How to make a laptop battery last longer

These days, the best laptops come with impressive battery life. But if you're using demanding software or opening a lot of browser tabs, they can still give up surprisingly quickly. And few things are more frustrating than a battery that dies just when you need it most.

Whether you're working in a coffee shop, hosting a meeting in a room that's short on power points, or bingeing a Netflix season on a long-haul flight, the ability to keep your device running can mean the difference between seizing an opportunity and missing it entirely. But the good news is, you can potentially extend your device's runtime, by following a few simple tricks.

In this article, we'll share some simple but effective techniques to preserve your battery's health, optimise your power consumption, and squeeze every last minute of performance, whether that's for one of the best laptops for graphic design, or one of the best MacBooks for students.

1. Dim your screen a little

Yes, we get it. As a creative professional, you'll normally want to keep your screen at maximum brightness. But it's worth knowing that this is one of the most significant drains on its battery. Consequently, dimming your screen even a little can really help prolong its life.

Obviously, you don't want to ruin your eyesight or create bad work, though. So it's really about fiddling around and finding the right balance between power and performance for you, depending on the ambient lighting conditions you're working in. Start by experimenting with lower brightness levels and work your way up until you hit that sweet spot.

Alternatively, most modern laptops feature adaptive brightness settings that automatically adjust based on ambient lighting conditions, which might help you get there more quickly.

2. Close down unnecessary tabs

Creative software like the Adobe Creative Suite, video editing programs and 3D rendering tools can do amazing things, but by the same token, they will drain your battery incredibly quickly. So you need to be strategic about what you do and when, if you're working on battery power.

So for example, when you're using a resource-intensive application like Final Cut Pro, make sure you have all other unnecessary browser tabs and tools closed. This might sound like a lot of faffing around, but this approach can significantly extend your battery life, giving you more uninterrupted creative time overall.

3. Use Airplane Mode

You might not think simply having your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on would be a drain on your battery. But actually, both are constant energy consumers, even when it doesn't seem like they're actually doing anything. So when you're working offline—such as editing photos, sketching designs or rendering a video—considering switching to Airplane Mode. This simple tweak can dramatically reduce the amount of power your laptop is using.

4. Create the right physical environment

Most people don't think of this, but temperature and physical surroundings play crucial roles in the amount of energy your laptop uses.

Most importantly, avoid using your laptop on soft surfaces such as beds or sofas that can restrict airflow to its internal components. It's much better to use your device on hard, flat surfaces that allow proper airflow. Alternatively, you might want to cool things down further by investing in a laptop stand (for better airflow) or a cooling pad (for direct cooling.

That helps to prevent overheating, which not only causes battery efficiency but can also cause long-term damage to your device.

5. Monitor your battery health

Sadly, batteries don't operate at the optimum efficiency forever: they get less effective over time. There's no way of preventing this, but you can at least monitor the situation to help you act accordingly. To learn how to do so in both Mac and Windows, read our article How to check your laptop's battery health.

6. Stay updated with software and drivers

Let's face it, updating your software regularly probably isn't at the top of your priorities. But if you want to get the maximum life out of your battery, maybe it should be. Firstly, because updates often include power management improvements. And secondly, because regularly updating your operating system and device drivers can make your laptop work more efficiently and be less draining on the battery. So set your system to automatically download and install updates, ensuring you're always running the most optimised version.

7. Disconnect peripherals

Got a USB stick plugged into your laptop doing nothing? Well, actually, it's not doing nothing. Even when not actively used, such devices draw power from your laptop's battery. So boost your laptop's battery life by making sure you disconnect peripherals, including external hard drives, USB drives, mice and keyboards, when you're not using them.

8. Use built-in battery-saving modes

Both Windows and Mac laptops offer battery-saving modes that can significantly extend runtime by limiting background processes and reducing screen brightness. Mac offers similar energy-saving features. These modes can be lifesavers when you're working away from a power outlet.

To enable these modes on a modern MacBook, click the Apple menu (top-left corner) and select System Settings. Scroll down to Battery in the sidebar. You'll see a section for Low Power Mode. Click the dropdown menu next to it and choose one of the options.

In Windows: press the Windows key + A to open the Quick Settings panel, and click on the battery saver icon to toggle it on or off. Alternatively, press the Windows key + I to open the Settings app, go to System > Power & battery and then under Battery saver, choose one of the three options: Turn it on manually, Set it to turn on automatically or Customize battery saver settings.

9. Manage background processes and startup apps

A lot of the time, applications run in the background of your laptop, consuming valuable battery resources without you even knowing about it. So take the time to review and manage startup applications and background processes. Both Windows and Mac offer tools to help you identify and disable unnecessary startup items. Check your task manager or activity monitor regularly, and close applications and processes you're not actively using. Doing this can significantly extend your battery life.

10. Switch to a lighter web browser

The major web browsers, Chrome, Firefox, Safari and Edge, can be surprisingly power-hungry. So if you're working on battery power, consider using lighter browsers such as Opera, or at least limiting the number of open tabs.

Finally, if you travel or work in environments with unpredictable power access, all of these tips should help you make your battery last longer. But ultimately, it still won't last forever, and so it's always good to have a backup, in the form of one of the best power banks. Just be sure to check it's powerful enough to top up a laptop, because some are only suitable for lower-wattage devices such as phones and tablets.