On a laptop this can be a slightly annoying thing. The fans are normally set to run only when needed so will not be working all the time. If your laptop is warm/hot then you should be able to feel some air movement from the exhaust vent. That will tell you if the fan is working. Use it for a while and then start checking around the sides for any warm air coming out. The fan itself might be quiet but you can feel the warm air.
You can also turn the cooling setting to max cooling through the power panel. That should force the fan to run all the time.
If the fan is running but you can't feel any airflow then the cooling system/vents may be plugged with dust or lint and need to be cleaned. Most computer shops will offer a flat fee to clean this. Usually the service depot will as well. If this is the case you really don;t want to run the laptop until you get it cleaned. Without the airflow the cpu will overheat. At best it runs slow and at worst it burns out.
Answers & Comments
On a laptop this can be a slightly annoying thing. The fans are normally set to run only when needed so will not be working all the time. If your laptop is warm/hot then you should be able to feel some air movement from the exhaust vent. That will tell you if the fan is working. Use it for a while and then start checking around the sides for any warm air coming out. The fan itself might be quiet but you can feel the warm air.
You can also turn the cooling setting to max cooling through the power panel. That should force the fan to run all the time.
If the fan is running but you can't feel any airflow then the cooling system/vents may be plugged with dust or lint and need to be cleaned. Most computer shops will offer a flat fee to clean this. Usually the service depot will as well. If this is the case you really don;t want to run the laptop until you get it cleaned. Without the airflow the cpu will overheat. At best it runs slow and at worst it burns out.