Partially charge your laptop’s battery so you can use it longer

Laptop batteries, like the one powering your laptop, degrade over time. To extend their lifespan, maintain a charge level between 40% and 80%. This advice comes from Battery University, a resource provided by Cadex, a consultancy assisting major companies like Amazon and Motorola in optimizing battery performance. For maximum battery longevity, avoid frequent full or complete discharges.

This is straightforward for those who primarily use their laptops on the go. However, if you, like many, mainly use your laptop at a desk, it might fully charge and remain at 100% for extended periods. This accelerates battery degradation, but both Windows and macOS offer solutions to limit charging to 80%. Let's explore these options.

Mac's Built-in Battery Health Management

Mac computers incorporate a built-in feature that monitors charging habits and prevents full charging unless unplugging is imminent. The system learns your usage patterns. For example, if you typically plug in your laptop in the morning and don't unplug it until later in the day, it will delay charging to a full level until closer to when you might need to unplug.

This operates automatically, requiring no manual configuration. However, for situations deviating from your typical routine, you can manually initiate a full charge via the battery icon in the menu bar by selecting "Charge to full now." Alternatively, you can disable the optimized charging feature entirely within System Settings > Battery > Battery Health. The drawback is the lack of granular customization beyond enabling or disabling.

Windows Smart Charging Configuration

Windows offers a similar "smart charging" feature, but with a significant caveat: implementation varies across manufacturers. There's no universal method for enabling or disabling it. Here's a brief summary:

• Surface: Surface app
• Lenovo: Lenovo Vantage app
• Dell: Dell Power Manager
• ASUS: MyASUS app
• Acer: AcerCare app
• MSI: Dragon Center
• HP: UEFI settings (requires accessing the BIOS during startup – press F10 repeatedly before Windows loads. Look for "Adaptive Battery Optimizer".)

Microsoft recommends consulting your laptop manufacturer's website for specific instructions. Generally, these features function similarly to Apple's, learning usage patterns to optimize charging.

Third-Party Software for Direct Control

For more direct control, third-party applications exist. The open-source Mac application "battery" (command-line control) allows setting a maximum charge level of 80%. Note: this is incompatible with Intel Macs; it only supports Apple Silicon. For older Macs, consider the (paid, with a free version) app AlDente.

While comparable automated Windows applications are less common, Battery Limiter provides notifications when the 80% charge threshold is reached, prompting manual unplugging. This prevents overcharging, though it lacks the automation of other solutions.

Additional General Tips

Apple provides valuable battery life advice applicable to all laptops. Key points include avoiding extreme temperatures (ideally between 50°F and 95°F for Macs), and avoiding long-term storage at full or empty charge. For long-term storage, aim for around 50% charge and recharge every six months.

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