How to Troubleshoot Fan Issues
Summary: This article provides information about how to troubleshoot and fix issues if the computer fan is not working, the fan noise is loud, the fan is spinning slowly, and so on.
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Symptoms
How to troubleshoot fan issues
Duration: 01:33
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Excess heat can cause the fans to run faster and continuously which can potentially damage internal components and reduce the performance of the computer. Your computer may contain one or more fans to keep the internal components cool. Under normal working conditions, it is normal for a computer to generate a fair amount of heat and become warm to touch depending on usage. Fans that continue to spin quickly and make abnormally loud noises might indicate a problem.
Some common symptoms cause by fans are:
- Fans in the desktop or laptop are making loud noise.
- Processor fan is making a loud noise.
- The fans in the computer run at high speed continuously.
- Computer is overheating because the fan is not working.
- Fans are not spinning or not working.
Check out our guide to cool down your computer and prevent overheating.
Cause
Common causes for fans not working, abnormal, or loud fan noise, overheating:
- Fans or air vents are obstructed which reduces air circulation.
- Dust accumulation on vents or fans may reduce heat dissipation.
- There is not enough ventilation.
- Physical damage to the fans or air vents.
- Outdated BIOS and device drivers.
Resolution
Expand the sections below for more information and follow the troubleshooting steps.
Blocked air vents can cause serious performance issues by restricting airflow, this can cause the processor, system memory (RAM), and other hardware to overheat which may lead to a potential hardware failure. Excessive heat can also cause a significant decrease in performance as most processors automatically reduce the speed of the processor to help compensate for heat-related problems. If you notice the computer fan running constantly and making an abnormal or loud noise, this might indicate that the computer is not running as efficiently as possible, and/or clogged air vents.
It is important to keep dust from accumulating in your computer and ensure adequate ventilation to help reduce heat. Lint and dust accumulation prevents air from flowing around the cooling fins and causes the fan to work harder.
Your Dell computer might have multiple fans to keep the internal components cool:
- Desktops have more than one fan - processor (CPU) fan, a fan on the dedicated or discreet video card (GPU), power supply (PSU), and one or more chassis (case) fans.
- Laptops may also have more than one fan and may vary between different models.
CAUTION: Turn off your computer and disconnect the power cable or AC adapter before using compressed air to clean your computer. Follow the instructions on the side of the compressed air can, using compressed air incorrectly can damage your computer.
CAUTION: Do not try to blow the dust using your mouth. Moisture can cause irreparable damage to electronic and electrical components inside the computer.
WARNING: Desktop power supply units (PSU) are also equipped with a fan. Do not attempt to open the power supply to clean the fans. Ensure to turn off the computer and disconnect the power cables and use a compressed air can to clean any dust or debris.
Cleaning the air vents on your Dell computer
- Turn off the computer.
- Check the air vents on the computer for dust or debris. The air vents may be located in different places depending on the computer model. See the documentation of your Dell computer.
- Use a can of compressed air to remove dust or debris from the air vents, dust filters (if any) and cooling fan fins.
CAUTION: It is recommended to use a can of compressed air only. Do not use vacuum cleaners or blowers. Vacuum cleaners and blowers cause static and may damage electronic and electrical components inside your computer.
- To prevent overheating problems, keep the computer in an upright position and on a hard or sturdy surface, and provide enough clearance around the air vents.
How to clean air vents
Duration: 00:40
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Proper ventilation is important for better air circulation both outside and inside the computer. Adequate ventilation can help the computer fans perform efficiently and also increase their life span. You can also consider placing the computer in a cooler room in your house or office which can help prevent the computer from overheating.
Guidelines to ensure adequate ventilation
- Desktop computers - Place the desktop on a flat and hard surface in an upright position. Provide sufficient clearance in the front and back of the computer (if your computer has air vents on the bottom or side, ensure that there is sufficient clearance on all sides).
- Laptop computers - Place the laptop on a flat and hard surface where the bottom and side air vents are not obstructed.
CAUTION: When laptops are placed on a mattress or other soft surfaces, the air vents may be blocked by the fabric, and leaving it there for an extended period leads to overheating issues quickly.
To determine if your Dell computer is experiencing a hardware problem, it is recommended that you first run a hardware diagnostic test on your computer. Dell offers both integrated and online diagnostics. Dell SupportAssist or ePSA hardware diagnostic tests help check if the hardware devices are working correctly.
Learn more about How to Run a Preboot Diagnostic Test on a Dell Computer.
Run the preboot diagnostic test
- Restart your Dell computer.
- When the Dell logo appears, press F12 key to enter One-time Boot Menu.
- Use the arrow keys to select Diagnostics and press Enter key on the keyboard.
- Follow the on-screen prompts and respond appropriately to complete the diagnostics. If the test fails, ensure to write down the error code and validation code. If the hardware test passes, go to the next step to try to resolve the fan issue.
See the Dell knowledge base article Reference Table of ePSA, PSA Error Codes, and Troubleshooting Steps (2000-0NNN Series) for information about how to look up the error code for additional help.
If the Dell ePSA diagnostics and other troubleshooting steps have not identified the cause of fan issue, we recommend that you consider running a hardware checkup using Dell SupportAssist. Dell SupportAssist diagnostic test helps you troubleshoot a problem and get automated fixes.
Dell preboot system assessment diagnostics
Duration: 00:30
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How to Run SupportAssist Scan Entire PC
Duration: 00:31
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Dell Technologies recommends updating the device drivers and BIOS as part of your scheduled update cycle. Device drivers and BIOS updates may contain feature enhancements or changes that help keep your system software current and compatible with other computer modules (hardware and software) as well as increased stability.
