If you’re a passionate gamer, you’ve likely encountered the annoying issue of a loud fan on your PlayStation 4 (PS4). It’s a common problem that can disrupt your gaming experience and even make you worry about potential overheating and damage to your console.
The constant whirring noise from the fan can be frustrating and distracting, but understanding why it happens is the first step towards resolving this pesky problem.
The culprit behind the loud fan noise is overheating. Intensive gaming generates heat, triggering the PS4’s cooling system. Moreover, dust buildup inside and poor ventilation can make the fan work harder and create an irritating noise.
In this article, we have come up with all the effective & working solutions that you can use to resolve your problem. So, let’s take a look.
Why Is the PS4 So Loud?
Sometimes, the PS4 gets really noisy because of dust. Dust is tiny stuff that’s everywhere, even inside your PS4. You might clean the outside, but the inside can get dusty too. It’s like when you clean your room but forget about the hidden corners.
Also, some games are like Hungry Monsters for your PS4. If you play games with super cool graphics, your PS4 has to work extra hard. Imagine if you had to run really fast all the time, you’d get tired too. So, you can try making the game graphics a bit less fancy to help your PS4 stay quiet.
How To Fix PS4 Loud Fan Issue
You might learn that you can clean the fan out of dust to quiet it from other websites. That’s true, covered with dust, your PS4 fan might become loud. But before cleaning your fan out, there are some other simple but helpful things you can do.
1. Place Your PS4 Fan In a Ventilated Area
When your PS4 gets hot, it uses a fan to cool down. Sometimes, if it’s really hot, the fan gets super loud. If you see things around your PS4, move them away. Then wait a bit to see if your PS4 gets cooler and quieter.
Make sure there’s space around your PS4 so air can go in and out. Don’t put things on top or around it, like blankets, bags, or books. Let your PS4 have its own space to stay cool and quiet.
Never ever put your PS4 console into a cabinet, since there would be no space for airflow.
If your PS4 still makes noise, you can try the next solution.
2. Turn Your PS4 Console to Vertical
Normally, we put our PS4 flat on a table. But if you stand it up tall, it might get less hot and noisy. Give it a try and see if it gets better.
If your PS4 is still loud after trying that, it might be dusty inside. Dust can make it noisy. You need to clean the inside of your PS4 to make it quiet again.
3. Open Your PS4 Console to Clean Out
The noisy fan in your PS4 is usually because of dust. To clean it up fast, get a can of special air (like a magic air spray) from a place like Amazon. Spray it in all the little holes and openings on your PS4.
If it helps, do this every month to keep your PS4 quiet. You can also open your PS4 and clean it from inside.
Once you open the console, you will lose the warranty. So, if your PS4 is used within 1 year, you can send it for a warranty service instead of cleaning it by yourself.
To clean you PS4 console, you have to follow the below steps;
Step 1: Turn off the PS4 and unplug the power cable.
Step 2: Use a T8 or T9 screwdriver to remove the four screws on the back of the PS4 console.
Step 3: Open the console and then you should see the fan. Remove the dust covering on the fan.
Step 4: After cleaning the fan, you can put all the things back together and then turn on your PS4 to check if the PS4 loud fan issue has been fixed.
4. Use a Can of Compressed Air
This is the easiest and quickest way to clean out your PS4. Take a can of compressed air to go through all the inputs and vents.
Never use a vacuum to clean your PS4, as it may probably cause damage to the components of your PS4.
To keep your PS4 in a good condition, you can try this method to clean your PS4 once a month.
5. Apply Thermal Paste
If nothing else fixes your noisy PS4, there’s one more thing you can try: thermal paste. This special paste helps the hot parts in your PS4 connect better with the cooling system, making it cooler and quieter. But be careful, it’s a tricky job. It’s better to ask an expert for help.
Funny thing is, the paste that comes with your PS4 isn’t the best. So, even if your PS4 seems okay, changing the paste can make it work better. You can find good paste to buy online.
Precautions for the Future
The ideal scenario is to prevent your fan from becoming loud in the first place. To ensure this, follow the tips mentioned below:
- Keep your PS4 in a well-ventilated area with ample space around it for effective airflow.
- Avoid positioning the console in tight or enclosed spaces that can inhibit airflow.
- Clean the cooling vents and external surfaces of the console regularly to deter dust accumulation.
- Ensure that the vents are not obstructed by any external objects.
- Monitor the room’s ambient temperature, aiming to keep it below 73 degrees Fahrenheit (23 degrees Celsius).
- Limit prolonged gaming sessions or take breaks to allow the console to cool.
- Keep the console’s firmware and system software updated for optimal performance.
- If you notice any unusual fan noise or overheating issues, seek professional help or contact Sony customer support for further diagnosis and potential repairs.
FAQs – Loud PS4 Fans
The fan noise in your PS4 can be caused by several factors, including dust accumulation, high rendering (graphics) demands, faulty cooling fans, or issues with the heatsink. These factors can lead to increased heat and the fan working harder to cool down the console, resulting in louder noise.
There are several potential fixes for loud PS4 fan noise. These include cleaning the vents and removing dust accumulation, ensuring proper ventilation and airflow around the console, using a cooling stand or external fan, replacing a malfunctioning cooling fan, and addressing any issues with the heatsink or hard drive.
It is recommended to clean the vents of your PS4 regularly on a monthly basis, especially if you live in a particularly dusty area. If your PS4 is in a closed space mostly devoid of dust, then cleaning it once every three months should be ideal.