smcFanControl
smcFanControl is a free, open-source fan control and temperature monitoring utility for macOS. It reads real-time temperatures from CPU, GPU, SSD, and other thermal sensors, and lets users override Apple's default fan curves by setting custom RPM values or creating sensor-based automatic fan profiles. It is widely used by power users doing heavy video editing or compiling, by iMac owners who have replaced their original storage drives with third-party SSDs, and by anyone seeking to reduce fan noise or improve thermal management on their Mac. The app integrates with the menu bar to display current temperatures and fan speeds, and reverts all settings to Apple defaults when closed.
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1 suggestionsmcFanControl is an Intel-only app that has not received a native Apple Silicon build. Version 2.6 is confirmed X86-only by multiple architecture analysis tools, and the project appears to have stalled at development level — the latest available version dates to around 2016 and there is no evidence of active maintenance or plans for Apple Silicon support. With Rosetta 2 scheduled for removal in macOS 28 (September 2028), smcFanControl will stop launching entirely at that point. If you rely on this app and own an Apple Silicon Mac, switch now to Macs Fan Control, an actively maintained native alternative that mirrors smcFanControl's core functionality. Macs Fan Control (version 1.5.20, released December 2025) runs natively on both Intel and Apple Silicon Macs including M1 through M5 chips, offers the same real-time temperature monitoring and custom fan curve creation, and includes menu bar integration. The core features are free; a Pro upgrade unlocks fan presets and advanced automation. You can download Macs Fan Control from macsfancontrol.net — migration from smcFanControl is straightforward since both apps use similar interfaces and auto-revert fan settings on quit.
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