Why Is My PS4 So Loud? (Reasons, Fixes)

 

Long gone are the days when gaming consoles ran loudly.

These days, when a console starts to hum loudly or blow a lot of air, it can sometimes be cause for concern.

If your PS4 is suddenly running loudly, then you may wonder if it’s normal or if something is wrong.

 

Why Is My PS4 So Loud? (Reasons, Fixes)

 

1. Build-Up Of Dust

 

One of the common reasons your PS4 is starting to hum loudly is that there’s a build-up of dust around or in it.

Like any other electronic, your PS4 is a massive collector of dust.

It regularly pulls air into the ventilation system to help cool itself off.

In the process, it can pull dust into it, too.

Even without the ventilation system, dust can find its way into your PS4.

Dust sitting on top of your PS4 can also cause issues.

It can clog up vents or even ports.

The reason this makes your PS4 loud is that it causes it to overheat.

Without the ability to properly remove the heat from inside the console, the heat remains where it is.

As a result, the console becomes warmer and warmer.

Your PS4 continues to work hard to try and cool down.

Because it’s working harder, it’s humming louder.

Luckily, there’s an easy way to fix a loud PS4 if the noise is due to dust.

 

Fix: Use Air Blower To Remove The Dust

If dust is the problem behind your PS4 humming or running loudly, then fixing this is easy.

You should first dust the outside of the PS4.

A small vacuum is a great tool to use to remove exterior dust.

It sucks the dust right up rather than blowing it all over the place.

You can also use a damp cloth to remove the dust.

If you’re going to use a damp cloth, just ensure it isn’t too wet.

Water and electronics shouldn’t ever mix.

You can also use another dry cloth to quickly dry the console after cleaning if you’re worried your damp cloth may have been too wet.

Once the exterior dust is gone, you can use an air canister to blow dust out of the ports and vents.

These canisters are commonly used to clean out PCs that have also accumulated dust.

You simply press the trigger to release a blast of air.

It will blow the dust from the area.

You’ll need to clean the exterior of the PS4 once more to remove the dust that came from the inside.

If you have the technological know-how, you can also open your PS4 and use the air canister to blow away the dust trapped inside it.

However, opening your PS4 usually voids the warranty, so this should only be done if you have no other option.

Otherwise, a cloth and an air canister can remove the dust and have your PS4 running smoothly and quietly once more.

 

2. Poorly Ventilated Area

 

Another common reason your PS4 is running loudly is if it’s in a poorly ventilated area.

In order to stay cool, the PS4 needs access to open air.

It uses air to help cool itself down.

Air doesn’t do the trick alone, of course, since air is actually not that great at dissipating heat.

If you look inside your PS4, you’ll likely see little globs of thermal grease on some of the electronics.

Thermal grease is a substance that helps remove the heat that your PS4 generates from the console.

When thermal grease isn’t present, air pockets can form within the console.

These air pockets essentially trap heat.

They keep the PS4 from being able to remove the heat and cause it to overheat as a result.

Thermal grease transfers the heat to a thermal spreading device which then removes it from the console.

However, it can’t do that without access to air.

Otherwise, the hot air would just be blowing back into itself.

You’ll know if your PS4 is in a poorly ventilated area by noting its distance from the objects around it.

If the PS4 is right up against a wall, a shelf, or anything else, then it’s poorly ventilated.

The good news is that you can fix this problem easily.

 

Fix: Move Your PS4 To An Open Area

Although it may take a bit of arranging, the best way to fix a humming PS4 that’s poorly ventilated is to move it to an open area.

One of the best places to put it is on the top of a shelf.

This ensures that it has clear air all around it.

If you can only put the PS4 on the floor, then you should ensure that nothing else is blocking it.

If possible, you should also consider standing it up vertically.

This allows more surface area to have direct contact with the air rather than with the floor.

Finally, if floor or table space is a problem, then you can use the walls.

You can build a shelf on the wall specifically made for your PS4.

Again, if possible, it’s a good idea to stand it up vertically since it will be in close contact with the wall next to it.

Once the PS4 has plenty of room to expel its hot air, you’ll notice that it doesn’t become loud quite as often, if at all.

 

3. Faulty Power Supply

 

Sometimes figuring out why your PS4 is so loud can be difficult.

Oftentimes, the issue isn’t something that is easy to diagnose immediately.

For example, it may be running loud because it has a faulty power supply.

If the PS4 isn’t getting enough power, then it’s working extra hard to function.

Since it’s working extra hard, it’s going to run loudly.

Fixing this problem isn’t always easy and it may take a bit of experimenting, but it is possible.

