The Best Fan Control Apps For Your Mac

The diverse versions of Mac devices like laptops have strong performance quality, good RAM power, and suitable storage. It is easy to handle different types of activities and use bigger programs without issues on these devices. However, the problem of system heating up after continuous use or because of high-power application performance is high.

To combat the problem of the Mac device heating up, you can download the CleanMyMac X software to close background apps, delete excess files lagging the system, and optimize PC performance. Or, it is useful to use the best fan control apps for Mac to monitor and control fan speed.

Read this post to learn which are the best options available.

How is the fan controlling software useful?

Programs and applications like editing software and games put extra stress on the GPU and CPU. They take up a lot of electric power to operate and generate extra heat compared to other applications.

This is the main reason for using Mac’s best fan control apps, as they let out the excess heat from the system. Later, the CPU does not overheat too quickly or much, and zero hardware damage occurs.

In case the manufacturers of the Mac devices do not add pre-built software for hardware monitoring and heat controls. Plus, laptop fans can get noisy when they become dirty or overused. The fan control apps help control the speed of the internal fans properly.

It is important to keep in mind that the fans in Mac devices are useful for managing system power and temperature. That is, with a working temperature sensor. So, avoid switching them off completely as that can harm Mac device hardware parts. Users should only operate the apps for specific and short periods like during the Mac device heating up the issue.

How do fan control apps work?

Inside computer systems, three main fans operate simultaneously for PC system cooldown:

• CPU fan
• Primary computer fan
• Power supply fan

There are preset sensors built into the motherboard that affect the fan speeds. After heating, when the temperature reaches a specific limit, the sensors pick it up and activate computer fans. The best fan control apps for Mac work with the sensors for PC fan speed control.

What to consider while choosing these apps?

While choosing the best fan control apps for Mac, it is important to check their performance ability and features. Consider the following points to select the best application for your system.

• Can the app control fan speed to turn it off or on remotely?
• What is the usage quality?
• How easy is it to monitor fan speed and temperature?
• Can you set the specific temperature for automated fan startup?

Check if the app you are considering holds these functions. On that note, here are the top options you should check out.

Best 4 Fan Control Apps for Mac

Indeed, multiple applications handle the problem of Mac device heating up through fan speed control. We looked at many software options available online currently and tested them out. We compiled the list of the top 4 options that we found.

1. Macs Fan Control

One of the best options available to rectify the Mac device heating up problem is Macs Fan Control. It holds strong monitoring sensors that check temperature and fan speed and utilize the SMART approach. You can prepare and set up custom choices for fan speed in your device to control their operations automatically based on device operations.

When using this fan control app, you can see the list of all temperature sensors and fans that are active in two tabular forms. Also, there are two features for fan control available here, like Custom and Auto.

The user has full control over the app for the former, using sensors and RPM values to manage fan speed. Under the Auto fan preset, the system controls the fan speed while you would get real-time information.

Compatibility: macOS 10.13 High Sierra and higher

Price: Pro License (Mac only)- USD 14.95, Pro License (Mac and Windows)- USD 24.95

Features:

• Superior performance on different macOS devices with Apple Silicon and Intel processors.
• Real-time information on system temperature and fan speed.
• Resolve fan operating noise due to issues like change of iMac HDD
• Reduce overheating problems in the device.

Pros:

• Easy to use interface.
• Dual fan control settings are available.
• The cost is reasonable for the functions it provides.

Cons:

• Not available for free.
• Does not support older macOS device models.

2. iStat Menus 6

iStat Menu 6 is one of Mac’s best fan control apps that is available in the market. With a stylish and intuitive design compatible with newer models, different theme and color options, and customizable dropdown menus, the user experience here are excellent.

You can change the background settings from dark mode to light mode, as per your needs. It is easier to access the app and check important information about weather temperature fluctuations, CPU/disk/memory/system conditions, and get detailed graphs. You can pause the app and then disable menu bar features for some period.

 For easier understanding, the software records and analyses accurate GPU and CPU info like individual core usage, load averages, frequency, and uptime. 

Compatibility: macOS 10.11 and higher.

