Operation

• Despite their name, laptops are not engineered for use directly in the lap of the consumer. Rather, they're meant to rest on tables or other hard surfaces to separate your clothing and body from the heat generated by the laptop. In many cases, your clothing can end up blocking the fans. This leads to inadequate cooling that can quickly cause the laptop to overheat. Laptop batteries also generate heat during normal operation, which can make the computer uncomfortable to hold in your lap.
  
  

Laptop Coolers

• Laptop coolers are placed between the user and the laptop. In many cases, these coolers have small fans that help direct airflow toward the laptop, increasing cooling efficiency. Due to the mobile nature of laptops, these coolers are often powered through USB ports so users can maintain their mobility during operation. These devices are relatively inexpensive, often ranging from $20 to $100 as of 2011.
  
  

Laptop Cleaning

• Laptop fans are used to dissipate heat, but over time they can become caked with dust and other detritus from the air. This problem is often compounded in households with pets because their fur and dander is sucked in through the fans. Cans of compressed air, commonly found in general stores and on computer parts websites, are useful for removing the build-up of dust and detritus from your Apple laptop's fans.
  
  

General Defects

• In some cases, an Apple laptop may overheat due to engineering error. In these cases the consumer's only recourse is to exercise their warranty and have the defective parts replaced. Specifically, MacBooks produced from 2003 to 2006 came with batteries that created overheating problems. Apple instituted a product recall to replace these batteries and avoid burn injuries to users. Determining whether your Apple product is part of a recall or has general engineering defects is as easy as taking your device to the nearest Apple store or contacting an Apple representative online.