Your MacBook Pro is a highly functional Mac machine and being such a complex machine, it has a lot of intricate parts that all work together to keep it operational.
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Hot Takes Mac Os Catalina
MacBook Pro gets hot while charging This is something many people have complained that their MacBooks are getting heated up whenever they put it on charging. When you are charging your Macbook, it will generate heat because you are trying to charge the batteries of your Macbook.
The more moving parts a machine has, the more potential there exists for these parts to generate heat. There are multiple reasons why your MacBook Pro might be getting hot but it is actually normal for your Mac to be slightly warm during normal operation.
There is a big difference between warm and hot when it comes to a computer, and if you think your MacBook Pro is running hot, you should probably take some time to figure out why this might be.
There are some quick things to address to cool your Mac down and also some warning signs that might indicate it might be close to upgrade time.
Contents
- Why Is My MacBook Pro Running Hot?
- How to Prevent MacBook Pro From Overheating
Why A Hot MacBook Pro is Bad
Like I just stated above, a warm computer is nothing to worry about and is actually the normal temperature your computer usually is under normal operating circumstances.
When your MacBook Pro actually gets hot is when you need to pay attention and take action to cool it down. A warm computer will run normally but a hot computer can lead to some short-term and/or long-term problems with your device.
One of the main reasons you don't want your Mac to overheat is because it can cause damage with the hardware that actually allows your computer to work properly. Important pieces of hardware like your hard drive and CPU can become damaged when exposed to constant overheating and this can cause them to operate poorly and possibly fail over time. Similar to other expensive machines, like your car, you don't want it running hot for long.
If critical pieces of hardware become damaged, this can lead to poor performance. Excessive overheating of your MacBook Pro can cause it to run really slowly, freeze up all of the time, and generally not operate like it is supposed too.
A really hot Mac can also shut down automatically and this can lead to potential data loss if you don't have things saved when your Mac attempts to protect itself.
Why Is My MacBook Pro Running Hot?
There are a few different reasons why your MacBook Pro could be running hot.
Let's take a look at a few of these reasons that could be the source of overheating and then we will take a look at how to fix them. One initial consideration to note is the age of your Mac. The older a Mac gets, the harder its fans have to work to keep everything cool.
If age is the reason for overheating, you might have to get a new machine at some point in the near future.
1. Demanding and Runaway Apps
If you've had your Mac for a while, chances are you have a bunch of different apps installed on it.
Usually this is no problem, but if you have apps installed that are very demanding of CPU or maybe a third-party app that is stuck in a loop, it can cause your computer to heat up quickly.
If you run several of these demanding apps at once or have multiple apps open without knowing it, your Mac can heat up in a hurry.
2. Soft Surfaces
I know it's in the name of the Mac, but just because it's called a laptop doesn't mean a lap is the best place to keep your MacBook Pro.
Soft surfaces like your lap, a bed, a blanket, or even carpet on the floor may be comfortable but they also can cause your Mac to heat up. This is basically due to the fact that there is poor air circulation when you place your computer on a softer surface and it needs proper airflow to help it keep cool.
3. It Might Be Dirty
Your MacBook Pro has vents, covers, and other openings from the outside to the interior that can get dirty and lead to overheating.
It's normal for your Mac to collect this dust and dirt over time but most people don't know how to clean it out. The built-in vents are crucial to keeping your computer cool and if they get dirty and clogged up, your MacBook will start to heat up very easily.
How to Prevent MacBook Pro From Overheating
1. Close Demanding and Runaway Apps
The easiest way to deal with demanding and runaway apps that are causing your computer to overheat are to check your Activity Monitor to see what apps are currently running and if you can close some of them.
To find your Activity Monitor open your Finder, click on Applications, click on Utilities, and then click on Activity Monitor. You will see a screen like the one below and can close and monitor the CPU usage of all apps currently running.
2. Stay Away from Soft Surfaces
The method to fixing this cause of overheating is simple. Don't place your computer on any soft surfaces when using it. It may sound pretty easy, but so many people (myself included) are guilty of this one.
Instead of using your MacBook in bed or on the couch, make sure you set it up on a table or desk. This will allow for adequate airflow to surround the computer and keep everything cool and operational.
3. Clean Dust and Dirt
If your computer is running hot due to dust and dirt, you need to try and clean it up.
Depending on the year of your MacBook Pro, the vents you should check and clean are located either above the keyboard below the hinge on the display or on the underside of the computer. You can use a small delicate brush to clean up these vents or a can of compressed air can quickly blow the vents clean as well.
