How to make PC fans quieter: curves, adaptors and settings from the makers

How to make PC fans quieter comes down to one rule the makers below repeat in different words: let each fan spin only as fast as the heat in front of it requires. Corsair's case guide says it plainly: "The primary source of PC noise are fans." The fixes run from a free curve in the BIOS to a new cooler.

The steps run in that order, cheapest first, and every one is taken from a component maker's own manual or support page: Noctua, ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, ASRock, Corsair, NZXT, be quiet!, ARCTIC, AMD, NVIDIA, Intel and Microsoft. Where a maker prints a fan curve, a temperature limit or a decibel figure, we give it with its conditions.

This page covers desktop towers. To put a name to a click, grind or gurgle first, use our guide to computer fan noises. Laptops will get their own page; until then, NVIDIA's WhisperMode, which it says "makes your plugged-in laptop run quieter while gaming", and our quietest laptops guide are the places to start.

Why are PC fans loud out of the box?

PC fans are often loud out of the box because the stock curve is generic. Noctua says default curves are "not fine-tuned to a specific fan model", and Intel lists excessive fan noise among the signs of an overheating processor.

Those two causes call for opposite fixes. A cool PC with fast fans needs a gentler curve; a hot PC needs better cooling, and slowing its fans would only make it hotter. Intel's overheating checklist names "CPU/system fan noise is excessive" alongside throttling and sudden shutdowns, so check temperatures in the BIOS hardware monitor before changing anything.

How quiet can a PC fan be at low speed?

PC fan makers that print figures at more than one speed show how much speed matters. Corsair rates its RS120 at 10 dBA at 420 RPM and 36 dBA at 2100 RPM, and names no measuring distance.

Read each row as a spread within one product, not a ranking across them. None of these makers says how far from the fan its figure was taken, so read our page on comparing decibel ratings before setting two brands side by side.

How do I make PC fans quieter in BIOS?

PC fans get quieter in the BIOS or UEFI by moving each fan header to a quiet preset or drawing a manual curve. Noctua recommends doing this in the BIOS rather than in Windows software, "to avoid any software issues".

Noctua's fan settings guide says to press DEL as the PC boots, or sometimes F2. Some boards first need a fan test, which Noctua says will "determine the installed fan's minimum speed and minimum PWM duty cycle", so the curve can use the whole speed range.

On ASUS boards, the EZ Mode Q-Fan panel offers Standard, Silent, Turbo and Full Speed. ASUS notes that in those presets "The fan curve cannot be adjusted"; a custom curve needs Manual mode. Gigabyte's Smart Fan 6 screen opens with F6, and its Silent setting "Allows the fan to run at slow speeds".

What fan curve does Noctua suggest?

Noctua's example curve for case fans runs 20% at 20°C, 40% at 40°C, 60% at 55°C, 70% at 70°C and 100% at 90°C. Noctua stresses that it does not want to recommend one universal curve.

The temperature is usually the CPU's. Noctua calls the 40% point, meant for office work and browsing, "still very pleasant concerning fan-noise", and fans on a CPU cooler get roughly 10% more. For silence first, it suggests case fans held at 20% until the processor reaches 60°C, while warning that "The hotter the CPU, the more aggressive the fan curve needs to be."

Which is quieter for PC fans, PWM or DC control?

PWM, for 4-pin fans, says Noctua, because a fan run by PWM can be set "to lower values compared to voltage control". ASUS and Gigabyte pair PWM mode with 4-pin fans and DC, or voltage, mode with 3-pin fans.

Noctua warns that the BIOS Auto setting "at times fails to recognise PWM fans correctly". Its NF-A12x25 G2 manual adds that a 4-pin fan on a 3-pin header "will run at full speed (unless the motherboard supports voltage based speed control)."

Some boards sort this out alone. ASRock's B760M PG Lightning manual says its pump and chassis headers "can auto detect if 3-pin or 4-pin fan is in use", and rates CPU_FAN1 at 1A (12W) and the rest at 2A (24W), a limit to check before splitting one header across several fans.

