Why is My Macbook Pro Fan Always on? How to Fix It

Your Macbook needs its fan to operate smoothly. However, if the system fan is always on and always loud, it can be a nuisance.

A fan that’s always running at a high RPM usually indicates that your CPU usage is high and the core temperature is gradually rising. But dirt and dust built up in and around your system fans can also contribute to this issue. So, along with these factors, here are all the reasons your Macbook pro fan is always on:

Troubleshooting Macbook Pro Fan Always on Issue

If your Macbook fan is always on, the first thing to do would be to restart your computer. Then, follow all the methods shown below.

Don’t Block the Air Vents

The Macbook pro has tiny air vents around its outer body. These vents, alongside the fan, play a vital role in dissipating heat from the system. 

But, if you block these vents, your fan will have to give additional effort to release the heat from the system. This can cause your fan to spin loudly and fast all the time.

However, you can counter this scenario by keeping your Macbook on a hard, stable surface, like a table. This will promote proper airflow between the system and the surrounding, giving your computer room to breathe from within.

Surfaces like beds and pillows are not ideal for working on a Macbook. However, if you want to safely use your computer on a bed, you can invest in a small stand or a cooling pad to ensure that the air flows freely in and around your system.

Check Your Environment

Like a stable work surface, a favorable work environment is equally important for maintaining your Mac’s health. If you usually use the system in a congested environment with no air vents, your system temperature will rise at a faster rate. Then, your fan will have to work for a longer period of time to dissipate the heat away.

So, we recommend that you work in an environment with a couple of ventilations and proper airflow.

Unplug Extra Peripherals

External devices such as second screens and monitors tend to use a considerable amount of your GPU. This increases the workload on your system, which results in an increased core temperature. The system fans will then start up and try to cool off your computer.

So, if you have any GPU-consuming external accessories connected to your computer, we recommend you unplug them from the system.

Close CPU-Intensive Software

Applications require a certain amount of CPU allocation to function. But sometimes, the total CPU usage can skyrocket, causing your computer to heat up pretty fast. And when your system is overheating, the system fan actively tries to drop the temperature below the threshold.

But you can take the load off of your CPU by closing applications that have the highest CPU percentage. If you have unnecessary applications running in the background, we recommend you close them too. You can check the CPU usage and simultaneously close the running applications through the Activity Monitor.

1. Press Command + Space to access Spotlight.
   
2. Type and go to Activity Monitor.
3. Navigate to CPU section. Here, you’ll see the list of running processes and their corresponding CPU usage. 
4. Select the unnecessary application and click on the ‘x’ sign to close it.
   

Optimize Your Storage 

Low system storage space often yields a slow read/write operation speed. Your system will then have to work a lot harder to carry out the related request. This can strain your CPU, increasing the total CPU usage. So, it’s recommended that you optimize your storage space to fix the aforementioned issue.

1. Open Finder.
2. Go to Apple > About This Mac on the menu bar.
   
3. Click on Storage.
4. Then, Manage your storage.
   
5. Here, you’ll get the options to Store in iCloud, Optimize Storage, Empty Trash Automatically, and Reduce Clutter.
   
6. Choose one or multiple options that you are interested in and optimize the disk space.

Reset SMC/NVRAM

Both the SMC and NVRAM are an important part of your system. The SMC is responsible for managing and maintaining the proper workflow of your physical computing components. Whereas the NVRAM works to ensure that the software drivers and interfaces are operating at their highest capacity.

So, whenever your fan is operating unusually, you can reset the SMC and NVRAM to fix the problem.

Clean Your System Fans

Over a period of time, dust, dirt, and lint accumulate all over your MacBook’s fan. When the dust piles up, the fan will be less effective in performing its desired task.

An effective fix would be to clean your system fans. For this, you can invest in a can of compressed air. Then, from the vents, blow the air on and around the fan to gust the dust away. However, for a thorough cleaning, we advise you to go to the nearest repair center or an Apple service station and let the professionals handle it for you.

Run Apple Diagnostics

A reason for the ongoing fan issue might be a hardware problem. And if so, the Apple Diagnostics tool can help you scan, diagnose and fix it. The exact steps to reach the Apple Diagnostics window vary depending on if you have an Intel or an Apple Silicon Macbook.

On Intel Macbook

1. Power off your computer.
2. Unplug all the external devices.
3. Now, press Power to turn it on again.
4. Immediately after it starts up, hold D on your keyboard.
5. On the language selection window, select a suitable language for you.
   
6. Apple Diagnostics tool will not start to scan your system for hardware issues. 

On Apple Silicon Macbook

1. Power off your computer.
2. Unplug all the external devices.
3. Now, hold Power as it turns on again.
4. Release the hold after you reach the startup Options window.
5. Now, press Command + D.
   
6. Apple Diagnostics tool will not start to scan your system for hardware issues. 

Update macOS

Firmware updates are released in a timely fashion to patch your computer with new software and features. An outdated OS usually has compatibility and stability issues. To fix these issues, you have to update your system to a newer version. 

1. Open Finder.
2. Go to Apple > About This Mac on the menu bar.
   
3. Click on Software Update.
4. Your system will now start to scan the Apple servers to see if there are any new updates available.
5. If an update is found, click Update Now to upgrade your firmware.