|

How to Make the Laptop Battery Last Longer: Top Tips for Extended Battery Life

A Woman Sitting on the Couch

Are you tired of constantly searching for power outlets to charge your laptop? Worry no more! By learning how to make the laptop battery last longer, you can work, study, or play without constantly worrying about the dreaded low battery warning.

In this blog post, we’ll guide you through a 10-step guide to teach you how to make your laptop battery last longer.

If you’re constantly struggling with your laptop’s battery life, there are a few tricks you can try to make it last longer.

We have some friendly tips to help you get the most out of your laptop’s battery without sacrificing too much performance.

Switch to Power Saver Mode:

Windows laptops have a nifty feature called Power Saver mode. It’s your new best friend if you want to prioritize efficiency over performance.

Go to the Power and Sleep Settings menu and select Battery Saver mode. This tweak can significantly extend your laptop’s battery life.

Using power saving mode

Dim the Screen:

Your laptop’s bright and sharp screen may be a power-hungry culprit. While you can’t change its resolution, you can adjust the brightness.

Lowering the brightness will save power, but keep in mind that it might make your laptop’s display a bit less vibrant. It’s a trade-off, so consider your surroundings and what you’re using your laptop for.

Say Goodbye to Keyboard Backlighting:

Keyboard backlighting is handy when typing in the dark, but it also consumes more battery power. If you’re concerned about battery life, try typing without the backlighting and turn it off.

Unplug Unnecessary External Devices:

Anything you plug into your laptop, whether it’s charging or not, sips power from your laptop’s battery.

If you’re not actively using external devices like your phone, hard drives, or extra displays most laptops, consider unplugging them to extend your laptop’s battery life.

Keep It Cool:

Batteries perform best and last longer at room temperature or slightly cooler. Avoid using your laptop in hot rooms or direct sunlight, and ensure your laptop has adequate ventilation to prevent overheating.

Power Down or Hibernate:

When you’re not using your laptop, don’t just leave it sitting idle. Turn it off or set it to hibernate after a short period of inactivity. Even in sleep mode, your laptop is slowly draining its battery. So, if you’re not using it, shut it down.

Here’s a fun fact for you: In 2021, companies around the globe shipped a whopping 341,053 PCs, marking a fantastic 14.6% annual growth spurt! Source: Webtribunal

Key Takeaways

Optimize power settings for Windows and MacOS to extend battery life.

Manage apps and processes, identify power-hungry apps, disable background applications, maintain optimal temperature range & clean vents regularly.

Utilize built-in battery discharge features such as Battery Saver Mode & Energy Saver Settings. Use original charger within 40%-80% charging range. Update OS regularly & consider external battery packs for extended use.

Getting a longer battery Life

Optimizing Power Settings for Longer Battery Life

Power settings significantly impact your laptop’s battery life. Tailoring these settings can greatly prolong your battery life while optimizing your laptop’s performance.

The forthcoming sections will detail specific power settings for Windows and MacOS, ensuring you know how to adjust them irrespective of your operating system.

Not only will these power settings help you conserve battery power, but they can also improve your laptop’s overall performance.

So, join us as we explore power settings to extend your laptop battery’s lifespan!

Optimizing Power Settings for Longer Battery Life

Windows Power Settings

Windows laptops offer a variety of power settings that can have a significant impact on your battery life.

Optimizing these battery settings also ensures efficient laptop operation while preserving battery power. To begin, navigate to Settings > System > Power & Battery > Power Mode, where you can access various power modes and settings, such as Energy Recommendations and Battery Saver mode.

reducing screen brightness

Reducing screen brightness and disabling keyboard backlights when not in use are simple yet effective ways to improve battery life.

Additionally, activating Battery Saver mode will deactivate push notifications and background apps, further reducing power consumption and enhancing battery performance.

Regularly checking the the battery status icon and optimizing these settings will help you get the most out of your laptop’s battery life.

Reducing screen brightness

MacOS Power Settings

MacOS users can also adjust various settings to maximize battery life. By optimizing display brightness, enabling Optimized Battery Charging, and configuring Energy Saver settings, you can extend your laptop’s battery life and overall performance.

Power Nap,

One feature unique to MacOS is Power Nap, which allows your MacBook to periodically wake up and check for updates while maintaining a low-power state. Disabling Power Nap can ensure that your MacBook remains fully asleep until you wake it up, further conservating battery power.

MacOS users can bolster battery life and enhance performance by tailoring these settings.

MacOS is Power Nap

Managing Apps and Processes for Better Battery Performance

The apps and processes on your device significantly impact your laptop’s battery life. Effective management of these can enhance battery performance and overall laptop efficiency.

Subsequent sections will explore identifying power-intensive apps and disabling superfluous background apps to optimize battery life.

