Most laptops have different power plans that allow you to adjust how well your machine works depending on your needs:
In Windows, you need to go to Control Panel > Hardware and Sound > Power Options. You can choose a battery saving plan or create your own customized plan, where you lower the screen brightness and select sleep mode completely to use the least amount of power.
On macOS, go to System Preferences and select Power Savings. You can better manage energy consumption by changing the battery and power adapter settings.
2. Reduce the screen brightness
The screen consumes a lot of battery power. To save battery power, set your screen lighting to the lowest level you can comfortably control. This simple change can help your battery last longer.
3. Enable energy saving mode
Windows: When your laptop’s battery reaches a certain level, click the battery icon in the taskbar to enable power saving mode. This mode immediately reduces the amount of background activity and changes hardware settings to extend battery life.
macOS: When your battery is low, use Low Power mode in macOS Monterey and later to reduce power consumption.
4. Improve sleep and hibernation settings
Put your laptop into sleep mode or turn itself off after a short period of inactivity. Sleep mode is more energy efficient than hibernation mode because it completely shuts down the laptop while maintaining a session.
Windows: Enable sleep mode and set “Put the computer to sleep” in the power options to a lower number.
macOS: In the power saving settings, set the computer and screen sleep levels to shorter periods.
5. Unplug devices that are not in use
Connect or disable unused additional functions. External keyboards, mice, USB devices and second panels are all examples of this. Also turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth if not necessary. They can use electricity even when they are not using electricity.
6. Change the graphics settings
If your laptop has two types of graphics cards (integrated GPU and discrete GPU), make sure it is set to use the integrated graphics card when the battery is low. This can usually be changed in the graphics card control panel.
7. Change the keyboard backlight
To save energy, turn off or dim your computer’s backlight. Some laptops allow you to change the brightness of the backlight or set it to turn off immediately after a period of inactivity.
8. Manage applications running in the background
Reduce the number of background apps you have open. Many apps continue to perform tasks even when not in use, draining the battery. To close unnecessary applications, use the Task Manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on macOS.
9. Keep your software up to date
Keep your operating system and all applications on your computer up to date. Updates often include performance changes that save power and extend battery life.
10. Choose SSD instead of HDD
If possible, avoid using computers with hard drives (HDDs). Instead, opt for a hard drive with a solid-state drive (SSD). SSDs run faster and consume less power, which improves battery life.
In summary
Adjusting these power settings will help you get the most out of your laptop’s battery life. This way you can stay busy and entertained on the go. To get the most out of your laptop’s battery, keep it in good condition and manage its settings carefully.