How do I make my laptop battery last longer?
Everyday tips to save battery
The biggest battery drains are the screen, the processor, and wireless radios. Lower your screen brightness to the lowest comfortable level, and set a shorter timeout for the display to turn off. Turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if you don't need them, and disconnect peripherals like external drives.
Close apps you're not using, especially those that run in the background like cloud sync or messaging apps. Use your operating system's battery saver mode, which limits background activity and reduces performance slightly. On Windows, check the battery usage per app in Settings; on Mac, check Activity Monitor's Energy tab.
- Lower screen brightness
- Turn off Wi-Fi/Bluetooth when not needed
- Close background apps
- Enable battery saver mode
Long-term battery health
Lithium-ion batteries age fastest when kept at 100% or 0% and when exposed to heat. If you're plugged in most of the time, enable a charge limit (often 80%) in your laptop's settings. Avoid leaving your laptop in a hot car or in direct sunlight.
If you're storing the laptop for weeks, charge it to about 50% and turn it off. Also, avoid fast charging when you don't need it, as it generates more heat. Some laptops let you choose a slower charging mode.
- Enable charge limit (80%)
- Avoid extreme temperatures
- Store at 50% charge
- Use slower charging when possible
When to replace the battery
If your battery life has dropped significantly and you've tried all the tips, the battery may be worn out. Most laptops show battery health in the settings or via a diagnostic tool. A replacement battery can restore runtime, but check if it's user-replaceable or requires a professional.
Common mistakes
- Leaving the laptop plugged in at 100% all the time, which accelerates battery aging.
- Using 'battery saver' mode only when the battery is critically low—it's more effective if you enable it earlier.
- Thinking that fully discharging the battery every month is necessary; that was true for older battery types, not modern lithium-ion.
