Dust, debris, the wear of time, and lengthy playing sessions are putting a toll on your console. That’s the simple answer to your question: Why is my PS4 fan loud?
The PS4 remains a reliable, popular, and affordable console. It came out in 2013, and some of its pieces can fail after many years of use.
For example, the ventilation system can only go for so long without maintenance. It would help if you cleaned the PS4 every six months to support its functions.
Listen, a loud fan leads to overheating. Overheating leads to sub-par performance (low frame rate, crashes, freezes, slow loading screens,…). So, take your time to follow the tutorial and get your PlayStation back to shape.
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Common Causes for This Issue
If you’ve been using the PS4 for a while, there’s a chance it has developed hardware problems. The most common among them is a loud fan.
The fan is part of the console’s ventilation system. It takes cool air in and hot air out. If it’s making too much noise (often like a jet plane), here’s why:
- Dust and Rust Accumulation: it’s the most common culprits and the number one enemy of electronic devices. Dust and rust accumulate over time. So, you must clean your console every so often to prevent accumulation. Also, it may be hard to see dust inside the PS4 if you’re cleaning the case.
- Lack of Ventilation: the PS4 is sitting in a place where it’s not receiving enough air. As a result, the fan is constantly spinning at high speeds to compensate for the lack of air.
When the fans can’t spin freely, it starts to make noise. That could be because too much dust prevents its movement or because it has physical damage.
How to Fix PS4 Fan Loud?
We’re going through a list of easy solutions to lower the sound of your PS4 fan. It’s about cleaning the case’s dust, debris, and rust, cleaning the fan and vents, and putting your console in more ventilated areas.
The solutions work for PS4 Fat, PS4 Pro, and PS4 Slim. Particularly, the PS4 Slim makes it easier to clean the fan without taking a single screw. The PS4 Fat and the PS4 Pro require some unscrewing, but the fans and vents are also easily accessible.
Deep Clean the PS4’s Case
We should start by cleaning the PS4 thoroughly:
- Turn off the console and unplug all of its cables. Take it out of its enclosure, and put it atop a blanket or similar.
- Use a can of compressed air to clean the back, front, and side ports and vents.
- Use a soft brush to keep cleaning the ports and the vents.
- Use as microfiber cloth with a bit of isopropyl alcohol along the surfaces. Use it to get rid of dust and scratches.
Ensure you clean all of the obvious dust you see on the console’s case. Be very gentle and patient, though.
Clean the PS4’s Internals
Now, we need to open the PS4. The process varies per console, and it’s about removing the screws near the warranty stickers. PS4 Fat owners may need to remove the sticker as well.
We’re dividing the tutorial per PlayStation model. Before that, you will need some cleaning materials, such as:
- Microfiber Cloths
- Wipes
- Q-Tips
- Cotton
- Isopropyl Alcohol
- Cleaning Foam
- Can of Compressed Air
- Low Vacuum Cleaner.
You don’t need to have it all, but any similar combination of materials can work. You must be careful and detailed in cleaning, as it’s the best way to fix a lousy PS4 fan.
Also, ensure your PS4 is fully unplugged. Another piece of advice is not to use water and avoid vacuum cleaners on the PS4 Pro specifically.
Cleaning the Insides of the PS4 Fat
- Flip the PlayStation and find the stickers near the exhaust area.
- The screw is on top of the warranty sticker. Depending on the PS4 Fat model you’re using, there may also be extra screws on the sides. These screws could be behind plastic covers.
- You can use a T8 or T9 Torx screwdriver to take these screws off.
- Then, you can slide the lid up. Be gentle.
- Now that the case is open use a wipe or a microfibre cloth with isopropyl alcohol to clean it.
- Use your can of compressed air to bust out dust, debris, and rust.
- Depending on the PS4 Fat model you’re using, you may or may not see the fan at this part. If you see it, place your fingers at the center of the fan to hold it. Then, use short bursts of compressed air to take out the dust.
- Also, if you see the fan, use Q-tips to clean the fan fins.
- Use a soft brush to clean the fan’s blades, and repeat the process of cleaning the case vents again.
