20 Tips To Extend Your Laptop’s Battery Life

Does it feel like your laptop battery doesn’t last very long? Part of the problem could be the settings on your laptop. Check these settings to extend your laptop battery life.

Adjust Screen Brightness

Lowering your laptop’s screen brightness reduces the energy it consumes. Most laptops have function keys to quickly adjust brightness levels. Consider setting your brightness at or below 50% for optimal battery savings.

Power Saver Mode

Activate the power saver plan through your laptop’s battery settings. This mode optimizes your laptop to use less power by reducing system performance and screen brightness automatically when possible.

Turn Off Keyboard Backlighting

If your laptop has a backlit keyboard, turn it off when not needed. These lights can drain your battery significantly, especially in well-lit environments.

Decrease Sleep And Shutdown Timers

Set your laptop to go into sleep or hibernation mode after a short period of inactivity. This can be done in the power settings and can significantly conserve battery life.

Close Unnecessary Apps And Tabs

Keep only the applications and tabs you are actively using open. Each open app or tab can consume power, so closing them can extend your battery life.

Disable Bluetooth And Wi-Fi

When not in use, turn off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi as they can drain your battery by constantly searching for connections. You can typically toggle these features off through your system tray or network settings.

Manage Startup Programs

Disable programs that automatically run when your laptop starts. These can drain battery life from the moment you turn on your laptop. Check your system settings to manage these programs.

Use Battery Maintenance Tools

Many laptops come with built-in battery maintenance tools that optimize charging and usage patterns to extend battery life. Check your device’s manual or settings for these tools.

Limit Multimedia Use

Activities like watching videos and listening to music can quickly drain your battery. Limit these activities when you’re trying to save battery life or adjust settings to use less power.

Adjust Graphics Settings

Lower your display resolution and graphics settings, especially if you’re playing games or using graphic-intensive applications. This can reduce the amount of power your laptop uses.

Avoid Extreme Temperatures

Keep your laptop out of direct sunlight and don’t use it in very cold conditions. Extreme temperatures force your laptop to work harder, which drains the battery faster.

Use A Hard Drive Instead Of An SSD

If your laptop has both an SSD and a hard drive, use the hard drive for storing less frequently accessed data. SSDs consume less power compared to traditional hard drives.

Regularly Update Software

Keep your operating system and applications up-to-date. Updates often include optimizations that can help reduce energy consumption and thus extend battery life.

Keep Vents Clear

Ensure the air vents on your laptop are not blocked. Good ventilation helps prevent your laptop from overheating and using more power than necessary.

Reduce External Device Usage

Unplug external devices like USB drives, external hard disks, and mice when not in use. These devices can draw power from your laptop, reducing battery life.

Check Battery Condition

Regularly check your battery’s health to see if it needs replacing. A worn-out battery can significantly reduce your laptop’s overall battery life.

Use Energy-Efficient Web Browsers

Some web browsers are optimized to use less battery. Experiment with different browsers to see which one works best for conserving battery on your laptop.

Optimize Email Settings

Instead of having your email client check for new messages every few minutes, set it to manual refresh or increase the check interval. This reduces the workload on your battery.

Adjust Sound Settings

Lower the volume or use headphones instead of your laptop’s speakers. Speakers can use more battery, so minimizing their use can help save power.

Battery Calibration

Occasionally calibrate your battery if your laptop manufacturer recommends it. This involves charging your laptop to full and then letting it discharge completely. This helps maintain accurate battery level readings.