How do I make fan speed changes less noticeable?

Fan speed changes become less noticeable with a slower ramp or a stepped curve. ASUS Fan Xpert 4 sets acceleration and deceleration times, and Gigabyte's Smart Fan 6 offers a Stair mode and a temperature interval setting.

ASUS says its timing settings exist "to prevent drastic changes in fan speed within a short period". Gigabyte describes Slope as a mode that "Adjusts the fan speed linearly based on the temperature" and Stair as one that "Adjusts the fan speed stepwise".

How do I make PC fans quieter in Windows 11?

PC fans can be tuned in Windows 11 through the board or cooler maker's own app: ASUS Fan Xpert 4 in Armoury Crate, MSI Center, Corsair iCUE or NZXT CAM. Microsoft's power mode setting does not mention fans at all.

Fan Xpert 4 has an Auto Tuning button and an Extreme Quiet Mode that ASUS says will "minimize noise levels, which will reduce fan speed", stopping a fan once its speed falls too low. The MSI Center guide offers a Silent user scenario, a 4-dot Smart Fan curve and a Fan Tune button that will "automatically optimize the smart fan setting."

Corsair's quiet fans guide says to "start with the Quiet preset" in iCUE. In its example build, with fans fixed at 800 and 1,000 RPM, Corsair found "anything under 1,200 RPM was quiet enough to fade into the background." NZXT's Kraken Plus 360 page says fan and pump curves can both be set in CAM.

Windows itself offers Best power efficiency, Balanced and Best performance on Microsoft's power mode page. Its Windows 11 power settings page says the first cuts power use "by limiting background activity", but Microsoft does not say what any mode does to fan speed.

How do I make PC fans quieter when gaming?

PC fans run quieter during games when the graphics card renders fewer frames. NVIDIA and AMD both ship frame rate caps in their drivers, and AMD's tuning panel has a Quiet preset with lower power and fan settings.

NVIDIA's Max Frame Rate takes values from 20 to 1000 fps. Its CES 2020 driver notes pair it with the "Optimal Power" mode, under which "GPU frequency is reduced and uses less power." A separate background cap, NVIDIA says, "helps reduce power consumption or fan noise" while a game sits behind another window.

On Radeon cards, AMD's overlay article says Frame Rate Target Control can "help reduce heat, fan speeds, and noise generated by the graphics card", and its Radeon Chill page promises to "Keep your system running cool and quiet". AMD's tuning article describes its Quiet preset as one that "Enables quiet operation with lower power and fan settings."

Does Zero RPM mode make a graphics card quieter?

Yes, at light load. AMD says Zero RPM "allows for quiet operation when the GPU is under light load" and should spin the fans up as load and temperature rise. It is on by default.

We found no NVIDIA support page on idle fan stop for GeForce cards, so check the card maker's own manual. Swapping a graphics card's fans is rarely an option: be quiet! says on its FAQ that such fans "usually do not follow industry standards".

What does Noctua's Low-Noise Adaptor do?

Noctua's Low-Noise Adaptor is a short inline cable that lowers a fan's top speed. On the NF-A12x25 G2 PWM it takes 1800 rpm down to 1500 rpm, either as a fixed speed or as a ceiling under PWM control.

The NF-A12x25 G2 PWM infosheet lists 22.5 dB(A) at 1800 RPM and 18.1 dB(A) at 1500 RPM with the NA-RC7 adaptor, naming no distance. Our Noctua fan decibels page has the paired figures for every current Noctua fan and cooler.

Fit one adaptor per fan, between the splitter and each fan. Noctua's Y-cable FAQ warns "Never use one L.N.A. for two (or more fans) by placing it between the motherboard and the Y-cable", because the adaptors "could otherwise overheat".

How do I make a CPU fan quieter?

A CPU fan gets quieter with a gentler curve, the maker's adaptor or quiet switch, a heatsink in good contact with the chip, and a cooler big enough to run slowly. DeepCool's Assassin IV has a Quiet switch.

