How To Install CPU Cooler [A Complete Guide 2022]

Ensuring that your computer is cool and quiet is important. You can learn how to install CPU cooler in a few quick steps. Read further to know more.

So, you have installed your processor. Now is the time for the more difficult part. When you’ve got your computer in, you need to make sure it stays cool with one of the best CPUs coolers. 

If you don’t install your cooler correctly, your processor will heat up faster and hotter than it should, and it will eventually shut down your computer to protect itself.

Cooling is one of the most important aspects of the CPU to ensure that it doesn’t overheat and burn out. While the cooling system itself is a fairly simple design, the materials used to build the cooling system can have a huge impact on the performance and longevity of the CPU.

The amount of heat generated by your chip is incredible. It’s not uncommon for a properly functioning chip to run at a temperature of 85 degrees Celsius (185 degrees Fahrenheit) when it’s working well and the cooler has already been installed. The processor of your computer could melt itself if you don’t have a cooler installed.

While heat management is a serious problem in heavily used computers, even the regular business computer that sits in a cube and runs email and word processing all day can overheat if it needs a CPU cooler.

One of the easiest steps in the PC building process is this one. The cooler needs to be installed to maintain the thermal output of the computer. Regardless of the chip, the best one on the market, and the entry-level one, installing a cooler for it is a must. 

If you don’t install it correctly or fail to do so, you’ll end up with a system that will shut down before you even enter the operating system. In this guide, you show you the steps you need to take to install a cooler.

Prerequisites

Apply Thermal Paste

Your cooler doesn’t have to go straight onto your computer. A thin layer of a thermal compound is needed to eliminate any gaps between the base of your cooler and the CPU lid. 

Your cooler comes with a thermal paste already applied, you should check the bottom of your cooler or the manual to see if it has pre-applied thermal paste.

Do not apply a second layer of thermal paste if you have a cooler that has pre-applied thermal paste. If you have a cooler that doesn’t already have thermal paste on it, apply thermal paste to the top of the lid. 

There are many schools of thought on how you should apply it, though you should only apply a small amount. A small dot, no bigger than a pea, can be placed in the center of your processor’s lid.

this processor has leftover thermal paste on it from a previous cooler, then spreading it evenly with a credit card is one of the approaches to thermal paste application. The thermal paste should be removed and applied anew.

Install Bracket Behind The Motherboard

This is possible to use some extra installation hardware for your cooler and board game combo. These can be standoffs that screw through your case, a bracket that sits behind your border for your cooler to connect to, or both. 

Attach these components your cooler included them, but make sure they are appropriate for your computer. If you are installing a water cooler, now is the time for you to also attach the radiator to your case.

Line Up Your CPU Cooler

Carefully lining up the screws with the holes in your motherboard or the standoffs you installed earlier is what you need to take your cooler and hold it over the processor. This is not necessary for all coolers, but you may need to remove fans from your cooler to attach your cooler.

Attach The CPU Cooler

You can use an X pattern to push in the connectors you screw in the cooler first. Don’t put a lot of muscle into it if you tighten first and then increase tension with each pass. If you are going around the processor in a square, make sure you don’t put too much pressure on it because can impact cooling.

Attach Any Fans

Attach the fans to your cooler now, if you removed them earlier or still have some to install. How they connect will be dependent on the fans and cooler you have. If you are using a water cooler, you’ll need to connect the water pump and any other components to one another.

How To Install A CPU Air Cooler

Depending on the size of the cooler, you are looking at a heatsink and a couple of fans. The NH-D15 is one of the best fan coolers because it has a massive heatsink and two fans that move the air through it. 

Regardless of the size of the cooler and the number of fans, the process remains the same. The first thing you need to do is get the right brackets for the cooler. 

This will be different according to the processor sockets. The new chip from Intel uses AM4 sockets while the new chip from Advanced Micro Devices uses AM6 sockets. 

The brackets for the chips are usually bundled by the manufacturer of the cooler. While purchasing the cooler kit, you can also choose the bracket of your choice. In the case of stock coolers, there is no need for this step as they are designed to work with the bundled CPUs.

The backplate is the first thing that needs to be installed. This particular unit is on the back of the board to support the cooler, as the name suggests. You can install it by holding the backplate in place and securing it with the standoffs on the front.

This is a good time to make sure you have a thermal paste. If you already have thermal paste in your cooler, there is no need to apply another layer. want to know how to apply thermal paste after installing a fresh layer of the cooler, you can check out our guide.

