How to Apply Thermal Paste

Thermal paste fills the microscopic gaps between your CPU’s heat spreader and the cooler base, dramatically improving heat transfer. Applying it correctly makes a real difference to your CPU temperatures — too little and you get poor contact, too much and it can spill onto the socket.

Do You Even Need to Apply It?

Many coolers come with thermal paste pre-applied to the base. If your cooler has a grey or white compound already on the contact surface, you don’t need to add more. Only apply fresh paste if:

Your cooler has no pre-applied paste
You’re reseating an existing cooler (clean off old paste first)
You’re replacing a stock cooler with an aftermarket one
Temperatures are unexpectedly high and you suspect poor paste coverage

Application Methods

For most builds, the pea dot method is recommended:

Pea dot (recommended): A small pea-sized dot in the centre of the CPU. The cooler spreads it evenly when mounted.
X pattern: An X across the CPU surface. Can result in slightly better coverage on large CPUs but risks overflow on smaller ones.
Line: A thin line across the centre. Good for rectangular CPU designs.
Spread: Manually spread paste across the entire surface. Ensures full coverage but risks air bubbles if done poorly.

Step-by-Step: Pea Dot Method

Clean the CPU surface — if reapplying, remove old paste with isopropyl alcohol (90%+) and a lint-free cloth. Let it dry fully.
Apply a pea-sized dot — squeeze a small amount (roughly 3–4mm diameter) onto the centre of the CPU heat spreader. Less is more.
Mount the cooler immediately — lower the cooler straight down onto the CPU without sliding it. The pressure will spread the paste evenly.
Tighten in a cross pattern — even pressure ensures even paste spread. See our CPU cooler installation guide for full mounting instructions.

How Much Is Too Much?

Excess paste can squeeze out from under the cooler and in rare cases reach the CPU socket. If you see paste overflowing significantly after mounting, remove the cooler, clean everything, and start again with less.

Does Paste Brand Matter?

For most builds, included or budget paste performs within a few degrees of premium compounds. If you’re pushing a high-TDP CPU to its limits, a premium paste (e.g. Thermal Grizzly Kryonaut, Noctua NT-H2) can shave 2–5°C off peak temperatures.

Common Mistakes

❌ Applying too much — risks overflow and mess
❌ Applying too little — poor contact and high temperatures
❌ Sliding the cooler during mounting — creates air bubbles and uneven coverage
❌ Not cleaning old paste before reapplying — old dried paste insulates rather than conducts
❌ Using non-thermal paste substitutes — toothpaste, butter etc. are not suitable and will damage components