Laptop overheating or shutting down

A laptop that gets too hot to rest your hands on, roars constantly, or switches off in the middle of something is protecting itself. Left alone, heat shortens the life of everything inside.

Likely causes

• Dust-clogged cooling. The usual cause after two or three years of use.
• Dried thermal paste. The compound between the processor and its cooler hardens with age.
• Failed fan. Silent when it should be loud, or grinding.
• Blocked vents. Used on a bed, sofa or lap.

Try this first

1. Use it on a hard, flat surface and see whether the shutdowns stop.
2. With the laptop off, blow short bursts of compressed air through the vents.
3. Note when it happens: only in games or video calls points to cooling.

What it costs

A bench diagnostic is £54, deducted from the repair if you go ahead, and you get the price before any work starts. A cooling service is one of the least expensive repairs we do. Send an enquiry, or see the price list.