How to Fix GPU Fans That Don't Spin

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posted on 1 week ago — updated on 1 second ago

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If your GPU fans aren’t turning on, don’t worry—they aren’t supposed to run all the time. In fact, your GPU fans should only kick on when you’re doing something that requires a lot of graphical processing, so it’s a good sign if your PC can handle whatever you’re throwing at it without breaking a sweat. However, if your fans never turn on, it’s a sign your drivers are out of date, your fan curves are out of whack, or your GPU isn’t seated properly. We’ll help you diagnose and fix the issue with this simple guide.

Why Are My GPU Fans not Spinning?

Confirming the Fans Don’t Work

Run a graphics-intensive game or program. Download or open a newer game with really good graphics. Set the graphics settings to the highest quality available and start playing. Alternatively, you can open a 3D rending program, like Blender, or pull up a video editing program and drop in some large files to edit. Anything that has intensive graphics will work for the purpose of this test. If you don’t have a game or program that fits the bill, use an online GPU stress test. Phenomenal options include Matthew x83’s test, MPrep, and Basemark.

Monitor the fans while the game or program runs. Assuming your GPU is mounted horizontally, look underneath it to see if the fans are moving. If your GPU is mounted vertically, you should see the fans facing you. As the game or program progresses, your fans should kick on at some point if they’re working correctly. The GPU normally has to reach around 55-60℃ before the fans turn on, so let the game or program run for a while to give the GPU time to heat up.

Your GPU is fine if the fans turn on and off. If the GPU’s fans spin while the game or program is running but they shut off once you’re done testing, the fans are working correctly. GPU fans are only supposed to kick on when the GPU generates excess heat, so it’s 100% normal for the fans to not turn when you aren’t doing anything intensive. If the fans do not turn on at all, your GPU fans may not be working correctly. Just to clarify, your GPU fans are fine if they turn on while playing a game or running a big program but they stay off when you’re just web browsing or replying to emails. The fans are not supposed to run all the time.

Setting Your Fan Curves

Adjust the fan curves if you want the fans to turn on earlier. Before you assume the fans aren’t working or if your fans work but you want them to come on earlier, check the fan curves. These are the settings in your PC that determine when and why your GPU fans turn on.

Open your BIOS and locate your fan settings. Reboot your PC. As soon as your motherboard manufacturer’s logo pops up, press the setup key repeatedly to enter the BIOS. Then, locate the fan settings menu. Every motherboard has its own BIOS interface, so you may need to poke around a bit in the various menus to find your GPU fans. Alternative: You may be able to set the fan curves in your GPU’s proprietary software. If you’ve already downloaded your GPU brand’s software, check there first. What’s the setup key? It depends on your motherboard. Here are the most common options. ASUS – F2 Acer – F2 or DEL Dell – F2 or F12 HP – F10 Lenovo – F1 (Enter and F1 for ThinkPad models) MSI – DEL

Reshape the fan curves based on your personal preferences. Once you’ve located the fan curve settings, adjust them to suit your preferences. Drag the individual points for each temperature profile until the curve Generally speaking, the default fan curves should be ideal. However, you may want to raise the bottom end of the curve if your computer tends to run hot, or raise the high end of the curve if you run a lot of very intense programs and your CPU has trouble keeping up. As a rule of thumb, it’s better to have your fans come on too early than too late. The fans need to run to dispel heat, and an overheating GPU is prone to fail. The downside of raising your GPU fans so that they run more frequently is that your GPU will wear down faster than it otherwise normally would. It shouldn’t cause your GPU to fail or anything, though.

Updating Your Drivers

Download the proprietary software for your GPU and check for updates. Every major GPU manufacturer has their own custom software for monitoring and adjusting the GPU settings. If your PC isn’t prebuilt, download the necessary program yourself. Here are the links: For AMD GPUs For Nvidia products Intel doesn’t offer a specific program, but their drivers are https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download-center/home.html here]. Use their automatic update tool to confirm your drivers are updated.

Run the driver check in the GPU software. In the GPU program, find the drivers tab or click the “check for updates” button. The program will check your PC to confirm that your GPU drivers are updated and configured correctly. If they aren’t, allow the program to repair and update your PC. For Intel, just click the “check my drivers” button on their driver page to see if your PC is up to date.

Update the remainder of the drivers on your PC. Press the Start button, select Settings, then Update & Security. Then, select Windows Update and click “Check for Updates.” If any of the drivers on your PC are out of date, they may be preventing your GPU’s fans from turning on at the appropriate time.

Update your BIOS if the computer is especially old. In fringe cases, an old or outdated BIOS may struggle to communicate with your GPU’s fans. Find your BIOS version in the System Information tab. Then, cross-reference that version against the most recent BIOS version listed on your motherboard manufacturer’s website to see if your BIOS is out of date. If it is, install the new BIOS/ Only do this if you’re confident when it comes to your computer know-how. Installing the wrong BIOS version could potentially brick your computer, so don’t do this if you aren’t confident.

Checking the Cable Connections and GPU

Open your case and recheck all of the PSU cables. It’s possible that a loose cable connection is interfering with the power running to your GPU. With your PC off and unplugged, open the back of your case and check all of the cables running from the PSU to the components in your PC. If any of the cables are loose, reconnect them to see if that solves the problem. Pay special attention to PCIe cable that runs from the GPU to the PSU. If this is unplugged or partially disconnected, your GPU won’t have the power it needs to run correctly.

Re-seat the GPU in the PCIe slot to confirm it’s connected. When in doubt, just remove your GPU and plug it back into the PCIe slot on your motherboard. With the PC off, press the tabs where your GPU connects to the motherboard to unlock it. Remove the GPU and then plug it back in to see if this fixes the problem.