Laptop stays on idle above 65°C despite thorough cleaning and fresh thermal paste application.
Laptop stays on idle above 65°C despite thorough cleaning and fresh thermal paste application.
Even without any components being replaced, my laptop is heating up noticeably and the cooling fans are working hard. I recently had it serviced at one of ASUS’s authorized centers, where they asked me to reapply thermal paste. I assumed the problem was due to dust buildup, but even after cleaning and using a silver-colored paste (I’m not sure which brand), things didn’t improve. They confirmed everything looked normal inside. It doesn’t overheat when the battery is off, only when it’s plugged in. This issue started about two to three months ago. Previously, both the CPU and GPU stayed around 50–55°C during idle, but now they reach 70s and 75s, and even higher on battery (around 55–60°C). I also installed Norton for antivirus protection, but it seems to be losing trust—last time my cousin tried installing a cracked game, the virus didn’t delete. ThrottleStop’s voltage controls have suddenly become grayed out, and older versions don’t seem to help either.
It's common for laptops to run hot, especially when idle. That said, temperatures around 50-55°C aren't too bad. What matters most are the peak temperatures. Still, it's a good idea to open the case and make sure the heat sinks are free of dust. I've also noticed some repair shops don't follow the advice given. Another possibility is that the heat sink screws aren't fully secured.
The Asus service center probably changed your BIOS settings. This action turned off the CPU voltage control feature and also disabled the turbo ratio controls. Now your processor will continuously run at higher temperatures unless you manage to reinstall the older BIOS version. This process can be challenging. Asus tends to conceal previous laptop BIOS versions on their site and attempts to stop installations of them. If the CPU voltage control is locked, an earlier ThrottleStop update won’t help. It’s advisable to try restoring your own BIOS configuration. Some inexpensive thermal pastes may begin to deteriorate and release particles within weeks.
50-55c ran on battery power... once connected it reached about 65-70c without any openings and the fans were very loud. It didn’t help reduce the temperature either (irritating in a quiet room). The highest readings were around 95c and the system started throttling. That’s different from before—previously it idled at 55-60c with battery on and 40-45c when running. The fans usually stayed off while on battery, but now they scream even when battery is used. I opened the rear case after coming home to verify everything was correct. No dust or debris found; the heatsink appears properly installed (not a specialist on this).
They didn’t make any changes...just performed a general cleanup and reapplied thermal paste. It seems it’s not a BIOS update, so I’ll check the BIOS version and see if I can revert it. I’m familiar with reapplying thermal paste, but I haven’t tried it on laptops yet. There’s a worry about damaging something small, and I don’t have another old laptop to test it on.
1. Take out the ten screws from the bottom cover.
2. Gently lift the cover off to reveal the heatsink.
3. Remove the battery and keep the power button pressed for 5 to 10 seconds.
4. Take off the heatsink, wash it with isopropyl alcohol or contact cleaner, then apply fresh thermal paste.
Ensure you evenly coat the entire die without leaving gaps.
Sure thing! I'm ready to give it a shot. Changed the thermal paste and components on desktops, but I'm hesitant about laptops. I'll try this out and let you know how it goes. Removing the clips from the laptop back is the most challenging part—I usually break them. I need the thermal paste first; any brand recommendations? Thanks!
In short, I took the laptop apart, all parts looked clean except for some leftover ant waste. About three months ago there was an ant infestation; I cleaned it up and it didn’t affect any vents, heatsinks, or fans. The machine is still running at around 70°C. I took out the heatsink and checked the thermal paste—it seemed fine. It hasn’t dried out. There’s one issue though: the area near the charging port has turned black, which was where the feces were found before cleaning.
You're curious about why the thermal management feels so lacking? The cooling component should align with the heat sink placement—directly beneath it, not scattered elsewhere. A lot of pressure is wasted and it's unclear how much air escapes during operation... This design really falls short. I've spent ten years fixing computers, and I haven't encountered a better thermal setup than the 2019 MacBook Air. Simply removing the heat sink (just take off those four screws on the CPU and two on the GPU) should work. Wipe down the silicone and heat sink with a paper towel. Don’t skip the thermal paste. Replacing it with MX-4 or MX-5 is fine, but avoid using artic silver—it can damage things because of its conductivity. The slight discoloration I see is just oxidation from exposed copper, which doesn't impact performance or system health.