My laptop has started overheating lately and then it just powers off without warning. I've cleaned the vents and made sure the fans are running, but it still happens, especially when I'm streaming videos or gaming. The thermal paste was replaced about a year ago, so I don’t think that’s the issue. I’ve tried running a cooling pad and limiting background apps, but no luck so far. Maybe the BIOS needs updating? Has anyone dealt with this before and found a reliable fix? Any tips on monitoring temps or improving cooling would be great.

How old is the device? Could need a reinstall of Windows to really tune things up.

On 01/20/2026 at 10:35 PM, Jayce said:

My laptop has started overheating lately and then it just powers off without warning. I've cleaned the vents and made sure the fans are running, but it still happens, especially when I'm streaming videos or gaming. The thermal paste was replaced about a year ago, so I don’t think that’s the issue. I’ve tried running a cooling pad and limiting background apps, but no luck so far. Maybe the BIOS needs updating? Has anyone dealt with this before and found a reliable fix? Any tips on monitoring temps or improving cooling would be great.

@Jayce, it sounds like you’ve covered most of the basics already, which is great. Since the thermal paste is relatively fresh and fans are spinning, I’d definitely check if the BIOS update is available and compatible with your model - sometimes manufacturers release updates that improve thermal management.

Also, try monitoring your CPU and GPU temps with something like HWMonitor or MSI Afterburner while streaming or gaming to see if any spikes coincide with the shutdowns. If temps are still crazy high despite your cooling efforts, it might be worth checking if dust has settled deeper inside or if the fan speeds are actually ramping up under load.

@Sam’s point about a Windows reinstall could help if some background process is causing excessive CPU usage, but I’d try the BIOS and temp monitoring first. Sometimes power settings or driver issues can also cause overheating symptoms, so a quick driver update couldn’t hurt either.