Computer manufacturers use one of the two cooling systems to prevent their devices from overheating: air cooling or water-cooling systems. Apple Inc. uses the air-cooling system in most of their computers by installing fans that spin, circulating cool air in the device. While using your MacBook Pro, you might be wondering when the fan turns on.
So, when does the MacBook Pro fan turn on? The MacBook Pro fan turns on when the system detects that the temperature inside the computer is getting too hot. The fan is designed to keep the components from overheating by cooling down the processor, graphics card, and other hardware. When the MacBook Pro is under heavy load, such as when running demanding applications or when the CPU is working hard, it generates heat, and the fan turns on to dissipate that heat.
The exact temperature at which the fan turns on can vary depending on the model and the configuration of the MacBook Pro. Users can also manually adjust the fan speed using third-party apps or the macOS Terminal. However, it is important to note that tampering with the fan settings can potentially cause damage to the hardware, and should only be done by experienced users who know what they are doing.
You might not notice the fan is spinning if you are doing something less demanding. However, if you use your MacBook Pro to do something more demanding, like playing video games, the fan will spin faster and make more noise.
Some electronic parts in your MacBook Pro produce heat, such as the processor. The more your MacBook Pro runs, the more heat these electronic parts generate, hence the need for an air-cooling system.
After using your MacBook Pro for some time, you will notice the device is warm or hot if you touch its side or the bottom part. To avoid overheating, Apple Inc. installed a fan that spins, pushing warm or hot air out and letting cool air in, cooling the heat-generating parts in your MacBook Pro.
If you want to keep your MacBook Pro cool, you might be wondering when the fan in your device turns on.
The MacBook Pro fan turns on immediately after you turn on your device. When you turn on your MacBook Pro, most of its electrical parts will start generating heat, warming the air inside the device.
To ensure that the warm air does not become hot, the fan will be spinning, pushing warm air out and pulling in cool air. In the beginning, the fan will be spinning at a minimum speed, hence you might not notice it is running.
However, as you continue using your MacBook Pro or start running a more demanding application like a video game, the fan will spin faster, and you will hear it produce some noise.
A cooling fan is important in regulating the temperature inside your MacBook Pro. When you turn on your MacBook Pro, the CPU and other electrical parts will begin to generate heat, heating the air inside your device.
If your device does not have a fan or is not spinning, the temperature inside your laptop will increase and lead to overheating. Your MacBook Pro’s fan will turn on immediately when you turn it on to ensure a constant circulation of cool air inside the device. The fan’s speed will vary depending on the activity you are doing on your MacBook Pro or how long it has been on.
If you turn on your MacBook Pro and the fan does not turn on, it could mean there is a problem with your device’s cooling system. You should turn off your laptop immediately and try to find out why the fan is not working.
If you continue to use your MacBook Pro while the fan is not spinning, your device will overheat. Your MacBook Pro will turn itself off to prevent delicate parts from getting damaged by the excess heat. You should contact Apple Support or an authorized repair service center to fix your MacBook Pro’s fan before using it again.
By default, you cannot control your MacBook Pro’s fan. Your device will determine the fan’s speed as you continue using it. However, there are third-party apps that you can install on your MacBook Pro to control your MacBook Pro’s fan.
If you feel the fan is spinning too fast and making a lot of noise, you can use the app to reduce the speed. However, Apple Inc. highly discourages people from using such apps to control their laptops’ fans manually. Since the MacBook Pro is equipped with sensors that help determine how fast the fan should spin, the speed selected by your laptop is more accurate.
If you manually control the fan’s speed, you could lead to overheating and damage to your MacBook Pro’s fan or other delicate parts.
Does MacBook Pro Fan Always Run?
Cooling is very important for your MacBook Pro because it ensures your device runs smoothly without damaging crucial components due to overheating. When using your MacBook Pro, you might hear the fan spinning in the background, and you might be wondering if it always runs when your device is on.
The MacBook Pro fan does not always run. The fan only turns on when the system detects that the temperature inside the computer is getting too hot. When the MacBook Pro is under heavy load, such as when running demanding applications or when the CPU is working hard, it generates heat, and the fan turns on to dissipate that heat.
When the MacBook Pro is idle or performing light tasks, the fan may not need to turn on, as the components are not generating enough heat to require additional cooling. The exact temperature at which the fan turns on can vary depending on the model and the configuration of the MacBook Pro.
If the fan is constantly running even when the computer is not under heavy load, it could indicate a problem with the cooling system or the hardware, and it may be necessary to have the computer checked by a professional technician.
If the fan stops running for an extended period, then the air temperature inside the device will increase, leading to overheating. Your MacBook Pro will shut itself down to prevent damage from overheating.
If your MacBook Pro’s fan is too noisy, it means your fan is overworking by spinning too fast to ensure enough cold air is circulating inside the laptop. There are several reasons your MacBook Pro’s fan is noisy, including blocked vents, dust build-up, running heavy programs, or damaged sensors in the cooling system.
If your MacBook Pro’s fan is noisy, the first thing you need to check is if the air vents are blocked. If the air vents are blocked, the fan will not push out all the warm or hot air and pull in sufficient cool air.
