PDF download Download Article PDF download Download Article

This wikiHow teaches you how to prevent your HP laptop battery from dying too quickly, both short-term and long-term.

Method 1
Method 1 of 3:

Maximizing Short-Term Battery Life

PDF download Download Article
  1. This will ensure that your battery is fully charged when you turn the computer back on.
    • For example, you might hook your computer up to a charger before going to bed.
  2. Any programs which you aren't currently using should be closed in order to cut down the battery drain.
    • If possible, you'll also want to avoid using battery-intensive programs like video players or photo editors.
    Advertisement
  3. Things like USB flash drives, CDs, mice, and other peripherals will cause your battery to drain faster, so remove these items for a small boost in battery life.
  4. Click the square Action Center icon in the bottom-right corner of the screen (or press ⊞ Win + A ), then click the Brightness box until your computer's brightness is down to 50 percent (or lower if you like).
    • Computer screen brightness is one of the largest contributors to battery drain, so this will drastically increase your battery's life if you were using high brightness.
    • If your laptop uses a light-up keyboard, you can disable the light feature by holding down the Fn key and tapping the keyboard icon at the top of your laptop's keyboard (on some computers, you may not need the Fn key).
  5. Like screen brightness, you can do this from the Action Center by clicking the colored Bluetooth box.
    • If this box is grey and has "Off" under it, Bluetooth is already disabled.
  6. Battery Saver is a Windows 10 feature which temporarily disables high-performance things like shadows and other graphical aspects. You can enable it by clicking your laptop's battery icon in the far-right side of the taskbar and then clicking Battery Saver in the pop-up window.
    • To disable Battery Saver, simply click the battery icon again and then click Battery Saver .
  7. Your laptop's vents serve to cool down your computer, thus preventing the built-in fans from working too hard. If the vents become blocked by dust or items on your desk, the fans will have to work significantly harder, and your computer's battery life will suffer as a result.
    • Always try to use your laptop in an open, well-ventilated space.
  8. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 3:

Maximizing Long-Term Life

PDF download Download Article
  1. While you can prolong the life of a Lithium-Ion battery for a while, most such batteries won't make it past the age of three or four without taking a huge dip in short-term lifespan.
    EXPERT TIP

    Spike Baron

    Network Engineer & Desktop Support
    Spike Baron is a Network Engineer & Desktop Support Expert based in Los Angeles, California. He is the owner of Spike’s Computer Repair. With over 25 years of working experience in the tech industry, Spike specializes in PC and Mac computer repair, used computer sales, virus removal, data recovery, and hardware and software upgrades. He has worked as an IT Systems expert for numerous companies, including Huntington Health, Blackbox, Honda, and Manufacturers Bank. In his spare time, Spike also builds and restores computers. He has his CompTIA A+ certification for computer service technicians and is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert.
    Spike Baron
    Network Engineer & Desktop Support

    You can increase the lifespan of your battery by letting the charge run down. Leaving your laptop plugged in all the time isn't usually the best option. Occasionally unplug your battery and let it run down to almost dead before recharging.

  2. Excessively hot, cold, or damp conditions can damage your laptop's internals, battery included.
    • If you find that your laptop is overheating often, try clearing the vents or using it in an area with good air circulation.
  3. Even if you turn off your laptop for several days or weeks at a time, your battery's life will still diminish faster than if you remove the battery from your laptop.
    • Some HP laptops, such as high-tier Pavilion notebooks, don't have removable batteries; if this is the case for you, skip this step.
  4. HP recommends keeping laptop batteries stored between 68°F and 77°F (or 20°C and 25°C). This will prevent them from being damaged by excess heat or cold.
    • It's also a good idea to store your batteries in as dry a climate as possible.
  5. When storing your battery separate of your laptop for several months at a time, make sure that the battery is at around 70 percent charge when removed, and check it every three months or so.
  6. Advertisement
Method 3
Method 3 of 3:

Changing Battery Settings

PDF download Download Article
  1. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
    • You can alter your battery settings to optimize your computer's performance for battery life, though doing so will cause some programs to run slower than usual.
  2. This will search for the appropriate option in Control Panel.
  3. It's at the top of the Start window. Doing so opens the Power Options window.
  4. This link is in the upper-left side of the window. A new window will open.
  5. It's one of the options in the middle of the window.
  6. In the text box at the bottom of the window, delete the existing text and type in your preferred name for your plan.
  7. It's at the bottom of the window.
  8. In the "On battery" column of the window, do the following:
    • Change the "Turn off the display" option to 10 minutes.
    • Change the "Put the computer to sleep" to 15 minutes.
    • Lower the brightness to 50 percent (or lower).
  9. It's at the bottom of the window. This will create your power plan and apply it to your computer.
    • You can double or triple your battery life if you were previously using high-performance power settings.
  10. Advertisement

Community Q&A

Search
Add New Question
  • Question
    Can I use the laptop while it is plugged in?
    Community Answer
    Yes, however this will reduce charging speed and increase the amount of time it takes to receive a full charge.
  • Question
    When do I recharge the battery?
    Community Answer
    When you run out of battery on your laptop or the battery warning appears. Try to leave the laptop alone when recharging or when you aren't using it to keep your laptop's battery healthy.
  • Question
    How can I increase the battery life?
    Community Answer
    There is many way to maximize any Laptops Battery Life. You can turn on standard power mode. When your battery is fully charged, then unplug the power cable. Again when your battery is too low then plug in your power plug. Reduce your screen brightness to normal.
See more answers
Ask a Question
      Advertisement

      Video

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
      Advertisement

      Warnings

      • If your laptop's battery is more than a few years old, you're probably better off replacing the battery than attempting to salvage it.
      Advertisement

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 238,414 times.

      Is this article up to date?

      Advertisement