Is your Xbox overheating? Here’s how to cool it down

You’re in the middle of a Street Fighter™ 6 win streak. That is until you hear your gaming console’s cooling fan kick on—a surefire sign that your Xbox® is starting to get too hot.  

From gaming console repairs to sharing ways to solve lagging issues on your Xbox, uBreakiFix® by Asurion experts have the know-how to help with all of your tech care needs. Here's what they suggest you do to tackle your overheating Xbox so you can get back to winning those online matches.

How to know if your Xbox is overheating 

When your gaming console starts to get too hot, you’ll likely hear it. The console’s fan will work overtime to try and cool itself down. You might notice significant performance drops, too.  

If the console stays too hot for too long, it can damage the system's internal components. To keep from completely overheating–and risk damaging your important internal components–your system will crash. That could be a problem if you haven’t saved your game in a while.  

How to cool down your Xbox 

So you’ve got an overheated Xbox? Here are a few ways you can cool it down.  

1. Unplug your console 

Turning off the console is one of the easiest ways to beat overheating. Let the console cool down before trying to resume your match.   

2. Clean the air vents 

Use the time between unplugging your Xbox and re-connecting it to give the console’s air vents a quick clean. All it takes is a soft bristle brush or a can of air to do the trick.   

3. Clear the cache  

If you notice your console regularly overheats—and dust in the air vent isn’t to blame—it could be a system software issue. Your Xbox stores short-term memory data to help speed up software programs or apps. Like a junk drawer, it has to be cleaned out every once in a while.  

For the Xbox Series S™, unplugging the console is enough to clear the cache. Xbox Series X™ owners have to clean the cache from within the system's settings. Don’t worry, it won’t affect any of your saved game files. Here's how: 

To clear the cache on an Xbox Series X:

1. Press the Xbox button in the center of your controller. 
2. Select Settings. 
3. Select Devices and Connections > Blu-Ray.  
4. Select Persistent Storage. Then select Clear Persistent Storage. 

To clear the cache on an Xbox One®:

1. Press and hold the Power button on the front of the console until it turns off. Then, unplug the Xbox from the outlet. 
2. Press and hold the Power button on the front of the console 4-5 times. 
3. Wait a minute, and then plug the power cord back into the outlet. 
4. Press the Power button to turn the Xbox back on.

How to prevent your Xbox from overheating 

The Xbox is designed to be great at cooling itself down, though there are some things you can do to prevent overheating in the future. 

Take breaks 

It’s easy to lose track of time when you're locked into a dungeon crawler like Diablo® IV. Just remember to take breaks. Putting your console into rest mode or turning it off gives the Xbox a chance to cool down. Can’t step away from the game completely? Play a less graphically demanding game.  

Location matters 

Choosing a well-ventilated spot for your Xbox can do wonders for dust accumulation. Putting it in a dust-free location—or one that’s cleaned regularly—with good airflow lowers the chances of overheating and helps extend the lifespan of the console.  

Clean your console  

Sometimes your Xbox cooling fan needs a little help. Get to parts you can’t normally reach with a deeper clean. This means taking the console apart. If that’s too daunting, opt for a professional cleaning.