If you want to line up your cooler, hold it on top of the computer. You need to line up the cooler’s connection with the holes on the board or the standoffs if you already installed it. Depending on how sophisticated the cooler is, you may have to remove the fans from the heatsink to line up and install it.

Now that the cooler is in place, this time to connect it to the rest of the system. If you are going to use an X pattern to tighten the cooler. If you are want to go around the CPU in a square pattern, go for the screw that is opposite to the first and not the one in the middle. 

This is done to make sure that you are creating even pressure on the processor. Spreading the thermal paste evenly is something it helps to do.

The fans are mounted on the heatsink, the last step in the case of an air cooler. If you removed the fans before mounting the heatsink, this applies as well. You should consult the cooler manual if you want to see how the fans attach to the heatsink. For each cooler, this step is not the same.

How To Install A CPU Liquid Cooler

There are a few additional steps that need to be taken to install a CPU liquid cooler. For this guide,  you show how to install an AIO liquid cooler. 

If you are don’t know, the AIO liquid coolers are closed-loop liquid coolers with a CPU water block, coolant pipes, a radiator, and a couple of fans. Is it possible to install an open-loop or a custom loop for your build? That is not going to be installed for this beginner’s guide.

Similar to what was done for air coolers, the first step in the case of liquid coolers is the same. Attach the backplate, and install the water block, you want the cooler based on the CPU sockets.

The PC case will need to be mounted with the radiator on it. You might have to install the fans before that happens. You can either install the fans on the case or mount them on the Radiator. 

This is dependent on the amount of space you have inside the PC case and the amount of space you have inside the system. To carry the heat away from it, the fresh air should be moved through the radiators.

If you are installing the fans separately from the case so don’t have to worry about the radiator on the case. It is important that your PC case has enough space for the cooler and that it’s ready. 

The process remains the same for all sizes, including the smaller 120mm unit, even though you are installing a high-end AIO for this guide.

The cooler has long screws that can be used to mount the fans on the case. The case fans should not be in contact with the coolant pipes or any other components.

Plug Everything For Power

This is important to make sure the cooler and fans have power once you have everything attached. There is the power needed for everything from water blocks to air coolers. this is easier to power a simple air cooler than it is to connect all the wires to a liquid cooler. 

You may have to use a controller to make your connections easier, depending on the number of fans. If you recommend consulting both the cooler and the manual to find the right way to connect. 

FAQs- How To Install CPU Cooler

Does It Matter Which Way I Install My CPU Cooler?

It’s up to you how you install your CPU cooler, but it is important to install it in a manner that provides adequate airflow. Installing your CPU cooler upside down is not recommended since the cooling fins will not be in contact with the heat source.

What Is The Easiest CPU Cooler To Install?

The easiest CPU cooler to install is the Fractal Design Define Mini R4, which comes with a mounting kit, screws, and even an installation manual to help you get started. The Define Mini R4 can also be mounted vertically or horizontally, and it comes with a very wide range of coolers to fit in a variety of cases.

Should CPU Cooler Intake Or Exhaust?

The answer here is, “It depends”. There are many factors that you need to consider before deciding which way to go. For instance, if your computer is on a desk, you’ll want to have an intake fan to draw in cool air. But if it’s on a shelf, then you’ll want to have an exhaust fan to help remove heat from the system.

What Is The Purpose Of A CPU Cooler?

The principle behind both air and liquid CPUs coolers is the same, and they both absorb heat from the CPU and redistribute it away from the hardware. The Integrated Heat Spreader (IHS) is a device that distributes the heat generated by the processor to the metal lid.

Is A Cpu Cooler Necessary?

Regardless of whether you use a stock cooler or a third-party one, you need a cooler for your processor. If it boots at all, your computer will perform a thermal shutdown as the CPU very quickly reaches dangerously high temperatures at even somewhat tasking operations, if it isn’t already.

What Happens If You Don’t Use Thermal Paste?

There are consequences if you don’t use thermal paste. The overheating of the device can be caused by not applying a thermal face between the heat sink and the processor.

Conclusion

With that, you have successfully installed the cooler for your build. Picking the best cooler for your build is of paramount importance. This is a good idea to go with the one that suits your build because there are plenty of CPU coolers to choose from. 

Under stock settings, stock coolers are more than enough to keep the thermal output of the CPUs up to date. We hope that this article helped you gain all the information you needed to know how to install CPU cooler.

Thanks for reading!