It is recommended that you install or update the following device drivers to ensure optimal performance of the fans in your computer.
- BIOS
- Chipset driver
- Thermal chipset driver
- Video card (GPU) driver
Learn How to Download and Install Dell Drivers.
How to download device drivers
Duration: 02:07
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To learn how to download and update the BIOS on your Dell computer, see the Dell knowledge base Dell BIOS Updates.
How to update Dell BIOS or UEFI
Duration: 03:47
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Additional Information
Here are some additional steps that might help improve the performance of the fans in your computer.
Windows updates can support your Windows operating system in many ways. Windows updates can solve specific problems, provide protection from malicious attacks, or even add new features to the operating system.
To install the latest updates in Windows 11, Windows 10, or Windows 8 or 8.1, follow these steps.
- Right-click Start and select Settings.
- In the Settings panel, select Update & Security.
- In the left panel, select Windows Update.
- On the right panel, select Check for updates.
- Restart the computer after downloading and installing the updates.
SupportAssist helps you optimize your computer by running a series of diagnostics to identify modifications to files and settings of your computer. Optimizing your computer improves your computer speed, storage space availability, and stability by cleaning temporary files, tuning computer performance and optimizing the network.
Cleaning files
Cleaning your files helps you remove redundant files, temporary folders, and other unnecessary clutter from your computer.
- Open SupportAssist and select the Optimize My System tile.
- On the Home tab, under Clean Files, select Run Now.
After the optimization is complete, a 'Check' icon and the last optimized date are displayed on the tile.NOTE: During optimization, the name of the task that is performed is displayed below the menu bar. The percentage of optimization that is complete is also displayed on the tile.If you want to stop the optimization, select Cancel.
NOTE: If you cancel the optimization, the changes that were performed are not reversed.
Tuning your computer performance
Tuning your computer performance helps you adjust the power settings, registry, and memory allocation to maximize the processing speed of your computer.
- Open SupportAssist and select the Optimize My System tile.
- On the Home tab, under Tune Performance, select Run Now.
After the optimization is complete, a 'Check' icon and the last optimized date are displayed on the tile.NOTE: During optimization, the name of the task that is performed is displayed below the menu bar. The percentage of optimization that is complete is also displayed on the tile.If you want to stop the optimization, select Cancel.
NOTE: If you cancel the optimization, the changes that were performed are not reversed.
Optimizing the network
Optimizing your network helps you ensure network connectivity and updates your computer settings to maintain an efficient and reliable network.
- Open SupportAssist and select the Optimize My System tile.
- On the Home tab, under Optimize Network, select Run Now.
After the optimization is complete, a 'Check' icon and the last optimized date are displayed on the tile.NOTE: During optimization, the name of the task that is performed is displayed below the menu bar. The percentage of optimization that is complete is also displayed on the tile.If you want to stop the optimization, select Cancel.
NOTE: If you cancel the optimization, the changes that were performed are not reversed.
How to Optimize Your System Using SupportAssist
Duration: 00:32
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Malware (virus, spyware, trojans, and so on) can cause a computer fan to run constantly due to an overload on the processor (CPU), this in turn causes the fans to run constantly and fast. Spyware and other types of malware are a big cause of many computer problems. If you suspect your computer has been infected, there is a chance that malicious software may be running in the background and slowing down your computer.
It is recommended that you scan your computer with an anti-virus or anti-malware program. Windows 10 computer comes integrated with Windows Defender which provides basic protection against malware. Most Dell computers also come with a basic anti-virus software that is preinstalled like McAfee but may require a subscription. There are many anti-virus or anti-malware programs (free to use and subscription based) that you may use such as McAfee, Norton, Kaspersky, Trend Micro. Use the anti-virus or anti-malware program that is installed on your computer to run a thorough or deep scan.
NOTE: Installing more than one anti-virus or anti-malware software on the computer does not give you better protection, instead it slows down your computer further. It is recommended to install one anti-virus or anti-malware software and update it regularly for active protection against malware.
To learn more, see the Dell knowledge base article Protect Your Computer or Remove Virus, Spyware, or Other Malware in Microsoft Windows.
How to Optimize Your System Using SupportAssist
Duration: 00:32
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Many applications or software run in the background, in the system tray (also called the notification area). These applications usually launch during startup and run in the background but remain hidden. Preventing these applications from launching during startup will not only improve the performance of your computer but also help the fans run slower comparatively due to lesser load on the processor (CPU).
WARNING: It is recommended that you do not disable the anti-virus or anti-malware program or application from loading during startup. Disabling the anti-virus or anti-malware program may make your computer vulnerable to malware infection.
NOTE: You must log in as a user with administrator rights on your computer to disable startup programs.
To disable startup programs in Windows 11, Windows 10, or Windows 8.1 or 8, follow these steps.
- Close all open windows.
- Press CTRL + Shift + ESC key together on the keyboard.
- In the Task Manager window, select Startup tab.
- Select the program or application that you want to disable from loading during startup.
- Right-click and select Disable.
- Repeat Step 4 and 5 for all the programs or applications that you want to disable from loading during startup.
- Restart your computer.
How to Fix Overheating on Laptops
Duration: 03:06
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Affected Products
Chromebox, Alienware, Inspiron, Legacy Desktop Models, OptiPlex, Vostro, XPS, G Series, Chromebook, G Series, Alienware, Inspiron, Latitude, Vostro, XPS, Legacy Laptop Models, Fixed Workstations, Mobile WorkstationsArticle Properties
Article Number: 000179087
Article Type: Solution
Last Modified: 07 Mar 2025
Version: 25
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