DeepCool lists the Assassin IV at no more than 22.6 dB(A) in Quiet mode and 29.3 dB(A) in Performance mode, with no distance. The switch lowers its two fans' top speeds from 1800 and 1700 RPM to 1450 and 1350 RPM.

Intel's checklist covers the cooler itself: the fan power connection, an unblocked impeller, and the right amount of thermal paste, with any "protective layer over the CPU heatsink thermal interface material (TIM)" removed. be quiet! adds that swapping the fan on one of its coolers "in the vast majority of cases will have a negative effect on the cooling performance."

How hot can a CPU run with slower fans?

A CPU can run up to the limit its maker prints, and the limit varies by model. AMD lists 95°C as the maximum operating temperature of the Ryzen 9 7950X and 89°C for the Ryzen 9 7950X3D.

Noctua says running below the Intel and AMD maximums "can be considered safe", noting they "are often around 100°C for most modern CPUs". Intel says that if a processor "gets too hot, the built-in protection shuts down the processor." A quiet curve that lets temperatures climb trades headroom for silence, which is why Noctua's example reaches 100% at 90°C.

How do I make an AIO pump quieter?

An AIO pump gets quieter on a lower or temperature-linked speed, where its maker allows that. Noctua recommends automatic control over a fixed speed for its NL-LC1 pump, while NZXT keeps some Kraken pumps at 100%.

Noctua's pump FAQ says a pump held at one speed risks "microbubbles accumulating in certain areas, which can lead to slightly increased noise levels." It adds that "many ASUS motherboards" ship with the pump header "preconfigured to constantly run at 100% speed", so check that setting.

NZXT's AIO noise guide says lowering pump speed on its CAM-powered Krakens "can reduce noise". For the Kraken Core, Kraken 120 and Kraken M22, "we do not recommend running their pumps below 100%", because sustained low speed shortens pump life.

Pump ratings vary widely. MSI lists 20 dBA on average at 3800 RPM for the MAG CoreLiquid A13 360 pump, and Lian Li 16.59 dBA at 3200 RPM for the Galahad II Trinity 360, neither with a distance. be quiet! says a radiator "must be mounted in a suitable position in the case to prevent vibration and turbulence in the airflow." Gurgling has its own fixes in our fan noises explainer.

Does cleaning dust make a PC quieter?

Yes, according to Corsair, which says "Dust-clogged fans work harder and noisier" and suggests cleaning a PC every three to six months. Noctua's fan manual also asks owners to clean their fans regularly.

Corsair's cleaning guide starts with the PC off and the power supply switch at off, then short bursts of compressed air from an upright can. It says to "hold the fan still while hitting it with compressed air", and its fan cleaning page adds swabs with a little isopropyl alcohol.

Noctua suggests "a duster, slightly moist tissue or canned air" and rules out vacuums, which "may apply excessive force to the fan." It also says to hold the blades under compressed air "to prevent them from spinning at high speeds and avoid bearing damage." Intel's checklist asks owners to look for dust on every fan.

How should fans and cables be arranged for a quieter PC?

Fans and cables should leave a clear path from intake to exhaust, with slightly more air coming in than going out. Intel, Corsair and NZXT all describe balanced or positive airflow, and be quiet! wants cables kept away from fans.

Intel asks owners to check that the CPU fan inlet "isn't obstructed by other components or cabling" and that "overall system intake and exhaust is balanced". Corsair's pressure guide says positive pressure lets fans "run at a lower RPM (speed) while still maintaining effective cooling".

Corsair's case guide adds "Twice as many fans will spin at half the speed". NZXT's case fan guide sets the limit: past a clear path, "extra fans add less cooling and more noise". It also says 140 mm fans "can move the same air at lower speeds, which usually means less noise", which our 140mm case fan guide covers.

