Batteries are essential components for the operation of any mobile device, be it a laptop, tablet or smartphone, as they allow us to use them without depending on energy networks, which are not always available. Its care and maintenance are essential to maximize its autonomy and performance, as well as to maximize its lifespan.

Improvements in the capacity of the latest generation batteries, reduced consumption of processors, memories or storage units, and power management with operating system software such as Windows 11 have offset the design needs of increasingly thin laptops. . The use of prismatic battery technologies or dual battery formats (smaller but with a larger number of plates overall) helped to fulfill the dream of having autonomy throughout the working day. All this in ideal situations, because as we said, this is a part that needs to be explicitly taken care of.

Laptop battery care

And those are the batteries are consumable components that won’t last forever as they wear out with each charge and recharge cycle and lose capacity. However. there are a number of measures that try to minimize this wear and tear, retain most of its capacity for a longer period of time and ultimately extend the life of the battery. We remind you of the most important ones.

Temperature

The operating temperature has a huge impact during the life of the laptop battery. Batteries work best at room temperature, between 20 and 25 degrees. Avoid large temperature fluctuations as much as possible and take care of extreme hot and cold temperatures in winter or summer. Especially in the current season of holidays in full sun on the beach or by the pool. If it has overheated and you can, wait for it to come back to room temperature before turning it back on.

remove the battery

If you will not be using the device for a certain period of time or if you will have the laptop permanently installed on a table connected to the mains, you can remove the battery if it is replaceable. The best way to do this is to charge it to 40-50% and store it in a cool and dry place, as humidity also affects it negatively. Plug it back in from time to time and run at least one full charge cycle to prevent damage. Unfortunately, the massive use of built-in batteries made this difficult. Market regulators are on the way to solving it, and in the European Union, for example, in 2027 it will be mandatory for smartphones to have replaceable batteries.

Cleaning and placement

Keeping the battery contacts clean is mandatory, as is regular cleaning of the keyboard and the rest of the laptop to prevent dust from entering the device, clogging the grids and fans, and impairing the cooling of components including the battery. Place the computer on a pillow, blanket, or other soft surface may heat up the device and affect the battery. When using the laptop on your lap, it is recommended to use a cooling pad and avoid placing it on these soft surfaces.

charging cycles

As battery technology improves, each charge and discharge irreversibly shortens its life. With good maintenance, it should retain 80 percent of its autonomy for at least the first 18 months of use. With new batteries, it is not necessary to discharge the battery to recharge it. In fact, a partial charge is recommended to prevent the battery from dropping below 15%, except when we perform calibration processes. Do a full charge cycle at least once a month.

Tension

Problems with incorrect supply voltage or current spikes are another major cause that limits battery life. Always use the original adapter supplied with the device. The proper disconnection method laptop from the power adapter is to remove the mains socket from the wall and then the device connector. Follow the reverse steps to make the correct connection and avoid voltage problems. Note that it is not harmful to leave your device connected to the mains with the battery installed. For years, they have included technologies that prevent overloading and draining the battery. Modern equipment includes a protection circuit that prevents the battery from being charged or discharged beyond safe limits.

software and calibration

The industry offers software that reports battery status, helps diagnose and resolve potential battery problems. Most manufacturers include it in their control applications. There are also dedicated third-party applications that can monitor the battery in real time, check its condition, determine its cycle count and help calibration, a technique that needs to be done from time to time to get the most out of your battery, which consists of completely draining the battery. Windows operating systems allow you to manage various related parameters from “power options”.

enjoy your laptop

Following the recommendations above will help extend battery life, but don’t stop there. As we said, batteries are consumables with an expiration date. Enjoy your equipment and use the battery when you need it. When you find that your autonomy has decreased more than you expected, buy an original battery from an official distributor in order not to endanger your device and have a full guarantee of safety.