I'm running Sonoma 14.5. Each time I use my 3 yr old MacBook Air it gets hot under the keyboard across the top of the underside and the fan constantly runs. It also slows the computer down. Any suggestions?
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 14.5
Make sure you do not have any of these types of software installed:
Then post the free EtreCheck report using the Additional Text option when posting. The report contains no personal information. You have an app that is conflicting with the normal operation of your computer and the report will help in identifying that app. Most of the time it is due to an app from one of those in the above categories.
Using EtreCheck - Apple Community
Make sure you do not have any of these types of software installed:
Then post the free EtreCheck report using the Additional Text option when posting. The report contains no personal information. You have an app that is conflicting with the normal operation of your computer and the report will help in identifying that app. Most of the time it is due to an app from one of those in the above categories.
Using EtreCheck - Apple Community
Please read About fans and fan noise in your Apple product - Apple Support. In the links it references, you will eventually find this passage from Keep your Mac laptop within acceptable operating temperatures - Apple Support:
"If your Mac laptop gets warm even when it isn’t doing tasks that require intensive calculations, or if it has fans that run for a long time, use Activity Monitor to check CPU activity. Look for malfunctioning processes that can put a significant load on the CPU and check for unexpected fan use. If issues persist, close and open the lid on your laptop, or restart your computer. ..."
Only after exhausting those possibilities should you suspect something amiss with the SMC, a hardware fault... those sorts of possibilities. The cooling fins can become very obstructed with dust before the fan noise starts to become objectionable.
To reset your an Intel Mac's SMC: Reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support
Run Apple Diagnostics, which will exercise the fan and test that Mac's thermal sensors: Use Apple Diagnostics to test your Mac - Apple Support
Post a screenshot of Activity Monitor if you wish. Use the Energy pane, or CPU sorted by %CPU to see which apps or processes are using the most energy or placing the greatest demands on your Mac's CPU, respectively. To show the most relevant information I suggest selecting "Active Processes" from Activity Monitor's View menu.
Constant running fan, MacBook gets hot.