Air vents can get blocked when placing your MacBook Pro on soft surfaces like mattresses and pillows. If you are using your MacBook Pro on your bed and its fan starts to make noise, you should take it to a flat hard surface like a table or desk. You should also check the vents and remove any small objects that might have been lodged in the vents.
When the MacBook Pro’s fan spins, pushing out warm air and pulling in cool air, it also pulls in dust or dirt particles. After using your MacBook Pro for some time, the dust will build up on the electrical components, generating more heat.
The dirt could cause your MacBook Pro to heat up within a short time, making the fan spin loudly and faster than usual. You can open your MacBook Pro and clean up the dirt using compressed air or even a vacuum cleaner.
However, when cleaning the dirt, ensure you do it carefully not to damage delicate electrical components on your MacBook Pro. You should also avoid using your MacBook Pro in dirt-filled areas such as floors because it could lead to dirt building up inside your laptop faster than usual.
Another thing that makes your MacBook Pro’s fan spin faster and sometimes louder is if you are running heavy programs. MacBook Pro has a CPU and GPU capable of running certain applications easily, hence you might not hear the fan spinning.
However, certain programs are highly demanding on your device’s CPU and GPU, making them generate more heat within a short period. The fan in your MacBook Pro will spin faster and make noise as it tries to pull in more cool air to lower the CPU and GPU temperatures.
To avoid making the fan spin loudly, stop all high-demanding apps from running while using your MacBook Pro. To check which apps are causing the CPU to overwork,
- go to “Activity Monitor”
- select “Finder”
- select “Applications”
- click on “Utilities”
On the “CPU” and “GPU” columns, you will see how much percentage each app is taking from the CPU and GPU.
When Should Mac Fans Turn On?
Some of the macs developed and built by Apple Inc. use the air-cooling system to regulate the temperature inside the device and prevent overheating. If you are using a 2020 MacBook Air or the 2015 MacBook, you do not have to worry about the fan turning on because they do not have one. However, if you are using another Mac with a cooling fan, you might be wondering should the fans turn on.
Mac fans should turn on when the system detects that the temperature inside the computer is getting too hot. This typically occurs when the CPU is under heavy load, such as when running demanding applications or when the computer is performing resource-intensive tasks like video editing, gaming, or rendering.
The specific temperature threshold at which the fans turn on can vary depending on the model and configuration of the Mac. In general, the fans will turn on when the CPU temperature reaches a certain point, and will continue to run until the temperature drops back down to a safe level.
If the fans are not turning on when the Mac is under heavy load, it could indicate a problem with the cooling system or the hardware, and it may be necessary to have the computer checked by a professional technician. Conversely, if the fans are constantly running even when the computer is not under heavy load, it could also indicate a problem with the cooling system or hardware, and may require attention.
It is important that the fan spins when using your Mac intensively to ensure that your device gets enough cool air. If your Mac’s fan does not turn on, you should not continue using your Mac unless the fan starts spinning. Using your Mac while the fan is not spinning will lead to overheating, and your device will automatically shut itself off.
When you turn on your Mac, the CPU, GPU, and any other electrical components start to work, and, in the process, they generate heat. The air around them will absorb the heat, and after some time, the temperature inside your Mac will increase.
The fan will turn on to ensure that the air surrounding these heat-generating electrical components is cool by spinning. The cooling system installed in all Macs does not wait for the temperature to rise to excessive levels inside the device before the fans can start spinning. If it did so, it might be difficult to lower the temperature inside your Mac once the air inside the Mac has become hot.
Your Mac’s fan needs to be running to ensure the device does not overheat; hence if you notice your Mac’s fan is not on, you should fix it as soon as possible. The first thing you should do is perform a diagnostic on your device.
Turn off your Mac and turn it back on while pressing and holding “D” on the keyboard. Your Mac will test your hardware and inform you if the fan is damaged. If the fan is damaged, you should send it or take it to the nearest Apple Store or an authorized Apple repair shop.
Do not attempt to repair or replace your Mac’s fan; if you cause further damage to your device, Apple will not repair or replace your Mac’s fan under the AppleCare terms.
If your Mac does not report any damage, but the fan still does not turn on, the problem could be a software one. If a software problem causes the issue, you can resolve it by resetting the SMC. To reset your Mac’s SMC, turn off your Mac and unplug the power cord.
Wait for fifteen seconds and plug the power cord back in. Wait another five seconds and turn on your Mac. The process of resetting your Mac’s SMC varies depending on your device’s model. For example, the above process is for desktop Macs. If you are using a Mac laptop, you need to remove the battery instead of unplugging the power cord.
Finally
Recent MacBook Pros are small in size, and most of the electrical components are tightly packed in a small area, hence easy to overheat. To ensure that the device does not overheat, Apple uses a cooling fan on most MacBook Pro models.
The fan usually turns on as the MacBook Pro becomes hotter inside and will keep spinning as you continue using it. The speed at which the fan spins will vary depending on the task being done by the CPU and GPU.
To ensure that your MacBook Pro’s fan spins smoothly without making too much noise ensure that you clean your device regularly, use your laptop on a flat hard surface, and avoid running demanding applications. If your Mac’s fan is damaged and needs replacement, you should take it to the Apple Store or an authorized Apple repair center.
