Laptops were once fairly rare possessions, but they have become very common these days. Students are issued these devices to further their education in some schools. People of all backgrounds find them necessary for working on the Internet or for their employers remotely. However, knowledge of how to care for these devices has not spread so quickly.
As a result, many people spend far too much on new laptop batteries. These sources of power can actually last much longer if people would use them properly. Some education about laptop battery usage could save you or a friend a lot of money and a lot of hassle in the long run.
Following are five suggestions to help prolong and maximize laptop battery power:
1. Manage Your Power Settings
You may not know it but you are in charge of how much power your laptop uses. You can exercise this control significantly when you alter the brightness of the screen. You can memorize the steps to find this control or simply type screen brightness into the search bar that appears when you click on the Start menu in the lower left-hand corner. You can make the screen bright for when it is in use and program the computer to dim it whenever a certain amount of time goes by.
2. Minimize Background Programs
You may not know that your laptop, like your desktop computer, is always running a variety of programs. For example, while you are using a word processor, the computer is operating anti-virus operations and keeping instant messenger programs open and ready for use. Each of these programs, even if they are not in present use, requires energy.
Hit Ctrl + Alt + Del and go to the task manager. You will see a lot of processes listed in operation. You do not want to turn off all of these. Some are required to keep your computer functioning and protected from threats. However, many should only be on when you want them. Play around with ending some of these tasks and watch how much longer your battery will function.
3. Take Care of the Battery
Think of your battery as a living thing. It has certain needs. Just like a person, it needs to sleep and recharge. It also needs to stay clean and get some exercise.
By cleaning the metal contacts where your battery meets your laptop, you can increase the efficiency with which it transfers and receives energy. Clean these contacts with alcohol wipes or with cloth dipped in alcohol.
Some people think that they preserve their battery by never using it. They constantly carry around the power cord and plug it in whenever they can. This is actually bad for the battery. You should regularly use the battery and let it run down low before allowing it to recharge without disturbance.
4. Temperature Control
High temperatures can damage batteries and cause them to function less efficiently. Whenever your computer is on, make sure that the vents underneath have plenty of space between them and a smooth surface so that heat can dissipate properly.
5. Let It Hibernate
Do not just close your laptop, stick it in your bag and walk away. Your computer will continue to operate even if it goes to sleep. This uses power and can also heat up the battery in the enclosed space of your bag. Before putting your laptop away for a while, choose the hibernate option that is usually right underneath sleep in your shut down options.
Taking good care of your laptop battery will extend its life. This education in laptop care will also save you money and prevent the possibility of losing the battery all at once.
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Author Bio
William Stevens is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to technology. In this article, he offer tips for extended battery life and aims to encourage further study with a master degree in electrical engineering.