We’ve all experienced this. If you are in a classroom, boardroom, attending a meeting or even while travelling; and you find out that your laptop is about to shut down- then the real horror begins when there is no source of charging the device externally. You might forget to carry the power adapter or maybe there are no power outlets available. Whatever the reason be, the battery power of your laptop is dwindling, and there are tons of work still to be done.
Worried? Well, the hope is still alive. There are several ways that can help you buy some extra time on the almost-dead battery, to ensure that your important work is not left undone. Following methods will surely help you get some additional power for your laptop:
Adjust the Screen Brightness
Yes, you know this. The brightness of screen can be adjusted anytime; and it is one of the most important factors that affect the battery life of your laptop. Screen is considered as the major source of power drain. So, when indoor it is advisable to minimize the screen brightness to a level where you are able to view the content easily. This will help you gain around 1 hour of power for your laptop.
Keep DVD drive empty
I am sure if you have even a little knowledge, then you must be aware that DVD Drives do consume lot of power. The reason is simple; you forgot to take out the CD/DVD from the drive, which starts spinning whenever you switch on the laptop.
Disable Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Yes, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi does consume a small amount of power; but if you are really concerned to save every last bit of power then it is advisable to disable the Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not needed.
Close the Unused Applications
All those applications that are running on your laptop takes up RAM memory. This includes even the widgets. If you are not using them, it is suggested to close each app. This will give more RAM memory for the current programs that are running, and help in avoiding spooling to the HDD, which in turn will provide some extra battery life.
Unplug the unused peripherals from the USB port
Each and every external devices connected to laptop’s USB ports consume a lot of power. It is recommended to unplug all the devices that are not in use from the laptop. Even the unused flash memory drives should be removed, (though they consume little power) to get some extra juice for your laptop.
Get rid of screensaver
To avoid the drainage of battery life, switch off the screensaver even if it makes your laptop look cool.
Make use of User Power Saver profile
Mac, Linux or Windows; all the operating systems comes with built in profiles for power mode. Those who have Windows devices know this profile as Power Saver. This can be used whenever you are working on battery without the backup of any other external power source (Charging Adapter). Users can fine tune the power by changing the setting options.
Mute Speaker
Audio doesn’t consume a lot of power but for the sake of extra battery life, would it not be wise to mute the speakers if you don’t need the sound.
Avoid Overheating
Most of the laptop’s batteries are sensitive to heat. The heating on laptop is caused due to varied reasons. You might have left the laptop switched on in your bag, or might be using over the soft surface like pillow and blanket; this prevents the air circulation as it closes the vents and act as an heat insulator. This in turn causes overheating of laptop and destroying the battery life. It is recommended to use a cooling pad (without USB powered).
Stop Overcharging the Batteries
It is advisable that not to charge the laptop’s battery continuously. Ideally, battery should be charged when it gets down to 50%. Make sure to use the laptop for sometime without connecting the charging adapter. Overcharging the laptop affects the performance of the battery life to quite an extent.
Conclusion
I am sure the above mentioned methods might help you gain some extra juice for your laptop without investing a single penny. There are also several other options to help sustain the battery life of your laptop (like upgrading RAM), but when there are free methods to improve the power performance, then spending that extra bucks can wait. If you think there are other important points that we have missed, do let us know in the comments below.
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