Noctua supplies NA-AV2 silicone anti-vibration mounts as an alternative to screws, though it prints no noise figure for them, and suggests planning fan orientation around the board's headers for tidy cables. be quiet! asks owners to "Make sure that no tubes or cables come into contact with fans in the case."

Can a power supply fan be made quieter?

Yes, on units with a fan mode. Many power supply makers stop the fan at light load: Corsair's RM1000x keeps it off until 500W, and ASUS, FSP, MSI and Thermaltake publish thresholds of 40% or 50% load.

ASUS says the ROG Thor 1000W Platinum II fan "shuts off entirely when the PSU load is 50% or below" with its 0dB Fan Button on. FSP's Hydro Ti PRO 1000W stops under 50% load with its eco switch on, MSI's MPG A1000GS below 40%, and Thermaltake's Toughpower GF A3 until the load passes 40%.

Corsair's knob article says its rear knob "lets you dictate the RPM of the fan when it does turn on", and its zero RPM page says i-series units are set in iCUE. MSI Center has a fan slider for supported units, warning that "The final fan speed is subject to the setting of the PSU's protection mechanism."

Never open one. be quiet! says it cannot support "any actions that would call for you to break open the power supply", and sends owners of a noisy unit under warranty to its service staff. Our quietest power supplies guide covers fanless models.

Can coil whine be made quieter?

Yes, often, by capping the frame rate. NZXT puts a frame cap first among its fixes for graphics card coil whine, which it says gets louder with higher current, and NVIDIA and AMD both build caps into their drivers.

NZXT's coil whine guide calls it "The most effective fix, and it costs nothing", and suggests that on a 120Hz monitor "a cap of 240 or 360 is reasonable". It also offers a test: "Coil whine tracks load and framerate. Fan noise tracks temperature and fan speed."

Which noises mean a PC fan or bearing is failing?

Grinding, scraping and noise that worsens over weeks are the sounds makers treat as failure, and our computer fan noises guide sorts them by cause. A fan with a sealed bearing, like Noctua's, is replaced rather than repaired.

Noctua's manual says the NF-A12x25 G2 PWM "is not designed to be taken apart by the user", and that removing the impeller "will break the sealing of the bearing and results in a loss of warranty", a warranty that runs 6 years. NZXT finds a noisy fan by stopping fans one at a time in software, and Gigabyte's BIOS can beep when a fan or pump "is not connected or fails."

When is a quieter fan, cooler or case the better fix?

A quieter part is the better fix when a fan still runs near full speed after the curve, the dust and the airflow are sorted. Makers' own figures show wide gaps between models at the same speed.

be quiet! rates its Silent Wings 4 120mm PWM at 18.9 dB(A) and its Pure Wings 3 120mm PWM at 25.5 dB(A), both at 1600 rpm on 100% PWM. Its Dark Rock Elite cooler lists 25.8 dB(A) at 100% PWM against 31.2 dB(A) for the Pure Rock 3 Black. None of these figures names a distance.

Our quietest PC fans, quietest 120mm fans and Noctua fan decibels pages rank fans by published figures. For the rest of the box, see the quietest CPU coolers, quietest AIO coolers, quietest PC cases and, for a ready-made machine, the quietest desktop PCs.

Where do these PC fan steps come from?

Every step here comes from documents published by the companies that make the parts, plus Microsoft for Windows power modes, all listed below. Decibel figures come from maker spec sheets cited in our fan, cooler and power supply guides.

The board steps come from ASUS support pages, Gigabyte's Intel 700 BIOS manual, the MSI Center guide and ASRock's B760M PG Lightning manual. MSI's FAQ site and the help centers of Corsair and NZXT refused automated access, so we used their main-site articles and PDFs instead. ASRock's product page loaded blank, Gigabyte's AMD 600 series BIOS manual link returned an error, and we found no NVIDIA article on idle fan stop.

We did not build, tune, clean or listen to any PC, fan, cooler, pump or power supply for this page, and we set no fan curve of our own. Every curve, temperature and figure above is the maker's, quoted with whatever conditions it gives.