How to Fix Loud MacBook Fan Noise

If you use your computer a lot, there are probably few things that get on your nerves as much as a sudden spike of noise from a cooling fan inside your computer. This issue can be particularly annoying when you are using a portable MacBook and your fan suddenly seems to go into overdrive and spikes in volume.

There are several common reasons for your MacBook's fan sound volume perking up and there are a couple of easy fixes you can try.

The most common reason for your fan revving up and producing more noise is simple - your MacBook is under heavier load and is generating more heat than the fan can dissipate easily. If you use your MacBook during a hot summer day, in a room that is not air-conditioned, you may also experience heightened levels of fan noise, and this is normal behavior intended to deal with the heat.

One other piece of advice we can echo from the official Apple support guidelines for dealing with fan noise is making sure the airflow vent on the device is not being obstructed. To make sure you have optimal airflow and cooling, try to place your MacBook on a surface that is both flat and hard and solid. Using your device on a soft bed or even placed on your lap might decrease heat dissipation through the vents and force the fan to work harder to make up for it.

As a last resort measure, if you are not doing anything resource-intensive on your MacBook but the fan is still spinning wildly, do the following, depending on your specific model.

If you are running a MacBook based on an Intel CPU, try resetting the system memory controller or SMC.

If you are using a MacBook that runs on Apple silicone, or a SoC produced internally by Apple, such as the M1 platform, try rebooting your computer.

If none of this helps and you are still finding the volume of the cooling fan unreasonably high under normal conditions, you might want to take your MacBook to a certified Apple service outlet to have it checked by an Apple support technician.