Final Thoughts
If your MacBook Pro seems to be running hot, don't panic. Take a look at the tips above and chances are you will be able to cool your computer down and limit any damage or data loss that can result from overheating.
If none of these tips seem to work on your Mac, you might have to bite the bullet and buy a new one, unfortunately.
Why A Hot MacBook Pro is Bad
Like I just stated above, a warm computer is nothing to worry about and is actually the normal temperature your computer usually is under normal operating circumstances.
When your MacBook Pro actually gets hot is when you need to pay attention and take action to cool it down. A warm computer will run normally but a hot computer can lead to some short-term and/or long-term problems with your device.
One of the main reasons you don't want your Mac to overheat is because it can cause damage with the hardware that actually allows your computer to work properly. Important pieces of hardware like your hard drive and CPU can become damaged when exposed to constant overheating and this can cause them to operate poorly and possibly fail over time. Similar to other expensive machines, like your car, you don't want it running hot for long.
If critical pieces of hardware become damaged, this can lead to poor performance. Excessive overheating of your MacBook Pro can cause it to run really slowly, freeze up all of the time, and generally not operate like it is supposed too.
A really hot Mac can also shut down automatically and this can lead to potential data loss if you don't have things saved when your Mac attempts to protect itself.
Why Is My MacBook Pro Running Hot?
There are a few different reasons why your MacBook Pro could be running hot.
Let's take a look at a few of these reasons that could be the source of overheating and then we will take a look at how to fix them. One initial consideration to note is the age of your Mac. The older a Mac gets, the harder its fans have to work to keep everything cool.
If age is the reason for overheating, you might have to get a new machine at some point in the near future.
1. Demanding and Runaway Apps
If you've had your Mac for a while, chances are you have a bunch of different apps installed on it.
Usually this is no problem, but if you have apps installed that are very demanding of CPU or maybe a third-party app that is stuck in a loop, it can cause your computer to heat up quickly.
If you run several of these demanding apps at once or have multiple apps open without knowing it, your Mac can heat up in a hurry.
2. Soft Surfaces
I know it's in the name of the Mac, but just because it's called a laptop doesn't mean a lap is the best place to keep your MacBook Pro.
Soft surfaces like your lap, a bed, a blanket, or even carpet on the floor may be comfortable but they also can cause your Mac to heat up. This is basically due to the fact that there is poor air circulation when you place your computer on a softer surface and it needs proper airflow to help it keep cool.
3. It Might Be Dirty
Your MacBook Pro has vents, covers, and other openings from the outside to the interior that can get dirty and lead to overheating.
It's normal for your Mac to collect this dust and dirt over time but most people don't know how to clean it out. The built-in vents are crucial to keeping your computer cool and if they get dirty and clogged up, your MacBook will start to heat up very easily.
How to Prevent MacBook Pro From Overheating
1. Close Demanding and Runaway Apps
The easiest way to deal with demanding and runaway apps that are causing your computer to overheat are to check your Activity Monitor to see what apps are currently running and if you can close some of them.
To find your Activity Monitor open your Finder, click on Applications, click on Utilities, and then click on Activity Monitor. You will see a screen like the one below and can close and monitor the CPU usage of all apps currently running.
2. Stay Away from Soft Surfaces
The method to fixing this cause of overheating is simple. Don't place your computer on any soft surfaces when using it. It may sound pretty easy, but so many people (myself included) are guilty of this one.
Instead of using your MacBook in bed or on the couch, make sure you set it up on a table or desk. This will allow for adequate airflow to surround the computer and keep everything cool and operational.
3. Clean Dust and Dirt
If your computer is running hot due to dust and dirt, you need to try and clean it up.
Depending on the year of your MacBook Pro, the vents you should check and clean are located either above the keyboard below the hinge on the display or on the underside of the computer. You can use a small delicate brush to clean up these vents or a can of compressed air can quickly blow the vents clean as well.
Final Thoughts
If your MacBook Pro seems to be running hot, don't panic. Take a look at the tips above and chances are you will be able to cool your computer down and limit any damage or data loss that can result from overheating.
If none of these tips seem to work on your Mac, you might have to bite the bullet and buy a new one, unfortunately.
Has your MacBook Pro ever overheated? How did you cool it down?
At times we need the share a screenshot of your device's screen for different purposes. When I got my Macbook Pro back in 2015, I didn't have any idea as to how I can take screenshots on my Mac computer. Upon a little research, I came to know about 3 different ways to capture the screen on macOS. Using these methods, you can not only take a screenshot of the entire screen, a particular area, or a particular window. You can even copy a screenshot to the clipboard to use it later.
