How to Extend Your Laptop Battery Life When Not in Use

One of the best ways to keep your laptop running smoothly is to optimize its battery life. While understanding that batteries have a set lifespan and cannot be magically extended, there are several practical steps you can take to prolong the life of your laptop's battery. This guide will help you understand how to adjust your settings, activate power management, and care for your battery properly.

Optimize Your Settings

There are two simple ways to preserve battery life, regardless of how you use your device:
1. Adjust your screen brightness 2. Use WiFi

Adjust Screen Brightness

Dimming your screen can significantly extend your laptop's battery life. Here's how you can do it:

Dim the screen manually: Open Control Center and drag the Brightness slider to the bottom. Use Auto-Brightness: This setting adjusts your screen to lighting conditions automatically. Go to Settings Accessibility Display Text Size and turn on Auto-Brightness.

Use WiFi Instead of Cellular Network

A WiFi connection uses less power than a cellular network, so it's best to keep WiFi on at all times. To turn on WiFi, go to Settings WiFi to access available networks.

Activate Power Management

Select the preset setting for the best power efficiency option. Windows 10 has an in-built battery saver feature that can significantly save battery life when activated:

Click on the Notification Center icon on the right bottom corner of the Task Bar and click on the “Battery Saver” tab. Customize the Battery Saver settings from your computer. Press the Windows Key I to open the Settings window. In the Settings window, click on “System”. Under “Battery,” arrange the battery limit which, when crossed, will automatically turn on Battery Saver. Click on “OFF” to turn Battery Saver “ON”.

By following these steps, you can ensure that your battery is being used efficiently and conservatively.

Tips to Keep Your Laptop Battery in Good Health

Proper care and attention to specific settings can significantly increase the lifespan of your laptop battery:

Prevent It from Dropping to Zero

Avoid letting your battery run completely to zero, as this can cause damage over time. Try to keep your battery around 30% or above when not in use.

Activate Battery Saving Mode

Regularly activate battery saving mode in Windows to help reduce power consumption. This will stop syncing tasks and freeze unnecessary applications running in the background.

Keep Your Laptop Away from Extreme Weather Conditions

Temperature can greatly affect battery performance. Avoid extreme heat or cold to protect your battery's overall health.

Unplug Unused Peripherals

Unplugging devices like external hard drives or printers when not in use can reduce unnecessary power consumption.

Turn Off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth When Not in Use

Turning off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth will help save power, especially when your laptop is not connected to the internet.

Lower the Screen Brightness

Dimming your screen reduces its power consumption. You can lower the brightness using Control Center or setting it to auto-adjust based on light conditions.

Avoid Leaving Your Laptop Plugged In

Allowing the battery to fully charge and then removing the charger is better than leaving it plugged in, as it can help prevent damage from overcharging.

Install the Latest Operating System

Updating your operating system can improve battery performance and efficiency.

Close Power-Hungry Applications

Close any applications that consume a lot of power when not in use.

By following these tips and adjusting your laptop settings, you can help extend the life of your battery and keep your laptop running efficiently. Regular maintenance and care are key to ensuring your laptop remains a reliable and powerful tool.