By being mindful of the apps and processes running on your laptop, you can take control of your device’s power consumption and ensure that your battery lasts as long as possible.

Join us on this journey into app management and discover how to enhance your laptop’s battery performance!

Identifying Power-Hungry Apps

Both Windows and MacOS have built-in tools that can help you identify apps consuming the most battery power.

To identify resource-intensive apps on Windows, type “battery usage” in the search bar and view the “battery usage per app” section.

In MacOS, you can use the Activity Monitor app and select the ‘Energy’ tab to view the energy consumption of each app.

Identifying Power-Hungry Apps

closing power-intensive apps

Identifying and closing power-intensive apps when idle conserves battery power and enhances laptop performance. Regular app power usage monitoring and habit adjustment can help prolong your battery life.

Disabling Background Apps

Background apps can consume a significant amount of battery power even when you’re not actively using them.

Disabling superfluous background apps conserves battery life and enhances overall laptop performance.

In Windows, you can access the Startup tab in the Task Manager app to disable background apps that launch automatically when your PC starts.

In MacOS, you can use the Force Quit tool or the Activity Monitor app to quit background apps.

Actively managing your background apps can help you:

  • Conserve battery life

  • Ensure that your laptop runs smoothly and efficiently

  • Regulate your device’s battery usage

  • Enhance its performance

Laptop Cooling and Ventilation

Keeping your laptop cool and well-ventilated is essential for preventing overheating and extending battery life.

Overheating can cause irreversible damage to the battery and accelerate deterioration due to chemical reactions.

In the following sections, we’ll discuss how to avoid hot environments and keep your laptop’s vents clean to ensure optimal cooling and ventilation.

Proper Cooling and ventilation prevent potential battery and component damage, ensuring your device’s long lifespan and peak performance.

Keeping your laptop cool and well-ventilated

Avoiding Hot Environments

Using your laptop in hot environments can cause significant damage to the battery in a short period of time.

The optimal temperature range for laptop battery performance is between 10°C and 30°C (50°F and 86°F).

Charging the battery within this range will yield the best results, and it is also recommended to lower the charge current when the battery is cold.

If your laptop battery becomes too hot, shut the device down and remove the laptop’s battery if possible.

Allow it to cool down by taking a break or moving it to a cooler environment. Avoiding high temperatures and maintaining an optimal range prevents battery damage and prolongs its lifespan.

Cleaning Laptop Vents

Regularly cleaning laptop vents is crucial for ensuring proper cooling and ventilation.

Dust buildup can cause the components to retain heat, leading to thermal throttling and potential damage to the internal hardware.

To clean laptop vents, use a can of compressed air or a soft brush to gently blow or wipe away dust from the fan blades and vent grilles.

Hold the fan still with your finger to prevent it from spinning at excessive speeds and potentially causing damage.

It is recommended to maintain laptop vents every three to six months or when excessive fan noise or reduced performance is observed.

By keeping your laptop’s vents clean, you can ensure proper cooling and ventilation, prevent overheating, and extend your laptop’s battery life.

Learn to clean the laptop vents

Charging Habits and Battery Maintenance

Adopting good charging habits and maintaining your laptop’s battery can significantly impact its lifespan and performance.

In the following sections, we’ll discuss the importance of using the original charger and maintaining an optimal charging range to promote long-term battery health.

Mindfulness of your charging habits and proper battery care can prolong battery life, ensuring you always have sufficient power.

Using the Original Charger

Always use the original charger with your laptop to ensure proper charging and avoid battery damage.

Using a compatible charger that does not meet your laptop’s specifications could decrease battery life and potentially harm your computer.

To guarantee optimal performance and durability, it is essential to use the charger supplied by the manufacturer.

If you must use a non-original charger, ensure that it meets the required specifications and invest in power banks specifically designed for your laptop to avoid potential risks and damage.

Optimal Charging Range

Maintaining an optimal charging range of 50%-80% can significantly promote long-term battery health.

Charging the battery to 100% or letting it drain to 0% regularly can reduce its overall capacity over time.

Keeping the charge within the 50%-80% range can minimize stress on the battery and optimize its longevity.

To maintain the ideal charging range for your laptop battery, keep the battery level between 40% and 80% and avoid discharging the battery completely after charging it.

By following these recommendations, you can prolong your laptop battery’s lifespan and enjoy better performance.

Operating System Updates and Optimization

Keeping your operating system updated and optimized is essential for better battery performance and overall laptop efficiency.

Regular updates can address software issues bugs, and introduce new features that improve battery management.

In the upcoming sections, we’ll discuss updating your Windows and MacOS operating systems to ensure optimal functionality and battery performance.

Keeping up with the latest software updates and patches ensures efficient laptop operation and maximum battery life.

