite logical that if you are in a hot environment such as in the middle of summer, having the constant impact of the sun, the temperature will increase . That is why Apple recommends in the instructions of its devices that it not be exposed to excessively high temperatures. In addition to the noise that can be generated, also because it is not at all advisable to subject the team to pressure of this type.
Sensor failure
How does the computer know how hot it is inside? Through sensors. These provide the necessary information to the CPU and the different controllers in order to activate the fans at the specific time . It can even be assimilated to the operation of a car to be able to cool an engine through this system.
But like other electronic components they can suffer from failure. It would not be the first time that a sensor marks an incorrect temperature, causing the system to constantly be cooling, even if you touch the Mac’s chassis and it is completely cold. This is something that obviously you will not be able to remedy yourself, and that in many cases is the result of a fault that comes from the factory itself.
how can it be fixed
Once you know the possible reasons why your fans are out of control when it comes to speed, it’s time to talk about possible solutions. We present them to you below.
check the respirators
It can become quite common to work with the computer outside of a robust surface, when we talk about a MacBook. By this we mean on your own lap or even on top of the bed. In this situation, it should be noted that you are possibly obstructing the vents that allow the air to move to cool the components and expel the hot air. That is why you must ensure that they are always completely free. This also carries over to the openings that can be found on the top of MacBooks or on the backs of iMacs.
Apple itself recommends on its support website that to control the temperature, the Mac must be on a hard, flat surface such as a desk. This also affects the iMac in the sense of not sticking it too close to a wall, and leaving a completely free atmosphere around it to regulate its temperature. The company itself does not recommend using it on a soft surface such as a sofa, pillows, or beds. In these cases it is specified that the fans can rotate at a higher speed.
Close the programs that consume the most
There are many programs that consume a lot of resources in order to function correctly. The clearest example is, for example, editing programs such as Final Cut or video games. In these cases, there is a fairly high consumption of CPU and GPU and this also means that a greater amount of heat is given off that has to be counteracted with an increase in the speed of the fans.
A priori, the solution may be to close the programs that consume the most, especially video editors when a rendering is being performed. To also be able to identify that software that is consuming resources in an abusive way, you will simply have to access the activity monitor and view the consumption percentages. Through here you will be able to press the right button and force the stop. This can finally end the problem of fans by reducing their speed.
It’s time to clean up
Dirt is one of the most typical problems that can arise when talking about ventilation problems. Like many other devices, it requires cleaning and maintenance to work properly. In this case, the Mac can accumulate a lot of dirt both in the vents and inside. The most superficial areas such as the ventilation outlets can be cleaned in a very simple way with a simple damp cloth. And this is something that should be done in a regular way.
The main problem comes when you want to clean the fans themselves, accessing the bowels of the Mac. This is a problem because you already need to have knowledge to be able to open the back cover of the computer and know how to manipulate it to leave it pristine. We personally do not recommend it, since to prevent the device from breaking due to lack of knowledge of its structure, it is better to go to a specialist store to be able to receive the best possible cleaning and to ensure that it works correctly, avoiding damage. can reheat. And this would not only affect the sound that is emitted by the ventilation, because the safety of the device in general is also being compromised.
Reset SMC (on Intel Macs)
If you have a Mac with Intel processor you must know the hardware between a controller called SMC stands for System Management Controller in Castilian means Management Controller system. It is a chip that can be found on the motherboard of all Intel-based Macs that control different processes so that the computer works correctly. In this case, it is responsible for managing the power supply, the battery, the sensors and also the ventilation and thermal management.
It is for all this that when you have problems with the ventilation of your Mac on Intel, it is recommended to perform an SMC reset. We can say that the chip is turned off and on again so that if it has a bug, or if it has been stuck in a loop in a specific process, it will be resolved automatically. To recap, if you have a MacBook with a T1 chip, you must follow these steps:
- Shut down the Mac.
- On the built-in keyboard, hold down the Left Shift, Left Control, and Left Option keys.
- In addition to these three keys, you must press the power button fourth.
- Keep all four keys pressed for 10 seconds.
- Release all keys and turn your Mac back on.
Now if you have an iMac , the steps are totally different. In this case you will simply have to turn off the iMac and unplug it from the power. You will then wait 15 seconds before turning the power back on, and then another 5 seconds to turn it on. As you can see, it is much simpler and it is certainly a process that takes little time and can generally solve many problems on your Mac.
Beware of manual speed control
On the internet you can find many programs that promise to give you absolute control over the speed of the fans. This may be the solution to all these problems that we are commenting on in this article, since if the fans make a lot of noise, it is simply lowered and the problem is solved. In addition, it adds to the fact that we will have access to a control that Apple itself does not give us in macOS, although Microsoft does not give us in Windows either. And it is that they do not give it, for a very simple reason: that the computer does not burn.
If the fans are running, it is usually because it is necessary. Keep in mind that the problem may not be in the fans , but in the hardware that emits excessive heat. In the event that the speed of the fans is manually reduced when the operating system decides that it should work at 2,000 rpm, we will be encouraging the temperature to increase much more.
All the hardware components that can be found in a computer or in any other electronic device are designed to be able to withstand a specific maximum temperature. From this, it can stop working completely. One of the most delicate components can be the motherboard that can end up completely burning due to these high temperatures.
That is why we always recommend avoiding this type of program, which is more designed to carry out different temperature or voltage tests. In a domestic environment its use is not recommended, as it can have fatal consequences. In short, you should always keep in mind that you have to solve the root problem and not tackle it with this type of program that does not solve anything, but rather makes it worse in the long run.
The most typical solutions
And beyond the solutions that we have previously provided for cleaning or resetting different controller chips, we must keep in mind those that are classic. In many cases they can end up functioning like the rest.
Reboot the device
Although it may seem like something quite obvious and routine, it is important to say that a simple restart of the Mac can save you a lot of headaches. This can happen especially when we talk about an increase in the speed of the fans in a timely manner and not in the long term.
Mainly, it can be because a process has been left running in a loop. This consumes a large amount of resources, and in addition to the increased noise from the fans, it can also be characterized by a general slowdown of the Mac when using it normally. In these cases a simple restart can solve many of the problems that can be found.
Update the operating system
It is something we always recommend, both actively and passively. Mac software updates aim to improve the experience with the device and resolve bugs that are reported by both users and developers. In spaces dedicated to controlling energy consumption or ventilation speed, it may be the case that a bug appears at the software level.
The updates of the operating system, although they can give a bad result to some users, can become the solution to the problems that you are having. In this case, solving the bugs that may be present, or improving the consumption of resources made by the hardware through the intrinsic update of the drivers.
Reset the system
A solution that can be quite radical, but effective, is the reset of the operating system. This leaves the Mac completely clean and reinstalls the operating system from scratch. It is one of the most typical solutions that can be presented to any problem that is related to the software.
But the really important thing is that before performing the reinstallation of the operating system, you configure it as if it were a completely new device. In other words, do not make use of a previous backup, since it is possible that you will end up dragging the errors that existed before executing the operating system restore.
Go to the Apple SAT
If none of this that we have exposed in this article has solved the problem you have, you will simply have to choose to contact Apple or a SAT. In other words, go to the corresponding technical service so that they can carry out the evaluation of what is happening inside the Mac. This, above all, can be recommended if you have a completely new computer and have the relevant guarantee, since in these cases all the repairs will come out at a low cost or even free if it is a problem of the company itself.
It is really important to always go to a technical service that is official and authorized by appointment. This is fundamentally important to safeguard the corresponding guarantee that the computer will have. If you go to a technical service that is not completely official and an intervention is carried out on the Mac, the guarantee will automatically disappear.