- Use a soft brush and your cloth to clean the insides from dust and debris. Be very careful with the process.
- Use clippers or tweezers to remove the power cable.
- Unscrew the back silver plate.
- Use a plastic pry to lift the player and remove the power supply.
- Use compressed air to dust away the internals. Use short bursts, plus cotton or cue tips to clean debris out.
This is as far as we recommend cleaning the PS4 Fat by yourself. If you see physical damage on the fan, or if the fan keeps making loud noises after you complete the tutorial, you should take it to a professional.
Cleaning the Insides of the PS4 Slim
The PS4 Slim makes it easier to clean the fan and the internals. Here’s how the process looks on the PS4 Slim:
- Lift the top cover gently with your hands. There’re no screws, and it’s easy to pull. It’s easier if you lift it with the PS logo and the Sony logo facing you.
- Lifting the top reveals the top metal plate and the top of the fan.
- Use your can of compressed air to blow air all across the board. In particular, clean around the fan.
- Use a soft brush and a microfibre cloth to clean the top metal case and the vents on the sides.
- Use a Torx T8 screwdriver to unscrew everything from the top.
- Remove the top metal plate.
- Remember to remove all of the screws at the top.
- Use tweezers or a small knife to push the screws up on the bigger metal plate. It’s how you can get access to the fan and the radiator.
- Lift open the top cover.
- Clean the plates with cotton.
- Clean the fan deeply with a microfibre cloth and isopropyl alcohol.
- Use cotton, cue tips, or soft brushes to clean around and between the fan blades.
- Clean around the fan in a similar fashion.
- Use a can of compressed air for the finishing touches. Alternatively, use a low-powered (small) vacuum to take the dust out.
Cleaning the Insides of the PS4 Pro
Then, the PS4 Pro design is similar to the PS4 Slim design. So, you can follow these steps:
- Gently lift the top cover with your hands. Apply a bit of pressure to pull it off.
- Use a can of compressed air to clean around the fan.
- Use a microfibre cloth and a soft brush to clean the insides of the PS4 Pro.
- Use Q-Tips or cotton to clean the fins of the fan.
- Use the microfibre cloth again to clean around the fan.
Put the Console Back Together
You can follow the process in reverse for either console to put it back into place. Be very gentle when popping the lids back.
After you’re done, please follow the following advice before trying to play again.
Change the Setup of Your PS4
The final advice is to change where the PS4 was sitting. See, the PS4 has vents at the sides and the back. All of these vents need to have some space to breathe. If you block them, the PS4 will overheat, and the fan will be noisy.
So, try putting your console in an open space and a cool area. For example, put it close to windows, doors, or A/C systems. Keep it away from dirt areas, and put it atop a cold surface such as wood, marble, or stone. Also, keep it elevated if you have pets at home.
Lastly, put the console in a horizontal position, as it’s how it was designed.
Take Your Console to Repair
Various problems also translate into loud fans or loud noises. However, we can’t solve them at home. These are:
- Physical Damage on Your PS4: An extended period of dust accumulation leads to broken hardware parts.
- Faulty Thermal Paste: The thermal paste is between the fan and the CPU and helps dissipate CPU heat and keep both pieces together. The paste doesn’t last forever and is particularly faulty on the PS4 Pro. The best course of action is to let a professional change it.
- Physical Damage on the Hard Drive: Damage on the hard drive could also lead to noisy fans. The platters inside the drive spin too fast to seek data. This is a sign it needs a change or that your PS4 needs a new hard drive.
- Loose Screws: If you hear a rattling noise, there may be some loose screws on the console. They might be difficult to find, as any of them may come off due to wear and tear.
- Damaged Fan: Fan blades can break after years of use. When this happens, the sound becomes terrifying, and the solution is to replace the fan immediately.
- The CMOS Ship or Other Pieces on the Motherboard Are Working: The CMOS chip is a key piece in the console. Whenever it breaks, it leads to all kinds of hardware issues. One of these issues is overheating.
If you finished the tutorial and still find loud noises, you’re facing one of these issues or something similar. The best course of action for you is to take your console for repairs.
