Why is my Mac so hot?
By Junaid, maker of Taskglass · Updated
Your Mac gets hot when its chip works hard for a long time: a video call, an export, a game, busy browser tabs, or background work such as Spotlight indexing. That's normal under load, and macOS slows the chip down to keep it safe, but a Mac that's hot while you're doing little usually has an app stuck using CPU.
How to find what's heating your Mac
- 1
Find the busiest app
Open Activity Monitor (⌘ Space, then type Activity Monitor), click CPU and sort by % CPU. The app at the top is usually the source of the heat.
- 2
Read kernel_task the right way
If kernel_task is high, macOS is already slowing the Mac to cool it. It's a symptom: the cause is the other busy app.
- 3
Check the graphics load
In Activity Monitor choose Window › GPU History. Games, video editing, external displays and video calls can heat the Mac through the GPU while CPU looks calm.
- 4
Give it air
Use the Mac on a hard, flat surface. Beds, sofas and laps block airflow. Apple designs MacBooks for room temperatures of 10–35 °C (50–95 °F).
- 5
Quit or pause the heavy work
Quit the busy app, close heavy tabs, or let a long export finish while you take a break.
What heats up a Mac
| Cause | How to spot it | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Video calls and screen sharing | zoom.us, CptHost or Microsoft Teams busy | Turn off HD video and virtual backgrounds; stop sharing when done |
| Browser tabs with video or heavy pages | Chrome or Safari helpers high in the CPU tab | Close tabs you aren't using |
| Exports, builds and games | The app you're using is at the top | Expected: give it airflow and time |
| Spotlight or Photos background work | mds_stores, mdworker or photoanalysisd busy | Normal after updates or imports; it finishes |
| External displays | WindowServer busy | Close animated windows; reduce transparency |
| Blocked airflow or a hot room | Hot even with low CPU | Hard surface, cooler room |
What temperature is normal for a Mac?
Under heavy load, Mac chips often run between 80 and 100 °C, and macOS slows them down before they get too hot. That's within design limits. The case you touch is much cooler than the chip. What matters is whether the Mac stays hot while you're doing little.
Can a hot Mac get damaged?
Macs protect themselves: macOS slows the chip when it gets too hot, and shuts the Mac down in extreme cases. Regular heavy use won't harm it, but long periods of heat aren't good for the battery, so keep the vents clear.
Why is my MacBook Air hot but silent?
MacBook Air models with Apple silicon have no fan. They stay silent and slow the chip down as they warm up, so a hot Air can also feel slower.
Why is my Mac hot while charging?
Charging makes some heat, and if the Mac is busy at the same time it adds up. A warm area near the battery or charging port is normal.
How Taskglass helps
Taskglass reads 40+ temperature sensors on Apple silicon Macs (no admin rights needed) and shows them next to the apps using the most CPU. Its timeline keeps 30 days of temperature and CPU and marks moments like “Your Mac is running hot” with the busiest app, so you can see what caused the heat after the fact.
See how it worksQuestions
How do I check my Mac's temperature?
macOS doesn't show temperatures. Activity Monitor shows CPU load, the main cause of heat. To see the temperature sensors, use an app such as Taskglass, which reads 40+ sensors on Apple silicon.
Why is kernel_task using so much CPU?
kernel_task holds back busy apps when your Mac is hot, to cool it down. High kernel_task CPU is a symptom of heat, not its cause.
Is it bad if my MacBook gets hot?
Warm under load is normal. If it's hot while idle, an app is probably stuck; find it in Activity Monitor's CPU tab.
Processes you might see
- kernel_taskThe core of macOS itself. It also holds busy apps back on purpose to stop your Mac overheating.
- WindowServerDraws every window, menu and animation you see on screen, and routes your clicks and keystrokes.
- Zoom (zoom.us)The Zoom video meetings app; zoom.us is its main process.
- CptHost (Zoom)Zoom's screen-sharing host process, used when you share your screen.
- mds_storesMaintains Spotlight's search index on disk, updating it as files change.
- photoanalysisdAnalyses your photos in the background for Memories, People and searching by what's in them.