Extend Laptop Battery Life: Windows and Mac Tips

Nothing's worse than your laptop dying in the middle of important work. While you can't change battery chemistry, you can significantly extend how long your laptop lasts on a charge with these proven techniques for Windows and Mac.

Universal Tips (All Laptops)

1. Lower Screen Brightness

   The display is the biggest battery drain. Reduce brightness to 50-70% for significant savings. Use automatic brightness adjustment when available.

2. Close Unused Apps and Tabs

   Every open app and browser tab consumes power. Close what you're not actively using. Browser tabs are especially power-hungry—each one runs JavaScript and may play animations.

3. Disable Keyboard Backlighting

   Keyboard backlights look cool but drain battery. Turn them off when working on battery power.

4. Use Wi-Fi Instead of Cellular

   If your laptop has cellular capability, Wi-Fi uses less power. Disconnect from networks entirely when you don't need internet.

5. Avoid Extreme Temperatures

   Batteries degrade faster in heat. Don't use your laptop on soft surfaces that block vents, and avoid direct sunlight. Cold temperatures temporarily reduce capacity.

Windows Battery Optimization

1. Enable Battery Saver Mode

   Click the battery icon in the taskbar and enable Battery Saver, or set it to activate automatically at 20% battery.

   Settings → System → Power & battery → Battery saver

2. Choose Power Mode

   Windows offers power modes in the battery flyout:

   • Best power efficiency: Maximum battery life, reduced performance
   • Balanced: Good middle ground
   • Best performance: Drains battery fastest

3. Check Battery Usage by App

   Settings → System → Power & battery → Battery usage

   Identify which apps consume the most power and close or uninstall them.

4. Reduce Display Timeout

   Settings → System → Power & battery → Screen and sleep

   Set screen to turn off after 2-3 minutes on battery.

5. Disable Startup Apps

   Settings → Apps → Startup

   Disable apps you don't need running constantly—each drains battery in the background.

6. Turn Off Background Apps

   Settings → Privacy & security → Background apps

   Disable background activity for apps that don't need it.

7. Update Graphics Drivers

   Outdated drivers can cause excessive GPU usage. Update through Device Manager or your GPU manufacturer's website.

Mac Battery Optimization

1. Enable Low Power Mode

   System Settings → Battery → Low Power Mode

   Set to "Only on Battery" for automatic activation when unplugged.

2. Check Battery Usage

   Click the battery icon in menu bar while holding Option to see apps using significant energy. Or:

   Activity Monitor → Energy tab shows power consumption by app.

3. Manage Startup Items

   System Settings → General → Login Items

   Remove apps you don't need launching at startup.

4. Optimize Video Streaming

   System Settings → Battery → Options → Optimize video streaming while on battery

   This uses more efficient HDR playback.

5. Disable Power Nap

   System Settings → Battery → Options → Disable "Power Nap"

   Prevents your Mac from checking for updates while sleeping on battery.

6. Use Safari Instead of Chrome

   Safari is optimized for macOS and uses significantly less battery than Chrome or Firefox. Apple claims hours of additional battery life using Safari.

7. Enable Optimized Battery Charging

   System Settings → Battery → Battery Health → Optimized Battery Charging

   This learns your charging habits and delays charging past 80% to extend long-term battery health.

Long-term Battery Health

• Avoid 0% and 100%: Keep battery between 20-80% when possible
• Don't leave plugged in constantly: Use battery occasionally to keep it active
• Store at 50%: If storing laptop long-term, charge to ~50%
• Keep it cool: Heat is the enemy of battery longevity
• Update OS: Battery optimizations are often included in updates

Apps That Kill Battery

These typically consume the most power:

• Chrome: Notorious battery hog, especially with many tabs
• Video conferencing: Zoom, Teams, Meet use camera and CPU heavily
• Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, Premiere drain battery fast
• Games: Even casual games activate GPU
• Antivirus software: Constant background scanning

Conclusion

Lower brightness, close unused apps, and enable power saving modes—these three changes alone can add 1-2 hours of battery life. For maximum battery, use Safari on Mac, enable Battery Saver on Windows, and avoid Chrome when unplugged. Your laptop can last all day with the right settings.