 

Fix: Check The Outlet

One of the first things you should do if your PS4 is loud due to a faulty power supply is to check the outlet.

There’s always a chance that the outlet doesn’t provide the right voltage for the PS4.

You can use a voltage reader to determine the voltage that the outlet produces.

If it doesn’t match the specifications of your PS4, which typically runs between AC 100 and 240 volts, then that might be your problem.

You can try switching to a new outlet.

You might also need to consider the much pricier option of updating your electrical system.

If your outlet is fine, then you might want to consider looking at the PS4’s plug, itself.

There’s a chance that it could have a broken wire, or something has caused it to short.

Replacing the PS4’s power cable may fix the problem.

Once it receives the proper power supply, it can run efficiently.

Since it’s no longer struggling, it doesn’t have to run as hard.

It should be quieter as a result.

 

4. Damaged Discs

 

Sometimes the noise you’re hearing can indicate that something is going wrong inside the PS4.

If your PS4 has a disc reader, then there’s a chance that the problem could be a damaged or scratched disc.

A slight scratch on a disk can cause the reader to make a skipping or scratching sound each time it runs over the damaged part of the disc.

Your disc could also have other problems that may be causing your PS4 to be noisy.

There’s also a chance that a scratched or damaged disc might cause your PS4 to run loudly, too.

If the PS4 is struggling to read the disc, then it’s working harder to do so.

There are some possible ways to fix a damaged disc that can help make your PS4 run quieter.

 

Fix: Repair Or Buy A New Disc

Checking to see if a damaged disc is causing the problem is easy.

All you need to do is take the disc out and look at it.

If you see scratches, then there’s a good chance that it’s causing your PS4 to either run loudly or just make odd sounds.

There are some ways you can fix scratches on a disc.

Rubbing either plain white toothpaste or a metal polish over the disc with a clean cloth is an option.

After rubbing the scratch with the substance, you’ll want to rinse it off with some warm water.

It should fill in the scratch or buff it out.

You might notice that the disc runs a lot smoother.

Sometimes a disc is beyond repair, however.

You may need to replace it with a new disc.

Since the PS4 also supports digital purchases, you might also want to consider buying the digital version instead.

 

5. System Is Updating

 

One of the most common reasons your PS4 will start to hum loudly is when it’s undergoing an update.

Your PS4 tends to sound like an airplane ready to take off when it’s updating.

This is likely because the information is writing itself right on your hard drive.

It’s a process that requires a bit of power on the PS4’s end.

The good news is that it’s normal for the PS4 to run loudly while updating.

That said, there are a few things you can do to help ease the noise.

 

Fix: Let It Update

You can’t really do anything but let your PS4 update; otherwise, you won’t have the latest support for your console.

As such, the best thing you can do is just let it update.

There are a few things you can do to make the process easier, however.

For one, you should ensure that the PS4 is in a ventilated area.

Since it’s going to be running hard for the next few minutes or hours, having a lot of air around it can help it stay cool.

You might also want to consider blasting it with an air canister now and then to help it stay cool.

Finally, you should also consider connecting an ethernet cable to your PS4 while it’s updating.

Ethernet cables can offer faster download speeds.

The faster your PS4 updates, the less work it needs to do and the quieter it will be.

 

6. Hot Room Temperatures

 

If you close your door while gaming, then that might also be causing your PS4 to run loudly.

When you close your room with your PS4 running, it’s going to become hot faster than if the room were airy and open.

A warm, closed room might feel nice in winter, but it’s going to cause your PS4 to overheat quickly.

An enclosed room keeps the hot air inside.

The PS4 is unable to take in any cool air to help cool itself off because there isn’t any cool air circulating.

Fixing this problem is also very simple.

 

Fix: Use Fans Or Open Door

You should try and keep your door open when gaming to keep the hot air flowing out of your room.

If you don’t want to open your door, then you can always open a window.

That can also help release some of the hot air from the room.

Finally, you can also use fans.

Aim the fans at the PS4 to help push the hot air away from it.

 

7. Graphics-Heavy Games

 

A final reason why your PS4 may be running loudly is that you’re playing a graphics-heavy game.

Some games require more performance than a PS4 can readily give.

To play the game, the PS4 might have to work extra hard.

It’s running loudly because it’s working so hard to give you the right graphical performance.

 

Fix: Reduce Graphic Settings

If you notice your PS4 is running loudly when you play certain games, then it’s probably because the graphics are a bit more intense than it can handle.

You can easily fix that problem by reducing your graphics settings.

Turn down the quality of your graphics for that particular game and you’ll notice your PS4 becomes a lot quieter.

The picture may not look as beautiful, but at least your PS4 isn’t going to melt.