My three year-old MacBook Pro recently started emitting a constant racket from its left fan (which sounds something like this). Most people will tell you you need a new fan for $50, but I decided to try to fix it instead, and so far (it's been two weeks nine months), the repair has worked great. As any google or youtube search for "noisy macbook pro fan" produces thousands of results, I hope this saves someone fifty of their hard-earned bucks.
You'll need a couple of tools to perform this operation, but you would need these same tools to install a replacement fan as well, so you're still saving fifty bucks (or more, if you were going to take it in to be repaired). They should total up to less than $15:
You also might want to get some compressed air to clean out the dusty innards of your machine (I added one to my order just to make it to the $25 free shipping mark at Amazon, and it ended up being quite handy).
As reported in the comments below, this repair works on both 15" and 17" versions, going back to 2006 and including the newer "unibody" models (unibody disassembly instructions are slightly different, but the repair requires the exact same set of tools). UPDATE: the new MacBook Pros introduced in April 2010 drop the Torx screws for Triwing screws; you'll need a Triwing screwdriver to complete the repair.
The first step is to disassemble the laptop, for which you'll need the aforementioned T6 Torx and Phillips screwdriver; it's best to print and follow these instructions. This undertaking is categorized by iFixit as "difficult" -- and while I would downgrade that rating to "easy if you're coordinated," you may want to go a different route if you're not comfortable with the idea of your laptop looking like the one at left.
After you've extracted the fan from the Mac's innards, the fan assembly comes apart quite easily (by undoing two Phillips screws), into three pieces. The inside of the fan assembly (illustrated in the brilliant photo below) is the noise culprit -- it just needs to be cleaned and lubed.
Get rid of any debris using a lint-free cloth. Then, apply some some WD-40 to the axle (illustrated by the subtle red arrow). I applied a bit to the axle, reassembled the fan, and everything went back together, quietly.
After reassembling the laptop (follow the directions in reverse), use the app smcFanControl to ramp up your fans to full speed for 30 seconds or so, and when you drop them back down to normal RPMs, the lubricant should have set. The Mac once again operates as it should, silently. Problem solved!
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300 Comments
WD40 is a terrible lubricant. It is attracts dust. Get triflow, or some silicone spray. much better. silicone spray will not gunk up from dust. it repels it.
June 27, 2012 at 6:44PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Thank you for instructions. I fixed my wife extremely loud right fan on her early 2008 MacBook Pro. I originally used WD-40, and of course wiped up any excess, but the noise came back 1 month later. This time I have add a drop of machine oil that came with my hair clippers. Hopefully, this will last longer.
June 30, 2012 at 4:59PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
thx for the great howto!!
ive cleaned the fans and now im testig if there a not so noisy anymore!
@yousuck come on!
July 1, 2012 at 7:36AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
THANK YOU
I have never felt more satisfied from doing a repair in my life!! I have been living with a gentle whirring from my right fan for a few years! This morning it escalated to a very loud grinding (it was so loud it drowned out the radio that was on). I rang a few repair centres and it would have taken 2-3 working days and 100-150 euro to replace a fan (estimates).
I followed the guide showing me how to open the laptop and remove the fan and then opened the fan and cleaned the little metal pin with a qtip soaked in wd40 so there was no excess. I sprayed the wd40 into the lip of the can. Dipped the qtip into it. Then used the qtip to gently clean the pin. There was a lit of dirt on the pin itself, especially on the little groove near the top. Then dipped the other end of the qtip into the wd40 (clean end) and ran this over the pin too leaving a tiny trace of lubrication on it. Put it all back together and Oh My God my laptop is now SILENT. I mean really silent. I can't stop smiling. Best ever. And I am by no means a techie.
Thank you so much for the great fix , the satisfaction and the savings! I feel like opening the machine up again and cleaning the left fan just for the fun!
