Having trouble understanding all that? Here it is in flowchart form: If they’re connected to the power supply (usually through a Molex connector), there’s no way to control them through software-you’d have to hook them up to a hardware fan controller.Īnd, to make matters even more confusing, you can connect 3-pin fans to 4-pin sockets and vice-versa, as shown above-you just won’t be able to use PWM control. The fans in your computer can get power in one of two ways: From the motherboard, or directly from your computer’s power supply. The Different Ways Fans Connect to Your PC This is especially common (and necessary!) with home-built computers, but can sometimes work on pre-built desktops and laptops as well-though your mileage may vary.

Depending on your computer, you may be able to change how hard and how often the fans run to cool down your PC. If your computer is constantly working hard due to a runaway program, its fans are going to run much more often.īut let’s say you’re still not satisfied. Open up Windows’ Task Manager and see if there are any programs working hard that shouldn’t be. RELATED: How to Use the New Task Manager in Windows 8 or 10 If you’re using a laptop, try to keep it on a flat surface where the rubber feet can allow air to pass under it, rather than using it on top of a blanket or mattress. If you’re using a desktop, make sure there’s some space around the case, not pushed up against a wall or in a closed cupboard.

Make sure your computer is well ventilated.

We have entire guides on cleaning out desktops and laptops.

If it’s dusty, clean it out (especially the fans) with some compressed air. Open your computer and check for dust buildup.RELATED: How to Thoroughly Clean Your Dirty Desktop Computer If your computer is getting hotter than you’d like, or your fans are louder than you’d like, you should do a couple of other things first: If you are using a laptop or other off-the-shelf computer (like a Dell), chances are your computer automatically controls its fans to some extent already. Let’s start with a really simple question: Do you really need to customize your fan control? How you control your fans depends a lot on your computer, your fans, and how everything is put together, so let’s start with some basics.

Tpp fancontrol