It never fails; the moment you need your laptop for a meeting or to complete work, while being away from an electric source, the low battery alert comes on. We have all been there staring at the horror of a battery that is too low to conduct business and, of course, you forgot your power cord. All’s not lost, however. There are still some things you can do to save your laptop battery. The idea is to reduce the amount of power the laptop is using, letting you squeeze in a few more precious minutes before the battery goes dead. In addition, there are some techniques to extent the overall lifespan of the battery. Here are a few techniques that can help you do both stretch your battery in a pinch as well as preventative measures that will help in the future.
- Eco-Mode – If your laptop has an energy saver mode switch that on for long term use. Â This will reduce the amount of battery life your computer uses regularly.
- Adjust Settings – Backlighting can be a huge drain on power so turn it down slightly to reduce power consumption. Reduce the resolution if you are able to or are not using it for detailed images. Finally, adjust the sound. Saving the power from being zapped by the speakers can buy you a few more minutes of battery life.
- Shut Things Off – Turn off applications you are not using and try not to multitask, which means multiple windows are open at once.
- Turn Off Wifi and Bluetooth – While this may not be practical if you need internet access, it will stretch your battery life if you don’t need it.
- Care for your Battery Regularly – It’s a good idea to take your battery out from time to time and care for it. If you have a laptop with a detachable battery, give it a careful wipe with a soft cloth every few months to get rid of any dust, and make sure the contact points are especially clean.
- Don’t Let the Battery Empty – According to PC World, “Squeezing every drop of juice out of a lithium ion battery (the type used in today’s laptops) strains and weakens it. Doing this once or twice won’t kill the battery, but the cumulative effect of frequently emptying your battery will shorten its lifespan.â€
- Keep It Cool – Heat can break down a battery and shorten its lifespan. Keep vents unblocked and never leave it in a hot car or near a window that gets direct sunlight.
Categorised in: Battery Life, computer lifespan