If you are using your laptop every day for multiple hours at a time you will need to plug in your laptop to a power source throughout the day. If you aren’t using your laptop that much, chances are you will be able to go days without charging it especially if you shut its power off. No matter your laptop usage, we have compiled some battery saving suggestions for you to practice that can extend your laptop’s battery life.
- Dim your screen
The screen itself on your laptop uses a tremendous amount of power. To help reduce the amount it needs, try using a dimmer screen. On Windows laptops, select action center or the Network icon (on the bottom right of your taskbar) and then move the Brightness slider to adjust the brightness.
On the bright side (no pun intended), some Windows laptops and MacBooks automatically adjust screen brightness based on your current lighting conditions. To find out if your Windows laptop supports this, select Settings > System > Display. Under Brightness and color, look for the Change brightness automatically when lighting changes check box, and then select it to use this feature.
To change the brightness in MacBooks, go to Systems Preferences > Displays then adjust the brightness slider to your preferred setting. You can also check off the Automatically adjust brightness box.
- Don’t let your laptop’s power completely die before plugging it into a power source
Keeping your laptop plugged into a power source all day seems like a simple solution to avoid your device running out of battery power. However, over a long period of time, it actually damages your battery and may result in the battery itself being less efficient. Instead, try your best to keep track of your battery usage. Try to prevent your battery level from dropping below 20% of power. This will help prolong your battery life in general. Allowing your battery power to reach 0% puts an enormous amount of strain on your battery pack and laptop, so try to prevent this from happening. It’s generally recommended to keep your battery somewhere between 40% and 80% charge.
- Close apps and tabs that you are no longer using
Keeping a number of tabs open on an internet browser or a number of programs on and running on your laptop drains your battery even if you aren’t currently using these programs. The best solution to this is to close them when you are done using them.
- Change your power settings
There are features on Windows laptops and MacBooks that include a Battery Saver mode that’s designed to extend your laptop’s battery life. On a Windows laptop, you can turn on Battery Saver by going to Settings > Battery. You can turn on your battery saver whenever you like or enable it to automatically turn on once your battery level reaches a certain value. Depending on your laptop, the battery icon at the bottom or top of your screen may enable you easier access to adjusting your battery power settings. You can adjust the power mode by toggling it across the axis.
To change your battery power settings on MacBooks, select the Apple menu > Systems Preferences, click Battery and then select Low power mode which reduces energy usage to increase your battery life.
- Avoid too hot or too cold temperatures
Make sure to use your laptop in an environment that is not too hot and not too cold. Extreme temperatures cause your devices to work harder, thus draining the batter power faster. If you notice the surface of your laptop’s keyboard getting hotter than normal, give your laptop a break! Unplug it from a power source or shut down the device to help it get back to normal energy usage and temperature levels. Avoid using your device in direct sunlight or on a hot surface. Also avoid placing the laptop directly on your lap, or on a pillow or blanket. Doing this results in the vents underneath the laptop to be blocked, thus preventing the device from expelling its heat. This could cause the laptop to overheat leading to a decline in your battery power because your laptop is working harder than normal. Use your laptop on firm surfaces so that these vents are not blocked as your laptop has features to prop it up a little bit on such surfaces allowing itself to cool down.
Tips courtesy of TechServe.