Updating Windows OS

Regularly updating your Windows OS can provide several benefits for battery performance, including:

  • Optimizations and improvements that increase power efficiency

  • Reduction of unnecessary background processes

  • Optimization of power consumption

  • Improvement of overall system performance

These updates can help your battery technology make your laptop battery last longer and extend battery life for laptops.

To update your Windows OS, navigate to Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update and follow the prompts to download and install the latest updates. After updating, monitor your battery performance and make any necessary adjustments to optimize battery usage.

Updating macOS

Updating MacOS can also improve battery life by introducing new battery management features, optimizations, and bug fixes.

Keeping MacOS up to date ensures you have the latest battery management tools and can address any software issues that may cause excessive battery drain.

To update your MacOS, navigate to System Preferences > Software Update and follow the prompts to download and install the latest updates.

After updating, monitor your battery life and make any necessary adjustments to optimize your laptop’s performance.

Utilizing Built-In Battery-Saving Features

Utilizing built-in battery-saving features in Windows and MacOS can help you conserve power and extend your laptop’s battery life.

These features can automatically manage your laptop’s power consumption, adjust display brightness, and enable power-saving modes.

In the following sections, we’ll discuss Battery Saver Mode in Windows and Energy Saver Settings in MacOS so you can make the most of these built-in features.

These battery-saving features can significantly prolong your laptop battery life, allowing for extended productivity.

Battery Saver Mode in Windows

Battery Saver mode in Windows is a valuable feature that activates when your laptop’s battery reaches approximately 20% capacity.

This mode blocks background applications, reduces screen brightness, and makes other modifications to conserve battery life.

By enabling Battery Saver mode, you can reduce power consumption and improve your laptop’s battery performance when you need it most, similar to how airplane mode works on your smartphone.

To enable Battery Saver mode in Windows, follow the steps provided in the knowledge base. Customizing Battery Saver settings can further optimize your laptop’s battery life and ensure that you have enough power to get through your day.

Energy Saver Settings in MacOS

MacOS also offers built-in features to optimize battery life, such as Energy Saver settings. Adjusting these settings can help you manage your laptop’s power consumption, control display brightness, and enable power-saving features.

By optimizing Energy Saver settings, you can extend your laptop’s battery life and improve its overall performance.

To access and adjust Energy Saver settings in MacOS, navigate to System Preferences > Energy Saver and configure the settings according to your preferences.

By making these adjustments, you can conserve battery power and enjoy a longer-lasting laptop battery.

External Battery Packs for Extended Use

When you need even more power for your laptop, external battery packs can be a lifesaver. These portable power sources can help you extend your laptop’s battery life, allowing you to work, study, or play without worrying about running out of power.

Choosing the appropriate external battery pack ensures you always have enough battery power.

When selecting an external battery pack, consider the following factors:

  • Compatibility

  • Capacity

  • Output power

  • Portability

  • Brand and reviews

With the right external battery pack, you can enjoy extended laptop use and never worry about running out of power again, even when your laptop plugged into the battery pack.

Summary

In conclusion, extending your laptop’s battery life is achievable by following the 10-step guide we’ve covered in this blog post.

By optimizing power settings, managing apps and processes, maintaining proper cooling and ventilation, adopting good charging habits, keeping your operating system updated, utilizing built-in battery-saving features, and using external battery packs, you can significantly improve your laptop’s battery performance.

By implementing these tips and strategies, you can stay productive for longer and make the most of your laptop’s battery life.

It’s time to take control of your laptop’s power consumption and unlock its full potential!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it OK to keep the laptop plugged in all the time?

It is generally recommended to keep your laptop battery charged between 30-70 percent as much as possible for optimal performance.

Leaving a laptop plugged in all the time is not bad for the laptop’s battery health, but it is important to monitor other factors, such as heat and frayed cords to prevent any damage to the battery.

What kills laptop battery life?

Extremes of temperature and heavy use of demanding applications can shorten your laptop battery life, so it’s essential to keep your device running in more moderate conditions.

How do I stop my laptop battery from draining so fast?

To stop your laptop battery from draining so fast, adjust the screen brightness, reduce the number of network connections,

turn off the keyboard backlight, adjust power settings, remove unwanted peripherals, end unnecessary background tasks/programs, close unwanted processes, and turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

How can I make my laptop battery last longer?

To make your laptop battery last longer, reduce the brightness of your screen, adjust your power profile to power saver, close any applications you’re not using, ensure proper ventilation, and unplug any external devices you don’t need.

How can I identify power-hungry apps on my laptop?

Identify power-hungry apps on your laptop by using built-in tools in Windows and MacOS to view the ‘battery usage per app’ section or check the Activity Monitor app’s ‘Energy’ tab.

Similar Posts