Squeeze Every Last Drop Out of Your Laptop’s Battery

It never fails. You’re on a cross-country flight, laptop open on your tray table, digging deep into an important project when — your battery dies. As we become more dependent on mobile devices like laptops and smartphones, knowing how to extend the life of the battery that powers that device can mean the difference between three wasted hours or making the deadline.

In the short term, when an outlet isn’t available, there are simple things you can do. Before you start working, make sure you turn off all the unnecessary services on your notebook that draw power. On an airplane, for instance, you’d turn off your wireless adapter and Bluetooth services. You could also turn off the overhead light in your seat and dim your notebook’s screen. Your laptop or smartphone’s screen is the component that uses the most power, so the dimmer you can go, the longer it will last.

Shut down any software or applications that are needlessly spinning your hard drive or using up CPU. Make sure your email program isn’t running if you can’t check email, or that any startup items you don’t need aren’t hogging up precious battery life in the background. In short, run the fewest software applications required to get your work done.

If you use a Dell laptop, the manufacturer recommends you:

• Utilize QuickSet* power schemes to customize your power consumption
• Turn off Presentation Mode by using QuickSet
• Turn off wireless by using the Fn+F2 keys or QuickSet
• Reduce screen brightness by using Fn+ the up and down arrows
• Remove external peripherals such as PC cards and USB devices when not in use
• Perform high power tasks such as gaming, DVD playing and data analysis, while connected to AC power source

Here are HP’s recommendations for notebook owners.

In the long term, a few considerations can increase the number of charge cycles you get out of your battery. For example, heat degrades battery life, so keeping your notebook in a cool place (out of a hot car, for example) and operating it at room temperature only will extend its life. Avoid charging your iPhone in a carrying case, because the case can trap excessive heat and reduce the phone’s battery life.

Calibrating your battery — that is, fully charging and discharging it — also keeps it healthy. From Apple’s web site:

For proper maintenance of a lithium-based battery, it’s important to keep the electrons in it moving occasionally. Apple does not recommend leaving your portable plugged in all the time. An ideal use would be a commuter who uses her MacBook Pro on the train, then plugs it in at the office to charge. This keeps the battery juices flowing. If on the other hand, you use a desktop computer at work, and save a notebook for infrequent travel, Apple recommends charging and discharging its battery at least once per month.

If you store a battery for an extended period of time, Apple recommends charging it to 50% life first, which will help maintain its ability to hold a charge when you use it again. Battery University suggests keeping it in the refrigerator (not the freezer), making sure to seal it in a baggie to avoid moisture.

Until every airplane, meeting room, and cafe has an outlet next to every seat, how do you keep your battery alive as long as possible? Let us know in the comments.