July 3, 2012 at 6:37AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
You, Sir, are a scholar and a gentleman. It truly was an easy procedure. Couple of screws and that's all there is to. I didn't even take the fan assembly out. Unscrewed it, lifted it up and pulled the fan off of it. Cleaned it out and generously applied silicon oil. I can't believe that it was that easy to fix. It literally sounded like a helicopter that is about to take off before, now you don't hear anything at all anymore.
Again, thank you thank you thank you. I was just about to order a new fan when I stumbled on your article.
July 4, 2012 at 9:42AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Ryan!
Thank you so much for this tutorial! I live outside the USA and to get a fan replaced would have cost $150+, so forget that. Then I was going to order a fan from the U.S. and have it shipped International, and that would have been about $100. I was actually doing a search online of where to buy the part and, I came across your article.
I followed you directions to a "T" and also did like Fiona Brophy and applied WD40 with a Q-tip. All was very easy. I revved it up to 6000rpm using smcFanControl like you suggested and It's so silent I can't believe it. No more lawn mover noise coming from my MB Pro.
Big Thanks!
July 10, 2012 at 2:59PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
I just wanted to say thanks so much, I followed your instructions and now my MacBook Pro (late 2008) runs quietly like it was day one.
July 10, 2012 at 10:11PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Wow - this was a fantastic repair. You are a hero for posting this. Easy as pie with your help. I used a drop of sewing machine oil, and a Q-tip to wipe everything down so there was no excess oil anywhere. Worked like a charm. The sound of a roaring train is back down to a gentle whisper. Bless you! I can't imagine how that one person who posted had any troubles -- that post should be removed, honestly.
July 21, 2012 at 3:34PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
This worked great for me! I just used this tutorial to take everything apart: http://www.ifixit.com/Guide/Installing-MacBook-Pro-17-Inch-Models-A1151-...
Worked like a charm. Thanks so much!
August 1, 2012 at 7:57AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
This worked perfect, thanks ;)
August 9, 2012 at 8:08PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Thank you for showing how this is done, it worked really well for me here in the UK. And my ageing Mac ran silently for about 2 days when the noise returned. So, I did it again trying to keep to the letter, and again it worked very well. I soaked the spindle in WD40, closed the Mac, and lo and behold silence again...for another 3-4 days, when the noise slowly returned. Some more research revealed that WD40 (WD=water dispersant) is at best a temporary fix. A better fix would be using gun oil which has disulphide in it and has teflon, and is also considered a "dry" lubricant. Gun oil was a little difficult and complex for me to obtain so after some more research, I found a "dry" lubricant in a cycle shop, of all places, at a very reasonable price of just under £4. It's a small 60ml dropper bottle called Dry Teflon Bike Lube, dry because it's in a waxy mixture which goes dry on contact with air. A few drops on the spindle and my noisy Mac has gone silent as it was before. This may prove to be a more lasting fix than using WD40. But all n all, this article has been very useful, so thank you.
August 17, 2012 at 12:33PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Thanks for the info; helped me out a lot! Laptop sounds good as new
August 19, 2012 at 7:06PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
This doesn't work on the unibody macbooks.....as the fan blades are permanently mounted in their enclosure...if you remove the sticker on the bottom of the fan, you can see what looks like the pinion and a place to oil, but I"m not so sure as these are maglev fans...I place a drop of oil here and put them back in and they seem quieter...time will tell if it works, but you definitely cannot remove the blades as shown in this DIY
August 26, 2012 at 6:50PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Thanks so much for this guide. This will help my MBP last just a bit longer while I save for one of the new Retina MBPs.
September 7, 2012 at 7:06PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Hi, thank for the blog. This article really helped.
When I heard the noise, I the first thing that came to my mind is how much is this going to cost me. Thankfully, it sounds like is not that much.
Thanks again.
September 12, 2012 at 9:41AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Well done!
I can confirm the wd40 is only a temporary fix.
I've just completed this work for the second time using shaver oil.
Should have read all the comments first where someone suggested dry bike oil with teflon.
Thanks again.
I've just informed my lady that we've now save $300 in total.
