Why is my computer so loud?

There are a couple of likely culprits when your desktop computer sounds like a jet taking off: the fans and the hard disk drive. These components have moving parts, meaning friction and vibration can lead to increased noise as they age and wear.  

A mechanical hard drive is made of several spinning disks and mechanical arms that move across the disk to read and write data. Fast, light ticking sounds and the rotating drive are normal operational sounds, although they may still be louder than you’d prefer. Loud irregular clicks could be a sign of hard drive failure.  

A loud computer fan could be caused by your case fans, CPU, or GPU fan. This could be a rattling sound due to the fan not being properly installed, or a grinding or screeching noise indicating a worn bearing. A fan working too hard could be a sign that the computer is getting too hot or the fan is underpowered. 

Most components in your PC will generate heat to some degree, so your desktop computer will most likely have one or more case fans installed to draw air through the computer case. The case fans provide cooling to the whole system, rather than specific individual components like your CPU, RAM, or GPU.  

Your CPU fan is mounted directly over the main processor and is usually coupled with a heatsink. This fan is designed to draw heat directly away from the CPU. A loud CPU fan could be due to wear, or the motherboard power cable is caught near the fan blades. 

Graphics cards are very powerful components and almost all GPUs ship with fans mounted on the unit.  

Your computer's internal power supply unit (PSU) may also have a fan designed to keep it cool under load. As your computer works harder it can draw more power and increase the temperature of the PSU. 

If your laptop is making loud noises, it’s best to review the manufacturer instructions as the solutions for laptops can vary. Laptops have more integrated hardware and some key components can be harder to replace than in a desktop PC.   

A key component worth looking at in most laptops is the system fans, which are usually smaller and can be easily removed and swapped out. Upgrading your laptop SSD can be worthwhile and can make your laptop quieter. It’s important your laptop has good airflow when in use.  

• Dust and dirt accumulation: Dust clogs fans and other components, making them work harder and louder 
• Overheating: When the computer gets too hot, the fans spin faster to cool it down, resulting in more noise 
• Faulty or worn fans: Fans can wear out over time, leading to increased noise due to loose bearings or other mechanical issues. Fan bearings are hard-wearing components but won’t last forever. A computer which is on all the time is more likely to experience wear and tear on a fan’s moving parts 
• High CPU/GPU usage: Intensive tasks, such as gaming or rendering, cause the CPU and GPU to work harder and generate more heat and fan activity 
• Poor ventilation: If the computer is in a cramped space or surrounded by objects that block airflow, it can overheat and become louder as fans work harder. Using a laptop on top of a blanket is a good example of this. Poor ventilation inside a computer case can be exacerbated by untidy computer cables. See our tips on PC cable management for more help 
• Loose components: Loose screws or components inside the computer can vibrate and cause additional noise 
• Old hard drive: Mechanical hard drives can become noisy as they age, especially if they are failing 
• Cheap or low quality fans: Fans that are not well-made can produce more noise even when operating normally 
• Running multiple programs: Running several programs simultaneously can increase CPU usage and heat, leading to louder fan operation 
  

The first step to fixing excess noise is to pinpoint the issue. We noted above that the hard drive and system fans are likely to be the cause of excessive noise, so let’s take a closer look at how to resolve these issues first. 

There are several reasons why computer fans can be loud.  

1. Your computer fans are not properly installed. Loose components will rattle as they spin, making more noise and making them less efficient. 
2. The computer fans are broken or damaged. An examination might reveal that not all your fans are working properly. In this case, you should replace any fan components that are not working to their full potential. 
3. Your fans are not big enough for the PC case. 
4. Your computer is being overworked. Your components generate more heat as your computer works harder. Your system fans remove heat by drawing in cooler air and expelling the hot air, but there are limits to how much they can do.  

Put your ear to your computer and see if you can identify what is making noise. If possible, you can also see what components are the warmest. Often if a component is overly warm, it’s overworked and may need to be upgraded. Make sure you take caution when touching components.   

You can also use software to identify temperatures of different PC components and fan speeds. High speeds and temperatures can indicate which components are working harder and are potentially making more noise.  

Your computer software controls the hardware in your PC. It’ll spin fans up and down in response to changes in the system temperature. If there doesn’t seem to be anything wrong mechanically, try updating your system in case there are bugs around the system temperature which have been resolved.  

Your system BIOS or other third party software, such as SpeedFan, can also be used to access system temperature data and control fan settings. It’s possible a software fix could be all you need to resolve a noisy PC.