How to promote the lifespan and charging capacity of your batteries
Simple routines – and what to avoid – to keep your laptop, phone, and tablet batteries in good shape
- Avoid extreme temperatures. Heat is the biggest enemy of laptop batteries, so try to keep your laptop cool. Avoid using it in direct sunlight or in hot environments. If your laptop starts to overheat, take a break and let it cool down before continuing to use it.
- Keeping your battery between 20% and 80% charged is best. Frequent full charge or discharge causes more stress for the battery’s delicate electrochemical process and may cause it to degrade faster. Staying plugged in while you’re working is fine, but it's better to unplug it when you're done.
- Avoid letting your battery completely die. If you're not going to be using your device for a while, it’s best to shut it off at around 50% charge.
- Use your laptop’s power-saving features. Recent macOS and Windows versions have power-saving features that can help to extend battery life.
Additional tips:
- Keep your laptop clean. Dust buildup can block airflow and cause your laptop to overheat. Clean your laptop regularly, especially around the vents.
- Update your operating system and 3rd party software. Software updates often include optimizations that promote efficient power usage and battery life.
- Use a quality power adapter. Cheap third-party power adapters risk damage your laptop and battery or a short circuit and potential fire.
- Calibrate your battery. Over time, the charge estimate may become inaccurate. To calibrate your battery, fully charge it, save and close any documents you're working on, then use it until it it turns off at 0%. Then, plug it back in and charge it to 100%.