LOL
September 14, 2012 at 9:32PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
I have been hearing this noise for the past two days. Definitely from the right side of the keyboard area, and when I pushed on the Delete, }], |\, Return or "', keys, it obviously changed tone. If I tapped on the right speaker area, it would lessen, and sometimes go away altogether, for a couple of minutes, then slowly creep back into existence.
I thought is was an HD issue, so I YouTubed how to replace MacBook Pro HD, and saw in that video, where the HD was, and being nowhere near the source of the noise, but the fan was, I immediately figured that my computer has had a hard life. I've never had it apart, so there was likely some debris, or dirt, of some sort that got in there, with the fan. So, I opened it up, and had my handy-dandy can of Dust Off, compressed gas. Lord, there was a lot of crud, that came out of there. So I sprayed, until I got no more crud out, and re-assembled it, figuring it was all good, now.
WRONG!!! The noise is still there. So I Googled MacBook Pro fan noise, and this was the first hit. Now I know what my problem is. But, I'd like to suggest a light machine oil, or some sort of tuner cleaner/lubricant, rather than WD-40. WD-40 does lubricate, but not well. It tends not to last. WD-40 does one thing well. It does nearly everything, except take out the garbage. And anytime something has that wide range of applications, it seems miraculous, but that's more to do with how much can be done with it. A good spritz, with some good lubricant, or with Caig's DeoxIT Gold G5L or dab a bit of sewing machine oil, or any high quality THIN, yet lasting, lubricant on it, and it should last longer than the computer will be a viable resource.
So, thanks for your tutorial, it is going to help me, tomorrow morning, when I open it back up, and do your procedure. I hope I was able to add something positive, to the discourse, on this subject.
September 24, 2012 at 5:20PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Rather than use WD40, I tried a couple of drops of Mobil 1. Had it on hand and it worked great.
September 25, 2012 at 1:05AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Thanks!! Worked just as easy as you described. No noise now.
October 11, 2012 at 1:26PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Almost 9 months to the day and the fan started acting up again. Remembered this GEM of a website, and it is once again quiet as a mouse. Thanks a million!
November 11, 2012 at 5:55PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
thanks man!! it really works... saved my time , energy and money... worth a try..
November 15, 2012 at 9:56PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Thanks for the info on quieting the fans. I just got done (used sewing machine oil on a Q-tip) and the fans were so quiet that I was glad to see via the smc app that they were operating.
December 8, 2012 at 10:42AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
I tried this a week ago and it works! Today, being a week later, and my previous horrendously loud fan is still silent. I'm so pleased!
BUT, don't use WD40. I used a sewing machine lubricant and it's been awesome. I also hear that 3-1 lubricants work too from other reviewers, so that's worth a try.
I would caution you not to even open up your machine until you have a proper lubricant. Why? Because I tried the WD40 first, within 2 hours, the airplane noise had come back. Also, every time you open up your machine, you're tempting fate. Me=clumsy.
So, I've had this computer for at least 4 years. The fan was most definitely dusty. Also, you HAVE to take the fan blade out. Period. I was really worried that I'd break something trying to get it out but I managed to get away without any catastrophes. With that said, plenty of folks on here have commented that they accidentally snapped a fan blade. That didn't seem to hurt the performance any, but lets not do that. A can of air duster won't clear out the fan and the lubricant can only be applied once you take out the fan.
Once you get the fan blade out, take a pair of tweezers or your fingernails and clear out the debris that has been compacted inside the fan housing. My little dust bunny was quite large, and very adorable. By "large" I mean (1.5 inches by .5 inch by .5 inch of pure compacted 4 years worth of dust).. inside the fan housing. Now, the fan was moving alright despite that dust bunny, but it definitely needed lubrication and a good cleaning. Speaking of lubricating the fan, use a generous amount of lubricant on the little fan piece, snap her back in to place, and get the hell out of there. Be gentle. So many little parts.. me clumsy. I just. I'm flabbergasted that I didn't screw anything up, frankly.
