How To Control Fan Speed On Windows

Are you looking to learn how to control fan speed on windows? You’ve come to the right place. Fans play a vital role in maintaining your computer’s health. By regulating the temperature, they keep the components cool.

As a result, your PC can work to its best capabilities. They prevent overheating and the damage that may cause because of them. That’s why it is pivotal to have fans that match the specification of your computer.

Similarly, it is vital to control your computer fan’s speed. Setting the correct speed can help you with a lot of things. For instance, it will keep your system cool while reducing noise. Excessive speed may result in too much noise. You might not even need this much speed.

But, you might also need to increase the speed. The fan might not be doing it automatically. If you face frequent system crashes or reboots, your PC is overheating. Thus, you will have to boost the speed of the PC.

Controlling the fan’s speed generates more cooling or ensures a quieter performance. It depends on your needs. Manual controls are available today, but automatic fan controls may help better.

With that being said, let’s learn how to control your fan speed. There are many different methods to do so. So, let’s check them out.

Why Do You Need To Control The SpeedFan For PC? – CPU Cooling And Such

Is there any reason to control the different fan speeds? What if it is working fine without meddling?

There’s no reason why the PC is performing well. Most laptops from recognized brands come with an automatic control feature. It will adjust the fan speed when the PC needs cooling. But, controlling the fan speed can impact the experience.

You should adjust the fan’s speed, if:

• The automatic feature is not active. You can go ahead and activate it through fan speed controls.
• The fan is too loud, and you might not need this much speed for cooling.
• You need higher cooling for gaming and other modes.
• You want silent fan speed to have peaceful operations.
• You have multiple fans. Most high-end PCs and laptops have more than a single fan unit. You might want to control the individual and set speed. So, you might want to learn how to do that.

Before starting with any of these, make sure that you maintain the fan. Clean the fan and the components in your laptop or PC once in a while. This will assure top-notch performance for you.

Some other points for the best fan performance are:

• Make sure that your PC or Laptop is well-ventilated. There should be space in the cabinet or around the fan for ventilation.
• The fan should be high-performing and according to the system specifications. For instance, gaming PCs require cooling pad fans, not entry-level fans.

Remember that even if you control the fan speed or turn it to automatic, it might work at high settings. It could be due to some programs consuming excessive PC resources. For this, you can go to the Task Manager and check to see if you can fix it in any way possible.

Either way, the best reason to control fan speed is if you’re not satisfied. More importantly, if you’re building your PC from scratch, it is a good idea to learn how to control the fan’s speed.

Method For Controlling The Fan Hub Speed

There’s no single method to control all fans. It would depend on where the fan is connected. For instance, the one connected to (or built-in) power supply might always run full power. The same might apply to the ventilation fan. Others would depend on the temperature of the processor and GPUs.

It would also depend on the type of connection the fans have. Here is a brief overview:

• There are two ways for the fans to draw power from the computer – The first is directly from the motherboard; the other is through the power supply.
• You most likely use a Molex connector if your fan uses a power supply. In this case, there’s no way to control the fan speed. You can’t do it via software or BIOS. But you can still install a component like an external controller. It will fix one of the wires extending from the fans, enabling you to control speed. Typically, there will be a knob-like controller for this purpose. So, for this, you need extra hardware.
• If your fan connects to the motherboard, it might come with a 3-pin or 4-pin setting. In this case, you will have options to control the fan speed via software. For the 4-pin connector, you will get PWM (Pulse-Width Modulation). It is the smoothest option available.
• If you have a 3-pin connection, you must use the motherboard’s BIOS or voltage control. By supplying a specific voltage, you can control the fan’s speed.

For these, you will have to open your PC or check the manual for the PC’s motherboard and components. You can also check the fan you have bought.

Solutions To Control Fan Speed On Windows

1. Use The Power Plan Option For Windows 10 Laptop
2. Use The BIOS Method
3. Use A Third-Party Speed Controller
4. The Last Resort – An External Fan Hub

Methods To Control Fan Speed On PC

1. Use Power Plan Option For Windows 10 Laptop

This method is an excellent choice for laptop users. Your Control Panel in Windows 10 will have a couple of options. It is available in the power options.

As a laptop user, you won’t have the ease of ‘opening the cabinet.’ So, this is most likely one of the best options available for you:

• First, go to the search box at the bottom left corner. Find the ‘Control Panel’ and launch it. Then go to the Hardware and Sound. Find the Power Options. Click on it to open a new window for settings.
• Find the ‘Change Plan Settings’ option for the current power plan. You can also create customized power plans.
• Once you click on the option, you will find ‘Change Advanced Power Settings’ at the bottom of the new window.
• It should open the Advanced settings tab for you. If not, then select the Advanced Settings tab.
• Then, find the Processor Power Management option. Click on the Plus symbol to expand the list.
• There should be a ‘System Cooling Policy’ on the list. Select Active on the status to boost the fan’s speed.
• Click Apply and then OK to save the settings.

Now, your laptop should have the best access to the fan’s settings to boost the fan’s speed.

