In the third quarter of 2020, Lenovo shipped 18.31 million computers worldwide. With this, it managed to claim more than 25% of the global computer market. It has also left its main competitors, including HP and Dell, in the dust.
As popular as Lenovo laptops are, they aren’t impervious to technical issues. From noisy units to overheating and short battery life, these are all common Lenovo flaws.
These woes don’t necessarily mean you need a new laptop, though.
To that end, we came up with this comprehensive Lenovo troubleshooting guide. Check out and follow the hacks here so you can get your gear working smoothly once more.
Noisy Fans
Some Lenovo models, like ThinkPad and IdeaPad laptops, have built-in temperature control systems. These systems control and adjust the speed at which the fan runs. The hotter the internal and ambient temperature is, the faster the fan needs to run.
In normal conditions, you usually won’t hear the fan whirring. If the temperature reaches 86 °Fahrenheit, though, you might start to hear fan noises. This is still normal, as the fan’s faster operation creates more “disturbances” in the air.
However, if the whirring gets too loud and the heat doesn’t dissipate, that’s a sign you need to turn off your laptop. At the very least, you should close apps, starting with the biggest resource users. Closing programs will let your CPU “breathe” easier, so your fans will also run at a slower pace.
If quitting apps doesn’t do the trick, try rebooting your computer. This way, you can clear out its random access memory (RAM). With less RAM usage, your device should start sounding normal once more.
Too Hot for Comfort
Overheating is one of the most common problems with Lenovo laptops. This can occur if your laptop’s fan doesn’t engage, is faulty, or if it doesn’t have a fan to begin with. The Lenovo Yoga 900S and Yoga 710 11, for instance, have fanless models.
Blocked air vents can also contribute to an overheating laptop. Air vents can get clogged due to dirt build-up or other materials.
No Sound from an Overheating, Fan-Equipped Laptop
If your laptop isn’t fanless, but you still don’t hear anything, and the device is hot, you may have a faulty fan.
In this case, your best bet is to turn off your laptop, as the heat can damage its internals. The heat can also wreak havoc to your CPU, causing potentially permanent damage. High temperatures can also affect the lifespan of your device’s battery.
Once your laptop cools down, try powering it on again. Launch one or two apps that you usually use and monitor your computer for any signs of overheating.
If your laptop overheats again, it’s best to take it to an authorized Lenovo service center. Hopefully, the technician may only have to clean or tighten the fan blades.
Too Soft and Clingy
The “lap” in “laptop” refers to a person’s lap, as the original concept was for people to place such devices on their laps.
Interestingly, you’ll find that most laptop makers, including Lenovo, advise against this practice. That’s right: they say that you shouldn’t use laptops on your lap.
One of the primary reasons is that placing a laptop on a soft surface can block its air vents. After all, most of these portable computers have air intakes and exhausts at the bottom panel. Air intakes draw cool air into the device and then expel warm air through the exhaust vents.
Proper airflow is important as it helps to control and reduce the heat produced by your laptop. For instance, air intakes allow cool air to pass over heat-generating components. On the other hand, exhaust vents enable warm air to escape your laptop.
If you place your laptop on your lap, these vents can get blocked. The same goes if you lay it down on a bed, couch, or any other squishy surface. The soft materials can get wedged into the vents, cutting off your device’s airflow.
The best way to prevent this is to use your laptop on an even, non-conductive surface. A solid wood desk, for instance, won’t conduct a lot of heat, so it’s better than a metal surface. You may also want to use a lap desk or a laptop stand to elevate its bottom panel for better airflow.
Dirty Airways
Filth build-up on air vents can also result in an overheating and noisy laptop. This is often a quick fix, as you may only have to clean and wipe down the vents. You may also use a can of compressed air to blow away dust, debris, and other pollutants.
Serious Infections
Like other Windows-based laptops, Lenovo computers are also at risk of malware. Adware threats, in particular, has been on the rise. In its 2020 report, Malwarebytes said it saw a total of 24 million adware detections in Windows.
One of the most telling signs your laptop has adware (or any other form of malware) is slow performance. After all, these programs can embed themselves into your system and use both space and memory. They can also cause your apps to crash, delete your files, or, worse, steal your identity.
If your Lenovo laptop runs at a snail’s pace, even if you only have a few active apps, malware may be to blame. In this case, you should install a malware protection and removal tool. This way, you can easily find and eradicate hiding bugs and threats.
Bye Bye Battery
Some Lenovo laptops not only overheat but also use and discharge the battery even in sleep mode. The primary culprit is none other than the Windows feature called “Modern Standby.” One study even found this feature to spike up the Lenovo IdeaPad S740’s temp to 122 °F as it slept!
The thing is, some laptops don’t have an option to deactivate Modern Standby. You can keep it from destroying your laptop by fully shutting down your device, though. You may want to do this every night so that you don’t wake up to find your gear running a fever.
No Juice Even When Plugged In
Battery issues are also common problems with Lenovo computers. For instance, you may encounter the error message “plugged in, not charging.”
If you have an IdeaPad, your laptop may display this warning after its battery charges up to 60%. You may also see this note after updating your operating system.
In any case, most of these problems arise due to incompatible battery drivers. Fortunately, the fix is quite easy: uninstall the old drivers and then shut down the laptop. Once powered off, remove the battery, put it back, plug the laptop back in, and then power it back on.
The latest drivers should automatically get downloaded and installed after reboot. You should also see your battery charging once again.
BSOD After Windows 10 Update
The Blue Screen of Death, or BSOD for short, is a fatal system error. It means that the system crashed, and its OS has reached a point in which it can no longer perform safely. Faulty hardware and software, as well as memory issues, can all lead to the dreaded BSOD.
However, many Lenovo users reported encountering the BSOD after a Windows 10 update. What’s more, the bug has affected all 2019 and later models of the ThinkPad brand.
There’s no official resolution to this issue yet, but Microsoft says it’s on it. In the meantime, you can try a temporary workaround via the BIOS. It seems that deactivating the Enhanced Windows Biometric Security can help.
You can find this option by accessing your laptop’s BIOS (press F1 or F2 after you boot the device). You can also check your laptop if it has a small Novo button beside the power button. Press and hold this button so you can enter the BIOS setup utility.
Once you’re in the BIOS, choose “Security” and then “Virtualization.” You should be able to disable the Enhanced Windows Biometric Security from there.
Ghostly Flickers
Don’t worry; your flickering screen isn’t due to supernatural events. Most likely, you have outdated drivers that are no longer compatible with your current OS. You may also be running incompatible or outdated apps.
To determine if it’s your screen itself or incompatibility issues, open Task Manager. If this window flickers, then you may have to update or rollback your display drivers.
If the flickering occurs in specific apps, see if there are any available patches or updates. Download and install the latest version of all faulty apps.
Keep a Handy Copy of This Lenovo Troubleshooting Guide
There you have it, your ultimate Lenovo troubleshooting guide. As you can see, there are a lot of simple fixes in here that you can do yourself. So, give these hacks a try first before taking your laptop to a tech or buying a new device.
Ready for more cool tips and nifty tricks? Check out our site’s many other categories and blog posts then!