What Should I Do If My Laptop Battery is Draining Fast?

Power - by Joe Weber - updated on 3/22/2023

We've all been there, unplugged the laptop, sat on the couch and started working in comfort, only to have the laptop warn you of a low battery only an hour later. Not only is it frustrating when this happens, it can be easily fixable in some scenarios. If, even after changing settings, the battery is still draining quickly, bring it into your nearest Batteries Plus to have a new battery installed.

Why Does My Laptop Battery Drain So Fast?

There are so many reasons why your laptop battery may be draining faster than it should. It's easy to monitor the status of your battery in your laptop. Below are some of the more common reasons why your battery may be draining faster than normal.

• Your screen brightness is set higher than it should be.
• You have several accessories connected to your laptop.
• You are using your laptop in high-performance mode.
• There are many programs running in the background using up resources.
• You are working with a resource heavy program, like photo or video editing software.
• Your backlit keyboard is set to a higher level.
• There is a program running that is malfunctioning.
• Some systems settings have been changed, causing the battery to drain faster.
• Your computer needs to be updated.

How Can I Fix Battery Drain Myself?

A lot of the common issues revolving around battery life can be easily corrected by manipulating a few settings on your computer.

1. Check and reduce screen brightness.
2. If you are connected to multiple networks, disconnect or forget any networks that you are not using.
3. If you can, turn off the backlight on the keyboard.
4. Change the power settings to be easier on the battery when the laptop is unplugged.
5. Unplug any accessories that you aren't using while using battery power.
6. End any unnecessary background programs.
7. Close unnecessary processes.
8. Turn off Bluetooth or WiFi when not in use.

Can I Replace My Laptop Battery?

The simple answer? Yes.

The more complicated answer is the difficulty of this task varies depending on the make and model of laptop. Many laptop batteries are easily replaceable by the user in the comfort of their home. You just press on some tabs and the battery slides or snaps out and you slide the new one in. Newer laptops and higher-end laptops come with integrated batteries that require professional installation. That's where the battery experts and Batteries Plus come in handy. We carry a large selection of batteries for laptops with integrated batteries and will install your new battery so you can get back to work as soon as possible.

Learn how to care for your new laptop battery to get the best life out of it by reading our blog "Do I Need to Break In a Laptop Battery?".

Where Can I Go for Laptop Batteries?

Batteries Plus has a large selection of replacement laptop batteries for your laptop. Whether you have an Apple MacBook or a Dell Inspiron, we have battery solutions for you. User replaceable or requiring installation by our technicians, your local Batteries Plus store and associates are here to help you make your life easier.