2. Use The BIOS Method 

This is the best method available for both PC and laptop users. BIOS is available in most PCs and Laptops for various settings. Either that, or you will have UEFI for the system. You can use these options to change and control the fan speed. How? Follow these steps:

• First, you will have to restart your system. Shutting down is the best way. When your system boots up, you will run into a Window with options. The options will be ‘Press DEL to enter Setup, Press F12 to enter BIOS.’ The keys you need to press would be different in each system. So, make sure to find out the keys you need to use to enter your BIOS. Generally, it is either the F12 or DEL button.
• Once you enter the BIOS, you can’t use the mouse. Everything will rely on your keyboard’s arrow keys. Use them to go to the Fan Speed Control. It should be one of the options available. Check the manual for your system’s BIOS if you can’t find it in the main menu. Use the manual to access the Fan Speed Control.
• Typically, it is in the Monitor, then Status and Fan Speed Control. It could also be Hardware Monitoring > Advanced > PC Health Status. These two are the places you can find the fan speed settings.
• Look at it. You will find RPM or Voltage settings. Typically, it is the RPM settings or Low, medium, high settings. Select the speed settings and select the RPM according to your needs. For instance, if you want to increase from 200 RPM to 500 RPM (if there’s an option), go for it. 
• Similarly, if you have high fan speed settings and want to lower it, you can go for them. During these settings, you’re on your own. You have to decide the best option for yourself. 
• If you have many fans connected to the motherboard, they will appear in the BIOS. Thus, you will have to change the speed settings for each one manually. 
• Once done, make sure to Save Settings & Exit the bios. Your system will reboot, and you will most likely feel the difference. 

If you don’t have BIOS but UEFI, fuse these steps:

• Press Windows + I to open the Windows 10 Settings. 
• Go to the Update & Security option. In there, find the Recovery tool.
• In the Recovery, you will see an Advanced Startup option. This is to help you customize the PC startup settings.
• Go to Restart Now and select Troubleshoot. 

After that, you can reboot the PC to enter the settings and change the fan speed.

Remember, you can access BIOS and UEFI as often as possible. Thus, you don’t have to worry about changing the fan speed. Keep trying until you find the best fan speed for your PC.

3. Use A Third-Party Fan Speed Controller Like SpeedFan

The above-given steps are accessible for most Windows 10 users. But they still need your attention. You will have to change them manually. That’s where a third-party CPU fan speed controller can grant you an advantage.

• First, you won’t have to access in-depth BIOS or Power Options all the time.
• Most third-party controllers come with automated settings. They work according to the CPU’s temperature.

Typically, there’s no need for third-party software. But if you need one, follow the checklist given below. It is like a guide that will help you find the best, safe, and most secure fan speed-controlling tools:

• Make sure to scan the app file before you download or install it. There shouldn’t be any malware or suspicious element in the tool.
• It should give you detailed stats. Most fan controllers work with BIOS to show the CPU temperature, fan speed, and other stats. Thus, you can have a better evaluation of the performance.
• Make sure it supports the fans you need to control the speed. Remember, if the fan is connected to the Power Supply Unit, the software won’t work.
• Make sure that the tool supports the fans individually. Some tools offer singular controls for all the fans. That’s not your aim. Find the one that will fit as many fans as you have in settings.
• Check for the authenticity and reviews of the tool, if needed. They can provide you with some valuable insights.

Once you find software that fits these checklists, use it. Don’t worry. You can permanently remove or uninstall them if they don’t fit the bill. 

SpeedFan is one of the well-known tools available if you can’t find any other. It is well-versed in handling your requirements. 

4. Last Resort – An External Fan Hub

As you know, the software and built-in controls only work for fans attached to the motherboard. They won’t work with the fans that are directly connected to PSU. In this case, you will have to buy and connect an external fan hub.

It is extra hardware you can connect with your fans. The fans that connect with the PSUs often come with two cords. One connects and takes power from PSU, another connects with these external controllers.

You can check the market and buy the hardware for speed control if you have the option. Most have knobs for you to twist and control the speed. Others might have a switch or lever. Choose the one that fits your PC to the best of your capabilities.

Understanding BIOS Fan Speed Controls

Accessing and navigating BIOS can be a little tricky. You already got most of the guide above, but your BIOS might be advanced. There are things and settings that you need to know before you continue. 

As mentioned earlier, each motherboard has a unique BIOS. Thus, the way to access and diagnose things will vary. But some things are similar.

• There should be an option to set the fan speed to ‘Automatic.’ Each BIOS has this.
• In BIOS, ‘SYS Fans’ means system fans. These are spread all around the system. CPU Fan means the one connected to the processor.
• You will find an option for the target temperature. Typically, it is in Celsius. It allows the fan to boost speed when it hits a specific temperature you’ve set.
• There will be a ‘Minimum speed’ option. Most BIOS now come with percentage settings, but some might have RPM or voltage settings. The minimum speed is what allows the fan to have the lowest speed. You can keep it higher if you’d like.
• When you use the temperature and minimum speed options, you can calibrate the fan to work a certain way.
• After that, anything like SYS Fan 1 Control, Fan 2 control, etc., is for the system. You can go ahead and make changes as you like. It might take some time to learn which fan number represents which fan in the system. 

Conclusion – How To Control Fan Speed On PC Windows 10

Now you know every method to control and change the fan speed. If you still don’t find the solution, it is time to change the fan. You might have outdated fan hardware or drivers for it. So, it is worth checking the latest fans available. Remember, if you still face frequent crashes and overheating after the maximum speed, there could be another problem.

Now you know everything about controlling fan speed on a PC. Go ahead and become your technician today! Play around with the settings, and don’t worry too much. You will do just fine.

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