One of the most important factors to consider when buying and using laptops is their battery duration. Naturally, all of us want our laptop batteries to last as long as possible, especially since replacement batteries are often quite expensive.

Today we’ll tell you a bit more about laptop batteries and how you can make sure they work as efficiently as possible . Modern laptops typically use Li-Ion Batteries, which have an average life expectancy of around 300 to more than 500 full recharge cycles. This basically means that their output and duration will start to drop after a certain number of recharge cycles no matter what you do.

5-simple-steps-to-take-care-of-your-laptop-batteries

However, you can still make sure that the battery doesn’t degrade too fast. Improper handling and charging cycles can greatly contribute to battery degradation. Laptop batteries will start losing output and eventually expire, but you can use them for many years before that happens by following these simple steps.

Keep Your Laptop At Room Temperature

The chemical components of Li-ion, or any batter for that matter, are sensitive to sudden temperature changes. Excessive heat may cause the battery to expire prematurely, so don’t leave your laptop near heat sources such as direct sunlight in a room or especially a closed car. Extreme heat may even cause the battery to leak in some cases. Cold environments also have a negative effect on battery life, directly slowing the chemical reactions inside laptop batteries and reducing the battery life that way. Both of these rules are important for your laptop in general, and not just for your laptop batteries. If you plan to use your laptop on an external power source for an extended period of time, remove the battery to avoid prolonged charging periods and store it at room temperature.

Don’t Let The Charge Drop To Zero

Old laptop battery types (Ni-Cad) needed to be completely drained before being recharged, or they would change their respective zero/max charge points, drastically altering their duration. Fortunately, Li-ion batteries don’t lose duration even if you don’t wait for them to drain completely. It is actually recommended to not let Li-ion batteries drain completely, and always keep them charged. This is due to different chemical reactions occurring in Li-ion batteries, so you can freely recharge whenever you want. However, it is desirable to wait until the charge drops to 20% just in case.

Don’t Neglect The Battery

Leaving laptop batteries unused for long periods of time can be detrimental to their duration. This is a common mistake which occurs in several ways. First of all, whenever you connect your laptop to an external power supply, your laptop battery charges to max capacity and afterwards isn’t used at all. Removing a battery completely and not using it can also have a negative effect on battery duration. Take care not to do any of these things for longer periods. If you’re using an external charge – remove the battery for a while. If you’ve already removed it – put it back in your laptop for a charge every 3-4 days.

Use The Appropriate Charger

While most laptops use standardized power connectors, a miniscule difference in power supplied to the laptop can have negative consequences for your laptop battery and laptop
components in general. Always use a charged or power supply for your exact laptop brand.

Use Power Management Options In Windows

Newer versions of Windows have integrated power management options and many laptop brands come with their own power management applications. Make full use of these. If you’re going on a trip, it is very useful to lower the power consumption. This will make the laptop battery last much longer. Some applications may have a “full charge” options, so use that before going on a trip.

While the average life expectation of most Li-ion batteries is around 2-3 years, you may even be able to extend their lifespan by following these 5 very simple steps.

About the author

Praveen Raj wrote 288 articles on this blog.

My name is Praveen, founder and editor-in-chief of Geeks4share.com I am from India. Here I blog about blogging tips, money making, tech news, SEO, traffic building and more tips and tricks all related to computer or internet. If you like my blog don't forget to spread a word to your friends.