7 Ways To Improve Battery Life on Windows Laptops

Improve battery life on Windows laptops to ensure they perform efficiently throughout the day, whether you’re working on the go or aiming to reduce charging frequency. Implementing specific strategies can help maximize your laptop’s battery life.

Fortect will provide essential tips to improve battery life and keep your Windows laptop performing optimally.

Common Causes of Battery Drain on Windows Laptops

Battery drain can result from many factors, including high screen brightness, running intensive applications, or not optimizing power settings. Identifying these common issues will help you make changes to conserve battery life.

Practical Ways To Improve Battery Life on Windows Laptops

Adjust Screen Brightness and Display Settings

Screen brightness is one of the top factors impacting battery life. Higher brightness settings consume more Power, so adjusting the screen to a lower, comfortable level can help conserve battery. Additionally, display timeout settings control how quickly the screen turns off when idle, saving energy during short breaks.

1. Lower Brightness: Go to Settings > System > Display, and adjust the brightness slider to a lower level.
2. Set Display Timeout: In Power & sleep settings, set a short timeout for when the display turns off when inactive.
3. Enable Night Light: Turn on the Night light for a lower-energy display option that’s easier on your eyes in low-light settings.

Use Battery Saver Mode

Battery saver mode is a built-in feature in Windows that limits background activity, reduces screen brightness, and restricts certain functions to conserve energy. Enabling this mode is one of the easiest ways to extend battery life quickly.

1. To turn on the Battery Saver, Go to Settings > System > Power & battery > Battery Saver, then switch it on.
2. Set Automatic Battery Saver Activation: Set the battery saver to automatically activate at a specified battery level.
3. Limit Background Activity: Ensure the battery saver setting limits background app activity, further extending battery life.

Disable Unnecessary Background Apps

Background apps consume significant Power, especially those running continuously to send notifications or update content. Disabling apps that don’t need to run in the background helps minimize battery usage.

1. Access Background Apps: Go to Settings > Apps > Installed apps and select the app you wish to manage.
2. Disable Background Activity: Select Power Optimized or Never for background permissions under app permissions.
3. Review Startup Apps: Open Task Manager > Startup tab and turn off any unnecessary apps that launch on startup.

Optimize Power and Sleep Settings

Power and sleep settings control how long your laptop remains active before going into sleep mode. Optimizing these settings can help ensure your device uses Power efficiently when idle, minimizing unnecessary battery consumption.

1. Adjust the Sleep Timer by Going to Settings > System > Power & battery > Screen and sleep and setting shorter sleep intervals.
2. Optimize Power Mode: Select the Best Power Efficiency in Power Mode for a longer-lasting battery life.
3. Configure Advanced Power Settings: Open Control Panel > Power Options and customize advanced power settings to control specific functions, such as processor performance.

Update Windows and Device Drivers

Running outdated Windows versions or drivers can cause hardware inefficiencies, leading to increased power consumption. Regularly updating Windows and device drivers ensures compatibility and optimizes your system’s battery usage.

1. Run Windows Update: Go to Settings > Windows Update and check for pending updates.
2. Update Device Drivers: Use Device Manager to update drivers, especially for the graphics card, network adapter, and chipset.
3. Enable Automatic Updates: Set Windows to download and install updates automatically to ensure all updates are applied regularly.

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This tool also monitors your system’s drivers to ensure they’re consistently updated, which helps keep your Windows battery life stable and enhances overall performance within minutes.

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Turn Off Connectivity Features When Not in Use

Wireless features such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS can drain the battery when enabled but not used. Turning off these features when not required can significantly increase battery life.

1. Turn Off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth: Use the quick settings menu to toggle Wi-Fi and Bluetooth off when unnecessary.
2. Disable Location Services: Go to Settings > Privacy & security > Location and turn off location tracking.
3. Use Airplane Mode: For a quicker option, switch to Airplane mode to turn off all wireless connectivity simultaneously.

Manage Power-Hungry Applications

Applications that use a lot of CPU, GPU, or memory power consume more Power. Monitoring and limiting such apps can help preserve battery life, especially when performing light tasks that don’t require intensive applications.

1. Open Task Manager: Press Ctrl + Shift + Esc to view active applications and their resource consumption.
2. End High-Usage Apps: Identify power-hungry applications and close them when not used.
3. Limit Browser Tabs: Web browsers can drain the battery, mainly when multiple tabs are opened. Close unnecessary tabs to save Power.

Conclusion

Improving battery life on your Windows laptop involves simple adjustments, like modifying display settings, enabling battery saver mode, and updating drivers. Applying these strategies can extend your laptop’s battery life, making it more efficient and reliable for everyday use. Implementing these tips regularly will help you maximize your device’s performance and enjoy more extended usage without constant charging.