Monitors, one of the most critical computer hardware components, endure similar problems as the rest of the hardware.
If you are looking for answers to if monitors are supposed to get hot, do not worry. You are not alone. You just found yourself at the right place.
So, are monitors supposed to get hot?
While it’s normal for monitors to get hot, they can also overheat. This can be caused by dirty vents, which leads to poor ventilation, damaged input cables, and heat generated by energy conversion. Most monitors will shut down if they start to overheat to prevent damage to the hardware circuitry. Replace bad cables and make sure your monitor has adequate ventilation.
In this article, we will help you understand if monitors are supposed to heat and provide some quick DIY fixes that you can employ whenever your monitor overheats. We will also answer some of the most frequently asked questions about monitors overheating.
Sounds good? Keep reading to discover more.
How Can You Tell If a Monitor Is Overheating?
It is very nerve-wracking when your monitor overheats, more so if it is the first time it is overheating. Many complications come across your mind, and you wish for the best but, in reality, expect the worst.
In some cases, you can easily notice if your monitor is overheating. But, there are instances where it requires you to be keen to tell.
Some of the symptoms that should tell you that your monitor is overheating include;
1. The monitor is too hot to touch.
Overheating is associated with high temperatures. Therefore, the most obvious symptom of an overheating monitor is that it is hot to touch.
Whenever your monitor gets too hot to touch, the best thing to do is to unplug the monitor from the power source first. This will ensure that you and everything around the monitor is out of harm. Besides, it eliminates any possibility of damage to the circuitry inside.
You can then allow your monitor to cool off before turning it on again.
2. The monitor keeps turning off for no reason.
You’re browsing the web or playing a game and your monitor suddenly crashes. This is a common symptom that should tell you that your monitor is overheating.
After it has crashed, it is vital to check the temperature. If the temperatures are high, you should leave it to cool before turning it on.
3. Lines of pixels appear on the screen.
This is another common symptom that you can notice whenever your monitor is overheating. In most cases, it is associated with an issue with the graphics card or the monitor.
Therefore, whenever you notice pixel lines on your screen, you should check if the graphic card has enough ventilation or if it’s being overworked.
4. General glitches and flashing
If any type of glitching or flashing appears whenever your monitor has been running for a while and generated heat, it could possibly be caused by the monitor’s inability to keep the temperature down.
How To Stop a Monitor From Overheating
After diagnosing your monitor with overheating, it is now time to stop your monitor from overheating.
There are a few things that you can do. They involve;
- Turning off your monitor and computer
- Changing the VGA cable
- Cleaning the vents with canned air
- Using PC’s vacuum to clean the PC hardware
- Adjusting the power options
Here is a step-by-step guide that you can use to stop your monitor from overheating;
Step 1: Turn off your monitor and computer as you clean.
This is vital because it gives both your monitor and computer time to cool. It will also allow you to adequately clean your monitor and computer, which improves airflow for cooler temperatures.
Step 2: Locate air vents on the monitor.
Typically, the vents are located on either side of your monitor. But they can occasionally be found above the screen.
It is vital to note that the vents on your monitor tower are different depending on your monitor model. However, they are small slits in your monitor casing in most cases.
Step 3: Angle the nozzle of a can of compressed air 10 inches to 15 inches over the top of the vents.
It is important to note that you should avoid blasting air into the vents as this can push debris into the monitor, thus enhancing the overheating issue.
Instead, you should blast dirt and dust off of the monitor’s side to clean the monitor surface and get rid of dirt and dust around the vents.
Step 4: Attach a nozzle to your monitor vacuum.
You should note that the monitor vacuum can not cause static buildup inside the monitor; only regular vacuums can.
Therefore, you should aim the nozzle directly over the vents to remove debris, dirt, and dust.
Step 5: Using a soft cloth, wipe the outside of the monitor casing.
Step 6: Power on the monitor and check the temperature while using your monitor.
If the monitor is still hot, you should replace the VGA cable. This cable connects your computer’s video card to the monitor. For instance, a damaged VGA cable can cause your monitor to overheat.
Step 7: Adjust the power options.
This will allow your monitor to switch off when it is not in use to save power and prevent or stop future episodes of overheating.
To do this, you need to;
- Click the Windows logo located in the bottom left corner of your monitor
- Select Control Panel
- Click on Power Options and select ‘Change Plan Setting.’ You can then choose when you wish your display to turn off after lack of use.
- Click on Save Changes.
Therefore, the most important thing to do to stop your monitor from overheating is to allow both your computer and monitor to cool down and avoid overworking them.
Is It Normal For a Monitor To Get Hot?
We all know that computers generate a lot of heat. They use fans or alternating cooling systems to keep them running smoothly.
Most of the heat is generated by the CPU and the graphics processor. However, the hard drive can also contribute to the temperature rise. For instance, the more complex the tasks you give your computer to run, the more it generates heat.
Therefore, the monitor being part of the computer hardware, it is normal for it to get hot. However, it should not overheat or be too hot to touch. Overheating can cause damage to the internal components of the monitor and computer.
How Long Can You Leave a Monitor On?
It’s not unusual for users to leave their computer running for days on end. Most monitors and computers tend to go into sleep mode when no activity has been registered for a set period of time. But, if the equipment doesn’t go into sleep mode, and even it if does, is there a chance that it’s being overworked?
You shouldn’t have to worry about keeping your monitor turned on for a long period of time if the monitor is working as intended. The monitor doesn’t cost a lot to run and most LCD monitors have a lifespan ranging in the 30.000-60.000 hours.
However, I wouldn’t recommend leaving a monitor unattended for a long period of time if the monitor has shown signs of overheating recently. You never know what could happen. So, running the monitor for longer periods of time is alright if it doesn’t overheat.
Turn off the monitor if it’s starting to overheat and give it time to cool down. If it seems to happen frequently, start troubleshooting the unit with the guide above.