How to Stop Your Xbox Series X From Overheating

Being a powerful next-gen console, you might find that your Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S runs a little hot. In most cases this is perfectly normal, but what do you do when it starts to overheat?

The Xbox Series X features a large fan that is surprisingly quiet considering the size, but it is perfectly normal for the vent on top of this fan to be fairly hot as it’s an exhaust fan and therefore isn’t an indicator that your console is overheating.

How to Tell if Your Xbox Series X Is Overheating?

The first sign that your Xbox Series X is overheating is due to performance issues. Just like a PC, when components in your Xbox Series X get too hot, they slow down in order to attempt to resolve the issue.

If a CPU becomes too hot, for example, sensors will signal to the processor to reduce the clock speed in order to prevent any damage due to excessive heat, which will, of course, have an impact on performance.

The Xbox Series X also has a built-in warning for overheating, of course, if you see a message warning that your console is getting too hot, that’s a clear sign that you’re having overheating issues.

If you find that your Xbox is overheating, the first thing you want to do is turn it off and give it some time to cool down. Failing to do so could lead to permanent damage to your console.

What Causes the Xbox Series X to Overheat?

The Xbox Series X might be an extremely powerful next-gen games console, but it has also been designed for optimal airflow, making it run cool even with prolonged use.

But there are still a few issues that can cause the Xbox Series X to overheat; thankfully, these are easy issues to resolve.

Improper Placement of Your Xbox Series X

While the Xbox Series X might do a great job of dispersing heat, if you place your console in an enclosed cabinet or somewhere where it might not draw in as much air, it can easily start to overheat.

If you’ve had issues with overheating, make sure to move your console to somewhere open, where it can easily draw in more air.

Air comes into the Xbox Series X from the bottom of the console, as well as the back, so make sure not to have the console backed up against a wall, or anything else that could block as much air going through.

Dust Blocking the Console’s Airflow

As with all computers, your Xbox Series X, over time, can start to build up dust. If left for too long, this can start to block the airflow, making the console heat up quicker.

If you’re not sure how to clear the dust from your Xbox Series X, watch the detailed video from TronicsFix below.

If you have pets, you might find that pet hairs and dust could end up clogging up your Xbox quicker. Just make sure to check the console regularly, and you should be able to prevent any Xbox overheating issues before they happen.

Other Potential Issues

There are some other issues that can cause your console to overheat, but depending on whether or not your console is still in warranty, you might want to consider contacting Microsoft before attempting to fix these issues.

Broken Fan

In some rare cases, you might find that your console’s fan has broken. In most cases, you can hear a humming noise when the fan is broken. This is usually caused by faulty bearings in the fan.

You can use the video above to learn how to take the Xbox Series X apart and easily replace the fan. Just make sure that you purchase a 130mm fan to replace the broken one.

Replacing the Thermal Paste

If none of the above methods work, you might want to look at replacing the thermal paste. Bear in mind this might void your warranty.

The thermal paste helps conduct heat from the processor to the heatsink, but as it gets older, it can become less efficient, causing the CPU to overheat and often leading to performance and/or overheating issues.

Thankfully, How-FixIT has made a detailed guide on how to replace your Xbox Series X thermal paste.

While replacing your thermal paste is a great way to ensure your Xbox runs cool, it’s a fairly complicated procedure and could risk breaking your Xbox, so only do this if you are sure you have the expertise required. If not, there are plenty of professionals who will replace your Xbox’s thermal paste for you.