This article was published in 2014 and updated in October 2026.

Battery life is one of the biggest frustrations for laptop users — the battery always seems to run out just before the end of a meeting, lecture or flight. Modern laptops last much longer than in 2014, but a few settings and habits can still add hours of use and keep your battery healthy for years. Here are ten practical ways to increase laptop battery life on Windows and Mac.

1. Lower the screen brightness

The display is one of the biggest power consumers. Reducing the brightness to a comfortable level — or turning on automatic brightness — can noticeably extend battery life and is easier on your eyes, too.

2. Turn on battery saver

In Windows 11, turn on Energy saver (or Battery saver in Windows 10) under Settings → System → Power & battery, and set it to switch on automatically below a certain percentage. On a Mac, use Low Power Mode in System Settings → Battery.

3. Choose an efficient power mode

On Windows, set the Power mode to “Best power efficiency” or “Balanced” when you’re on battery, instead of “Best performance”. Gaming laptops often have a separate manufacturer app that switches between high-performance and quiet/eco modes — and some can switch off the power-hungry dedicated graphics card when you don’t need it.

4. Close apps running in the background

Programs you’ve minimised keep working and using power. Open Task Manager (Ctrl + Shift + Esc) to see which apps use the most energy, close the ones you don’t need, and disable unnecessary startup apps. Many browsers also have energy-saving features, such as Edge’s efficiency mode or Chrome’s Energy Saver, that put inactive tabs to sleep.

5. Reduce the screen’s refresh rate

Laptops with 120 Hz or higher displays look smoother, but use more power. Windows 11’s dynamic refresh rate or switching to 60 Hz on battery saves energy. On laptops with OLED screens, dark mode also helps.

6. Disconnect what you don’t need

External drives, USB devices and chargers for other gadgets draw power from your laptop. Unplug them when you’re not using them, and turn off the keyboard backlight and decorative RGB lighting.

7. Switch off unused wireless connections

Turn off Bluetooth when you’re not using wireless accessories, and use airplane mode when you don’t need the internet, for example while writing on a flight.

8. Sleep or hibernate wisely

Sleep is fine for short breaks, but a laptop in sleep mode still uses a little power. If you won’t use it for a day or more, shut it down or use hibernate so the battery isn’t slowly drained.

9. Keep the battery healthy

Lithium-ion batteries age faster when they’re constantly kept at 100% and hot, or often drained to 0%. If your laptop is mostly plugged in, turn on the manufacturer’s battery-care setting that limits charging to around 80% — many Windows laptops offer this, and Macs use Optimized Battery Charging. Using the laptop while it charges is fine. Keep it cool, use a good-quality charger, and avoid leaving it in a hot car.

10. Keep software and drivers updated

Updates to the operating system, BIOS/firmware and drivers often include power-management improvements and fixes for bugs that drain the battery. In 2014 we also recommended defragmenting the hard drive — today most laptops have SSDs, and Windows optimises drives automatically, so you can skip that.

When it’s time for a new battery

If your laptop lasts only a fraction of its original runtime even after these tips, the battery may simply be worn out. Windows can create a battery report (run powercfg /batteryreport in Terminal) and macOS shows the battery condition in System Settings. Many laptop batteries can be replaced by a service centre.

Read also: How to make your phone battery last longer and our gaming laptops roundup.

More guides

• How to Maintain Your Laptop: Care Tips That Make It Last
• How to Check Your Laptop Battery Health from the Command Line
• 7 Tips for Buying a Laptop
• How to Check SSD Health and Remaining Lifespan