How can I limit my MacBook Air M4’s max temperature without fans?

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Mow.gli Author

Level 1

6 points

How can I limit my MacBook Air M4’s max temperature without fans?

Hi. I'm looking at getting an Air M4 (10 core gpu version)

I love that it doesn't have a fan.

But I would like to avoid it getting too hot.

I know the high temps are considered safe, I just personally just want to avoid it getting very hot

Is there some smart/easy way to limit it so it never exceeds say 70-80 C (160-180 F) temps on the chips?

I don't mean physically cooling the computer, as I don't want to use a big fan or something.

Just limit it in OS or some app.

It's fine if this will give less performance. Having a silent AND always cool computer would be awesome

I see many are advising against using turbo limiting, and I get it. Is there any other way/s?

[Re-Titled by Moderator]

Original Title: Limit the Air M4 to keep lower max temps

MacBook Air (M4, 2025)

Posted on Jun 12, 2025 03:51 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Allan Jones

Level 9

76,508 points

Jun 12, 2025 08:48 AM in response to Mow.gli

You may be asking the impossible. If you plan to use apps that are know heat generators:

viewing videos
video-conferenceing
some browsers (Chrome) and poorly-coded web pages
photo- and video-editing
using an external monitor
others

and you are concerned about internal temperatures, don't go fanless. The entry-level M4 Macbook Pro has two fans.

Another heat-producing situation: installing useless third-party "protectio" and "cleaning" apps. Run away!

Cooling pads ("chill pads") are not very effective with Mac notebooks made after about 2009, when the Unibody design sopped using the case bottom as a heat sink.

I have a 2024 M4 Pro Macbook Pro 14 and it runs cooler than any Mac notebook computer I've owned, used, or serviced in the past. Two fans—very nice.

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Answer 2

Limnos

Level 10

424,019 points

Jun 12, 2025 08:56 AM in response to Mow.gli

I doubt there is a way. I believe there there may be CPU throttling if temperatures exceed what Apple thinks is safe, but unless some third party has written a utility (and I doubt we could even mention it on Apple's own forum if there is one) that lets you alter that setting then I doubt there's a way to do it. You may have to resort to external methods such as using a notebook cooler stand with a fan built into it, or maybe a stand of some sort to allow better airflow on all sides. I use several external hard drives on docking stations and I have a small fan I run in summer.

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How can I limit my MacBook Air M4’s max temperature without fans?

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