You must have seen people sharing the screenshots of smartphones or computer screens on social media, websites, and forums. It's one of the most helpful features found on almost all operating systems for mobile devices and computers. Whether you are a geek, a regular user, or just a noob, you must feel the need to capture your device's screen at some or other point of time. We take screenshots whenever we have to share a specific screen from some video, high score from games, some bug or issue we want to report, or any screen of our computer or handheld device.
Being an Android-themer, ROM developer, and a tech blogger, I have to share the screenshot of my phone's screen setup or computer screen to make my tutorials illustrative and more helpful. Just like I often need to copy the path of a file on my Mac. I got my MacBook Pro just a year ago, and taking screenshots was one of the basic things I learned first.
On a Windows machine, we can take a screenshot of the full screen using the Windows + PrtScn key combo, and capture a custom area of any screen using the built-in Snipping Tool. Coming to Mac, the job of taking screenshots becomes not only a lot easier but also has more options and functions.
Apple dispenses with a devoted the key for taking screenshot entirely. In Mac OS, we have to use key combinations instead of capturing screenshots. Below, we'll take a look at the different ways in which we can take screenshots in devices like Mac, Macbook Pro and Macbook Air running OS X El Capitan, OS X Yosemite, and older versions of the Mac OS. All captured screenshots are saved in PNG format on your desktop.
Apple offers numerous, easy-to-remember keyboard shortcuts for taking screenshots. Below, we'll take a look at the different ways in which we can take screenshots in devices like Mac, Macbook Pro and Macbook Air running OS X El Capitan, OS X Yosemite, and older versions of the Mac OS. All captured screenshots are saved in .PNG format on your desktop. In case you want to save a webpage as PDF on your Mac, iPhone, or iPad, you should read my guide on the topic.
3 Methods to Take Screenshots on Mac
1. Command+Shift+3: Takes a screenshot of the entire screen.
2. Command+Shift+4: Takes the screenshot of a selected area of the screen or a cropped screenshot.
3. Command+Shift+4+Spacebar+Click on a window: Takes a screenshot of a specific window.
Note: Just Add Control key to any of the key combinations above and the captured screenshot will be copied to the clipboard.
Take Screenshot of the Entire Screen on Mac
- Go to the UI or app screen you want to capture.
- Now press Command + Shift + 3 key combination simultaneously.
- When the screenshot is taken, you'll hear a camera sound.
- The captured screenshot will automatically be saved to your Mac desktop.
Capture a Cropped Screenshot on Mac Screen
- Go to the UI screen or app window you want to capture.
- Then press Command + Shift + 4 keys at the same time.
- Now move the crosshair cursor at the place you want to begin capturing the screen.
- Click and hold the cursor and drag the crosshair to select the area you want to capture.
- As you drag the cursor, the crosshairs will give you a precise pixel count to help you with capturing the screen with specific pixel size.
- Having selected the area, release the mouse button or the trackpad.
- You'll hear a camera click sound, to indicate that the screenshot has been captured and it will be saved to the desktop.
Capture a Specific Window
Note: By using this method, you can take the screenshot of an app window or a screenshot of a specific dropdown menu.
- Open the app or screen window you want to capture.
- Press Command + Shift + 4 all at the same time.
- Your cursor will turn into crosshairs.
- Now press the Spacebar on the keyboard and your cursor will turn into a camera.
- Place the camera cursor on top of the window you want to capture.
- The selected window will be tinted blue.
- Now click to take the screenshot.
- You'll hear a click sound indicating that the screenshot has been captured successfully and saved to your desktop.
Copy Mac Screenshot to Clipboard
While the methods described above will save your captured screenshots to the Mac desktop or your desired folder, you can also screenshot your Mac screen directly to the clipboard without saving it.
- Press Command + Shift + Control + 3 simultaneously to copy the whole screen to your Clipboard.
- Press Command + Shift + Control + 4 simultaneously to screenshot a specific of the screen. The captured screenshot will be copied directly to the clipboard. You can also press Command + Shift + Control + 4 followed by the Spacebar capture a specific window.
- Now go the app, such as image editor or document, where you want to use the captured screenshot and then press Control + V keys or use Paste option to get the screenshot there.
Hot Takes Mac Os X
That's it! I hope our detailed tutorial on taking screenshots on all Mac machines will have proved helpful to you! If you have any questions regarding the methods discussed above or want any help with your Mac, Macbook Pro, or Macbook Air, please drop a comment below.
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