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Prolong Your Laptop Battery Life

Tech Savvy Tips & Tricks

Tech Support

10/18/20243 min read

How to Prolong Battery Life on a Laptop

Laptop battery life is crucial, especially for those who rely on their devices for work, study, or travel. While modern laptops offer longer battery life than ever before, there are steps you can take to extend it even further. Here are some practical tips to help you prolong the battery life of your laptop, both in the short term (per charge) and long term (overall lifespan).

Adjust Screen Brightness

One of the biggest drains on your laptop's battery is the display. Lowering the screen brightness can significantly reduce power consumption.

  • On most laptops, you can adjust brightness through the keyboard shortcuts (often the function keys with a sun icon) or in the Settings under Display.

  • For quick access, you can also lower brightness from the Action Center in Windows or the Control Center on macOS.

Use Battery Saver Mode

Many laptops have built-in battery saver modes that automatically adjust system settings to conserve power.

  • In Windows, click on the battery icon in the taskbar, then drag the slider to Battery saver or use the Battery Saver option in Settings > System > Battery.

  • On macOS, go to System Preferences > Battery and enable options like Battery Health Management and Low Power Mode to optimize battery usage.

This feature reduces background processes, dims your screen, and minimizes the power used by non-essential tasks.

Turn Off Unnecessary Features

Many features running in the background can consume a significant amount of power, even when you’re not using them. Here’s how to optimize:

  • If you don’t need to be online, consider turning off Wi-Fi. Similarly, disable Bluetooth if you’re not using any wireless peripherals like headphones or mice.

  • Some laptops have illuminated keyboards that drain battery power. Turn off the backlighting unless absolutely necessary.

Manage Background Apps

Certain apps running in the background can consume CPU resources and drain your battery faster. It’s important to manage which applications and services are running when not in use.

  • In Windows, open Task Manager and go to the Startup tab to disable unnecessary startup apps.

  • On macOS, go to System Preferences > Users & Groups > Login Items to stop unneeded apps from launching at startup.

By closing unused applications and managing startup processes, you can ensure that your laptop is using fewer resources.

Lower Performance Settings

Laptops are often set to high-performance modes that consume more battery. Switching to power-saving or balanced modes can significantly extend battery life without compromising usability.

  • In Windows, go to Settings > System > Power & sleep, and choose the Balanced or Power Saver mode.

  • On macOS, go to System Preferences > Battery, and select a more energy-efficient setting for both battery and power adapter usage.

Unplug External Devices

External devices like USB drives, external hard drives, and peripherals can drain your laptop’s battery when plugged in, even if they’re not being used.

  • Unplug any USB or external devices when you’re not using them to conserve battery life.

Optimize Battery Charging Cycles

To prolong the overall lifespan of your laptop’s battery, avoid keeping it plugged in all the time. Many manufacturers recommend keeping the battery level between 20% and 80% for optimal longevity.

  • Some laptops, especially those running macOS, offer optimized charging settings that reduce battery wear. On macOS, go to System Preferences > Battery and turn on the “Optimized Battery Charging” option.

Update Your Software

Keeping your operating system and drivers up to date can improve battery life as manufacturers often release optimizations and patches to improve energy efficiency.

  • Regularly check for updates in your system settings to ensure you’re running the most efficient version of your software.

Replace Your Battery When Needed

If your laptop battery is old, you may notice reduced battery life, regardless of how well you maintain it. Batteries degrade over time, and after a few years, they may not hold a charge as well as they used to.

  • If your laptop’s battery no longer lasts as long as it should, consider getting it replaced by a professional.

By following these tips, you can significantly prolong both the daily battery life and the overall lifespan of your laptop’s battery. Simple adjustments like lowering screen brightness, turning off unused features, and managing background apps can go a long way in ensuring you get the most out of every charge.