Laptop Battery: How to Extend It’s Life

As laptops have become an extension of ourselves and used daily in work and play, their mobility is what makes them the perfect tool. But what happens when you find yourself constantly tethered to a wall outlet? With laptop batteries on average lasting one to six hours, we have listed out several helpful tips below to help you extend the life of your laptop battery.

Buy 

Upon purchase of your laptop, buying an extra battery is key. Having a spare helps in a pinch when you can’t get plugged in. If purchasing post sale, be careful purchasing spares from a third party seller. The best practice is purchasing from the manufacturer, especially since their spare batteries have higher capacities. 

Adjust 

Since most laptop batteries weaken over time, manufacturers have included battery performance settings to minimize power usage for certain functions. If you are okay with minor functionality, Windows laptops have a battery performance slider and Mac users can adjust settings in the Energy Saver window. 

Assess 

Many don’t realize that laptops run apps in the background just like smartphones. This continual running of apps really drains a battery. In order to stop this, just check the downloaded apps. Read through and look for apps that are significantly expending energy. You can either delete them if no longer needed, or just simply turn them off when they are not in use. 

Disable 

Turning off WiFi when you are not actively browsing the web will help to save some battery juice. For example, if you are completing tasks like writing that don’t require internet, turn the WiFi off. Just like WiFi, Bluetooth is also a contributing factor for sucking laptop battery life. Turning Bluetooth off, if not needed, will also help save battery life. To disable WiFi and Bluetooth quickly and temporarily, turn on Airplane Mode.

Dim 

Most laptops come with a dimming function. If your work area is brightly lit, then there is no need for your laptop to be in bright mode. Generally, the brightness is set to adjust to the surroundings automatically, but it is best to check this setting to ensure it is not draining your battery life.