Even though you can do practically anything on a laptop, they tend to become slaves to the mains.

Constant connection to a power supply may mean that your battery becomes dependant on the power source, so it’s not uncommon for a laptop to have a short battery life when you begin disconnecting.

If swapping batteries or ordering a replacement isn’t an option, you’ll want to read our tips on how to increase your laptops’ battery life:

Screen brightness

Much like reducing the brightness on your phone screen can reduce the amount of battery life,dimming the screen on your laptop is a great way to extend its’ life away from a power source.

The brightness of your screen is one of the most battery-draining parts of your laptop and because it takes a lot of power to make your display bright and clear, temporarily dimming it can have noticeable benefits.

To dim the brightness of your laptops’ screen, head to your computers display settings and reduce the brightness. You should be seeing improvements in battery life almost instantly!

Disable Bluetooth and unused ports

The phrase “if it’s not in use, turn it off” doesn’t just apply to appliances – Bluetooth programs that come installed on your laptop can be another source of your battery’s dwindling life span.

Search in your Control Panel for Bluetooth settings and scroll through the list of hardware. Once you’ve found the Bluetooth application, right-click and press ‘disable’ to temporarily turn it off.

Unused ports and USB peripherals can put a huge strain on your battery, so unplugging and turning off unused equipment can be a great way to extend the life of your laptop battery.

Power management settings

Many laptops come automatically using ‘Balanced’ power settings – a plan that is designed to balance the effects of getting a great display whilst still taking battery life and efficiency into account.

However, changing your power settings to use the ‘Power Saving’ option can ensure that your operating system does its best to save power where possible; in turn, increasing your battery life.

To enable this setting, search for ‘power options’ in the Control Panel of your laptop.

Avoid permanent charging

Although leaving your laptop constantly plugged in causes no issues during normal usage, major problems can occur when you want to unplug your device and use it elsewhere.

A laptop that has been constantly connected to the mains comes dependant on the power source, meaning it doesn’t last as long when being disconnected.

Some laptop manufacturers used lithium-ion batteries in their machines as they can’t be overcharged, and some provide a setting that limits the battery from becoming fully charged when connected to a power source. This prevents battery degradation and allows you to connect the device constantly to the mains.

If you’ve tried all of these tips and the battery life of your laptop isn’t improving, it may be time to upgrade. Get in touch with the Sell Your Laptop team today and enquire about receiving cash for your old machine, or visit the Get a Quote page for free valuation on your current laptop.