Price: Free, Single License- USD 14.15 (USD 11.79 for upgrade); Family Pack- USD 17.69 (USD 15.33 for upgrade)

Features:

• Comprehensive information like current temperature and weather, weekly overview, hourly forecast, etc.
• Real-time alerts on the network, CPU, battery, disk, etc.
• Hotkeys for easy keyboard access and smooth menu dropdown opening and closing steps.
• Control fan speed as per the current temperature rate that the strong sensors detect.

Pros:

• Users would get a 14-day trial period for free.
• Get detailed data about the battery levels and current state.
• Easy to customize factors like clocks on the menu bar, a calendar featuring upcoming events, etc.

Cons:

• The event-based automatic fan speed setup feature is only available for devices running on Intel processors.
• The free version has limited features.

3. TG Pro

One of the best fan control apps for Mac is TG Pro, which is suitable for managing fan speed and system power carefully. While using this application, it is easier to view all necessary details about the logic board, GPU, CPU, HD temperatures, and battery power.

The software holds strong diagnostic abilities that check what problems are causing issues, like the Mac device heating up. After that, users can manually change the fan speed or allow the software to automate the process for cooler system conditions afterwards.

After this operation, you can expect detailed information about the events for future reference. The TG Pro app is a suitable tool for checking full-scale Mac health and further maintenance.

Compatibility: macOS 10.11 or newer

Price: Free, One-Time payment- USD 11.80

Features:

• Notifications on the diagnostic and thermal event updates via CSV log files, emails, or the Notification Center.
• Manually activate fans to speed the Mac system cool down instantly.
• Set automated fan operation based on the highest CPU or sensor temperature with the Auto Boost feature.
• Check the internal temperature of the CPU and operate fan controls through the menubar icon.

Pros:

• All of the new version updates are free.
• Clean and updated UI suitable with macOS 12 Monterey and macOS 11 Big Sur devices.
• Both light and dark modes are available.

Cons:

• Each license allows 3 Mac devices to use the software only.
• Business users have to get one license for each Mac device.

4. SmcFanControl

SmcFanControl is another top tool available that Mac users can operate to control the fan’s speed. With this app, you can adjust the minimum speed limit for the built-in fans. During extreme heat up for the system, you can increase the fan speed and cool the system.

Users cannot set the minimum fan speed to be lower than the default average of Apple devices. This initiative helps avoid damage to the hardware during the fan speed change. With this app, you can check the individual information on the boot disk, CPU, and GPU conditions and manage their fan settings.

Compatibility: macOS 10.7 and higher

Price: Free

Features:

• French localization is available on smcFanControl software.
• Users can work with the Invisible text feature on any macOS Sierra device while activating the dark mode.
• The Sparkle updater function includes upgraded features.
• Monitor boot disk, GPU, and CPU in devices quickly.

Pros:

• The crashes on MacBook 12 are fixed and operational.
• Suitable with newer models.
• App size is small, so it does not lag the system.

Cons:

• There have been no new recent updates to the software.
• Its 32bit machine support is not the best received.

How to optimize fan speed with CleanMyMac X?

To improve the condition of the device fans, it is not always necessary to reduce the speed. Users can opt for the CleanMyMac X application to optimize device conditions and monitor excessive fan power. This software is suitable for improving Mac functions and system conditions with features like malware detection and removal, system junk removal, and macOS optimization.

You can quickly uninstall multiple unwanted extensions, plugins, and apps and check for system issues.

How to use this?

Step 1: Install the CleanMyMac X application and launch the software on your device.

Step 2: Go to the homepage and for the installed app. Click to open.

Step 3: Click your cursor on the Optimization tab.

Step 4: Disable all the launch agents and login items that the software detects from the list.

These run during the startup period and stress the CPU, resulting in Mac device heating issues.

Conclusion

There are multiple apps for fan control in Mac devices with a user-friendly interface and strong temperature sensor capabilities. For example, with Macs Fan Control, it is easy to customize the timeline for the fan activation automatically when the system temperature increases. For the best experience, you should check for the compatibility of the apps with your system and their function. Consider your needs and then make your choice.