CPU overheating is one of the most common issues ever reported by users. Sometimes you may notice that your PC is shutting down or restarting randomly or it is slowing down day by day. The unexpected shut down is not a good sign for your computer.
You might experience such issues when some reasons make the CPU temperature high, and the computer shuts down itself to avoid further damage.
If CPU temperature is the problem, a few effective methods are discussed below to lower the CPU temperature. You should follow these steps listed below.
How To Easily Fix CPU Temperature High?
When the CPU temperature gets higher regularly, you need to apply some changes to cool down the CPU. You don’t need new hardware if any of these solutions work for you.
Method 1: Clean Your Computer And Allow Sufficient Airflow
One of the primary reasons behind the CPU overheat is dust. Too much dirt can clog the CPU fans and make them difficult to run correctly. So it is necessary to clean them regularly.
Airflow is also necessary to keep your computer’s temperature balanced. So, if it is possible to keep your computer in an open, airy space, you must do it. Increased airflow positively lowers down the temperature of the CPU.
Performing a simple task like this regularly might help you to resolve the problem. If the problem continues after following this method, keep on reading for the next solutions.
Method 2: Insufficient Thermal Paste
Thermal paste is a necessary element to control the heat generated from the CPU. Thermal paste fills the gaps between the CPU processor and the heat sink and facilitates the heat transfer. When there is a lack of thermal paste, it might raise the CPU temperature abnormally.
If you notice that the CPU needs thermal paste, apply a small amount between the processor and heat sink and keep an eye on the change of temperature.
Do you still see the temperature getting high? Don’t worry. There are a few more solutions you can apply.
Method 3: Run The Power Troubleshooter
You should run the Power troubleshooter to fix the CPU temperature high issue. The troubleshooter finds out problems automatically and works best in this matter. Run the power troubleshooter in Windows 10 by following the steps below:
- Press Win + I from the keyboard and click on the Update & Security option.
- Select the Troubleshoot option from the left pane.
- Now select the Power option and click on Run the Troubleshooter button.
- It will automatically scan and fix if any issue found.
- After the process finishes, restart your computer.
If troubleshooting didn’t work, here are some other methods for you.
Method 4: Restart Computer In Clean Boot State
A clean boot helps you to diagnose the error on your device by isolating the performance problem. In a clean boot state, only the startup programs and some pre-selected set of drivers are launched.
To restart in the clean boot state, follow these steps:
- Press Win + R from the keyboard and type msconfig in the text box.
- Hit the Enter button. It opens the System Configuration window.
- From the General tab, select the Selective startup option.
- Uncheck the box next to the Load Startup Items option.
- Make sure that the other two options Load System Services and Use Original boot configuration are checked.
- Now shift to the Services tab and enable the Hide All Microsoft Services checkbox.
- After that, click on the Disable All button.
- Click on the Apply and OK button to save the changes.
This process will start your Windows in a clean boot state. You can now identify the reasons behind such issues and disable or remove it from your computer.
Method 5: Perform SFC And DISM Scan
You should try by performing SFC and DISM scan if you find the CPU temperature high. This process is used to check the missing system files and repair them automatically.
To know more about how to perform the DISM AND SFC scan, read how to check for broken system files using DISM And SFC scans?
Method 6: Update The BIOS
If you have an outdated BIOS version, it may cause some unnecessary issues with your computer’s hardware. You should keep the BIOS up to date to avoid issues such as high CPU temperature.
Updating BIOS is a complicated procedure. If you don’t have sufficient knowledge regarding BIOS, you should ask a professional to update it. You can check your current BIOS version by following these steps:
- Press Win + R from the keyboard and type msinfo32 in the box.
- Hit the Enter button, and it will open the System Information window.
- Here you can find your current BIOS Version/Date section.
Note down your current BIOS version and visit the official manufacturer’s website to check if there is an update available for your BIOS. If available, you should download and install the latest version. After installing the latest version, check if the problem with high CPU temperature is resolved.
Method 7: Revert The Overclock Settings
Although overclocking increases the performance of your computer significantly, it also harms your computer. Overclocking is one of the main reasons behind the fluctuations in CPU temperature in Windows 10. When you push your CPU to higher clock speed, the processor works faster and makes the CPU temperature high. You may experience a system crash also if the CPU gets too hot.
You should revert the clock settings If you have overclocked your PC. It may fix your issue with CPU temperature in Windows 10. If you have no idea about overclocking, then you should skip this solution and apply the next one.
Method 8: Disable Integrated GPU
If you have an integrated GPU onboard and you are using a dedicated GPU, then you should disable the integrated GPU. There is no need for the integrated one. Having both the GPUs enabled may rise the CPU temperature high.
You can easily disable the Integrated GPU by following the below-provided steps.
- Press Win + R from the keyboard and type devmgmt.msc in the search box.
- Hit the Enter key from the keyboard, and the Device Manager window opens.
- Click on the Display Adapter option to extend the menu.
- Right–click on the integrated driver and select the Disable option.
- Click on the Yes option to confirm the change.
- Now Close the Device Manager Window.
To know more about updating or installing a device driver, read how to update or install the device driver from Device Manager.
Method 9: Check Memory Leaks
A memory leak affects your computer in many ways. Memory leaks put extra pressure on your CPU as well as slows down your computer. If you notice the CPU temperature too high, memory leaks might cause it. If you have no idea about memory leaks and how to fix it, check out how to fix Windows 10 memory leaks.
Method 10: Adjust Maximum Power Load Of CPU
To reduce the high CPU temperature, you should adjust the maximum power load of the CPU. You can easily do the same by following the steps provided below:
- Click on the Start icon and type Control Panel in the search box.
- Select and open the Control Panel app from the search results.
- Select the Hardware and Sounds option.
- Now go to Power options and select the Balanced option from the preferred plan section.
- You can see the Change plan settings option right next to the balanced option. Click on that option.
- Select the Change advanced power settings option.
- There is a + sign beside the Processor power management option. Click on the + symbol to expand the section.
- Select the Maximum processor state option and reduce the value from 100% to 80%.
- Click on the Apply and OK button to save the changes.
After applying these steps, you can realize the instant temperature drop in your CPU. This process should resolve your issue with the CPU temperature in Windows 10.
Method 11: Reinstall Or Factory Reset Windows
If the above solutions didn’t work, you should try reinstalling the Windows version. In Windows 10, you can reset the Windows version by following the steps below:
- Press Win + I from the keyboard and the Settings App window will open.
- Click on the Update and Security option.
- Go to the Recovery tab.
- Find and click on the Get Started option under Reset this PC section.
- You can see two options: Keep my files, and another is Remove everything.
- If there are some crucial files on your computer, and you want to keep them, then select the Keep my files option and follow the on-screen instructions to complete the reset process.
- If you select to remove everything from your computer, then you can find another two options: Just remove my files and Remove files and clean the drive.
- The first option removes all your files and apps from the installation drive, but not permanently. This process is faster than the other option and also most popular among users. But it is always recommended to back up your files to another external drive or storage device before applying this process.
- The second option, i.e. Remove the files and clean the drive removes all your files from the installation drive permanently. You won’t be able to recover any of your previous files after the reset completes.
Now the problem with the CPU temperature high should be fixed and you should not notice any problem related to high CPU temperature.
Conclusion
Now you know the possible reasons for CPU temperature high. The provided solutions turn it easy to understand how to lower CPU temp. If you found this article helpful to cool down your CPU, let us know by commenting below. If you still have queries regarding high CPU temperature, feel free to ask here.