I had a mini meltdown, gave myself a pat on the back. And now I'm a pro at it. Thanks for all the help, commenters. You're awesome!
December 16, 2012 at 12:12AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Hey mate, it worked!
I used bicycle lub and now my mid-2010 macbook pro is silent as the silence itself. Thank you!
December 17, 2012 at 6:14PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
I'v repaired with WD-40 and now it is ok, but I have read all over the web that WD-40 is not a good solution...
So, I really wonder how long my fan will be ok... You have sad 9 months, but what was the end of the story?
December 20, 2012 at 3:09AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Thank you so much. Just saved me $50.00!
I took it apart about 5 times and kept adjusting, cleaning, aligning, and no matter what I did, it was so loud, it sounded like a helicopter landing on my roof. (not that much of an exaggeration, it was LOUD!).
I just never tried to pull the blades off because I was afraid of breaking them, but with this information, I could see that it was safe to do.
I brushed out and blew out the fan and spindle more after removing the blades, then just a few drops of gun oil on the axle, and they are so quite now, I had to run SMC Fan Control to make sure they were both on. It's that quiet!
Just hope if lasts.
Thank you!
December 21, 2012 at 4:22PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
The whizzing fan has ben a problem with my old macbook pro from 07. Itd been acting up and and geting super noisy and sputtering even. Then thered be days where it didnt act up at all. It started to get louder and louder. THe repair shop said itd be around $150 to replace the fan. The hardware store by my house had an electrical repair kit, with all the necessary screwdrivers n bit sizes for $6.00 .. Less than an hour later and carefully following this tutorial. My laptop is now cool and quiet. THANK YOU!!
December 23, 2012 at 7:53PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Thanks for this D.I.Y. tip. Worked like a charm.
Actually, I somehow managed to snap one of the fan blades when cleaning them, but everything still runs cool and silent. Hopefully everything stays quiet for a while.
December 28, 2012 at 4:36PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Just did this with a late-2009 MacBook Pro! It worked (needs a #000 screw driver to open fan)! Thank you so much! I thought I'd have to have it repaired again!
January 2, 2013 at 1:51AM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Dear Ryan,
could you please, please do the same tutorial on MacBook White 13"?
I got so discouraged when googling it, it seems that prying open MacBook 13" is 10 times more complicated that doing that on MacBook Pro. I need to salvage my MacBook... it sounds sometimes like a lawn-mower, sometimes like Mongolian throat singing, crazy. Thank youu, and you help is so very much appreciated :)
January 4, 2013 at 4:30PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
Excellent post. My 2009 MacBook Pro was screaming like a banshee, but after a pretty easy 15 min. repair, it's as quiet as the day I bought it. I used PTFE lubricant instead of WD-40. Thank you.
January 10, 2013 at 2:48PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
My 17" Mbp had been doing the same thing thanks to the kids. Took it apart and blew it out without wd40 and it started doing it within a few hours. So I took it apart again and this time put wd40 on the fan post. Works great now!
January 11, 2013 at 3:58PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
This worked right away thank you!
January 17, 2013 at 4:41PM, Edited September 4, 7:54AM
it didnt fix it for me, but it sure hushed a bit.
January 23, 2013 at 10:59AM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
WD40 is not a lubricant. (google that) You should use a very small amount of some grease or teflon if you have it -- I mean REALLY small -- on that post. Bike shops have some good stuff. You can clean it with WD40 first, but then actual lubricant will make this repair last much longer.
cheers,
dug
January 24, 2013 at 1:05AM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
I just did this to my machine. Worked a treat. Thanks for posting!
February 18, 2013 at 3:36AM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
Thank you for this post Ryan! Luckily I hadn't spent a lot of time searching for a solution before I stumbled across your lovely fix! Had watch a "painful" video done by some kid that didn't even say how to fix the problem. (least I don't think so...couldn't bare the kiddy jokes him getting sidetracked)
But this solution is simple and easy...and I agree the dis-assembly of the macbook pro should be rated easy, especially if you ever dealt with a laptop before. I had the tools on hand and had it fixed in less than 30 mins. Can't thank you enough, definitely saved me time and money. (and my sanity :-), the noise was driving me nuts)
February 21, 2013 at 11:04AM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
Very useful post, and link to step-by-step instructions.
