Lenovo ThinkPad L480 Fan is Loud

One reason your fan could be too loud is because of your laptop's power efficiency settings. In order to fix this, go into your system's Settings, then select System. Under the Power & Battery settings, change the Power Mode to Best Power Efficiency. At this setting, the laptop will conserve more power and thus keep the fan running smoother.

Another reason your fan is making too much noise might be because there is some internal overheating occurring in the device. This overheating comes from overuse in the device's CPU or GPU, and there are multiple fixes for this.

Here are different methods to reducing CPU and GPU usage in the laptop:

• If something currently running is using up a lot of power on the computer, then close the program.
• Close and clear any background processes running on the computer.
• Update your drivers.
• Check your laptop for malware and uninstall anything suspicious from it.
• Perform a clean install of your operating system.
• Re-paste the laptop's thermal paste.

Another reason your fan is making too much noise might be because there is a program that is using up a lot of the CPU or GPU’s usage and must be closed. In order to see if this is the case, search on your computer for the Task Manager (or press Ctrl, Alt, and Delete to open it). The Task Manager allows you to see all of the apps currently running, and how much of the CPU they are using up. Should anything be taking up too much power, you can click it and select “End task” to forcibly close it.

Similarly to checking on your programs, the Task Manager also allows you to check on background processes (things running behind the scenes on the computer). Just like before, if one of these is using up too much power, you can click on it and select “End task.”

The fan on your ThinkPad might also be making too much noise because the system’s drivers need to be updated. To update them, follow these instructions:

1. Click the Start button and find “Lenovo System Update.”
2. Once the program is open, click “Next,” in the bottom right of the application.
3. After the progress bar searches for updates, agree to the license agreement presented.
4. Select all needed updates on the next page, then click “Next.”
5. Expand the information about each driver and update, and click the checkbox labelled “Defer installation.” This will download the drivers, but not install them. Click “Next,” then “Download.”
6. After the drivers are downloaded, click “Install deferred updates,” then “Next,” then “Install,” to finish getting your drivers up-to-date.

Malware and viruses can potentially make your laptop overheat and cause the fan to work much louder than it should. In order to check for viruses and malware harming your ThinkPad, go to your Settings. Click “Update & Security,” and go to the “Windows Security” tab. Open Windows Security, then find “Virus & Threat Protection.” Perform a Quick Scan and delete any suspicious files that your device finds.

A loud fan could be a symptom of the operating system not functioning. If your laptop is overall stuttering and not working, a clean install of the operating system may help. In the “Update & Security” section of the Settings, go to the “Recovery” tab and find the “Reset this PC” section. Click “Get started” and follow the instructions to reset your OS. Note that this may remove your files, so it is important to back up these files before doing this.

If the fan on your ThinkPad is making excess noise, it may be clogged with dust and is working too hard to clear it out. You may want to open the device to clean the dust out of the fan.

Here is a step-by-step guide for cleaning the fan:

1. Open up the device and remove the fan.
2. Use an air duster to blow the dust off of the fan.
3. Make sure you have a napkin or something similar on hand to catch the dust.

When the fan is placed back on, it should run smoother.

Re-pasting the thermal paste on the laptop is another solution to making the fan less noisy. Make sure to have some thermal paste, a screwdriver set, some alcohol solution, and paper towels. In order to re-paste the thermal paste, follow these steps:

1. Remove the external battery, if there is one.
2. Go into your BIOS settings on the laptop to disable the internal battery.
3. Unscrew the lower cover of the laptop, then unplug the internal battery plug.
4. Unscrew the fan from the laptop.
5. Use a paper towel to wipe the old thermal paste off of the laptop, and clean it with the alcohol solution.
6. Carefully and evenly apply the new thermal paste.
7. After you’re done, re-screw the fan back into the laptop and reconnect the internal battery plug.
8. Re-screw the back cover, put back the external battery, and connect a power source to reactivate the internal battery.