I had a very noisy fan and so pulled my macbook apart and cleaned dust out. However, when I put back together, the fan didn't work at all!!
Started looking at buying a replacement, then had an idea. Took it apart again, and this time I put a small amount of HAIR CLIPPER OIL on the fan's axel!!
Put it all back together and now have a perfectly functioning, quiet fan again!
February 28, 2013 at 1:06AM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
Great post and simple fix. Agree that there are better lubes than WD40. Hey how about a book on "Preventative Maintenance for your Mac"... my fan spindle is pitted and will have to replace (both) fans but had I been aware of this issue a year ago, some lube and 30 minutes could have avoided the replacement for who knows how many years to come. Thanks!
March 3, 2013 at 8:06PM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
My Macbook Pro 17 had been making a hell of a racket, luckily I found this and within a half an hour the problem was solved, I didn't even need the special torx screwdriver, I used a watchmaker's 1.4mm flathead and it worked perfectly. I chickened out with the left fan as that would have meant removing the charging unit and probably even more stuff, but it was the right one that was making the noise, and once I'd removed it I saw that the filter was blocked with dust and stuff so got rid of that and everything is running fine now. Thanks for posting this, it really is easy, if not a bit fiddly with all the tiny screws! Cheers!!
March 29, 2013 at 6:58AM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
This procedure works for the Samsung NP-SF410 fan assembly as well. Thanks for the tutorial. It was GREAT!
April 7, 2013 at 2:43PM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
The WD-40 did the trick for the fans on my Mac Book Pro Late 2008, no more squeaking noise. Thanks for the tip!
April 20, 2013 at 11:28AM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
Thank you!! I looked up the price and it was going for $50 huge ripoff it didnt even cross my mind to try and fix the fan now i have to go buy wd-40 im out lol.
April 21, 2013 at 12:35PM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
“easy if you’re coordinated." You're right about that, Ryan! I'm actually among those people who want to do the repair themselves and just buy some macbook replacement parts. Knowing which repair is easy or difficult actually depends on the person since this skill can be relative. And by the way, thanks for this guide!
May 15, 2013 at 11:31PM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
Yet another satisfied customer! Was doing a heavy iMovie export and fans were a-blazin'. Next thing i know my 2008 17" MBP is making the worst racket! Sounded like it was a fan and likely the right fan. Took her apart (I'm not shy I have done many a dissection of all sorts of Mac laptops) and after trying to figure out how to spudge the video connector cable from the motherboard (just pull it gently horizontal) I had success! Sprayed WD40 on a Qtip , then hit the spindle and the blades and put it all back together and it works great! total time between noise and fix was about 40 min. woot!
Thanks!
July 5, 2013 at 12:02AM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
This worked perfectly
August 3, 2013 at 10:55PM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
Thanks for sharing. The right-side fan on my MBP was rattling, this cured it and was a great excuse to clean up the inside of the computer with compressed air.
One word of caution - the fan blades are *very* brittle, so use caution while removing it from the assembly.
August 10, 2013 at 10:05AM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
Just bought a 2008 Macbook Unibody from a friend,
After an hour of using it, the noisy fan would come on several times then shut off.. Very annoying, especially if you are in a quiet room!
Thanks for this tutorial, i'm gonna try it once i get home.
September 11, 2013 at 7:32PM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
Excellent tutorial. Thanks for your generosity, it saved me a good deal of money.
September 28, 2013 at 7:18PM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
Thanks it worked, my macbook is like new now :))
October 6, 2013 at 9:08AM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
The instruction was excellent. I only suggest a lubricant such as "tri-flow". Sure worked for my Macbook Pro. I appreciate your time in doing the documentation.
October 15, 2013 at 1:58PM, Edited September 4, 8:21AM
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