Batteries charge and discharge again. Each time this happens, the battery loses a little capacity and the life of a charge is shortened. However, you don't have to replace your battery immediately because there are several solutions to get a few extra hours out of it.
Start by reducing the brightness of your screen. A screen consumes much more power when you go from 90 % to 100 % brightness. So a small adjustment can make a difference.
In addition, you can adjust your power profile when your laptop is not charging. This is one of the best actions you can take to get longer from one battery charge.
If you have been using your laptop for a while, you have probably installed and uninstalled a number of programmes. Some programs automatically run in the background to boot up faster, look for updates or check the license. Often this is unnecessary and the computing power to run this process in the background is not worth it.
With Windows 10, you get all kinds of applications that shouldn't be running in the background, such as Paint 3D, Photos or Print 3D. Most users don't need these applications every day. They are also lightweight, so it is better not to run them in the background.
Leave Windows security on.
If you keep a series of tabs open in your web browser, be aware that some tabs can be very demanding on your battery. Especially when the website continues to load high quality videos and thus consume a lot of data. That's why you should close the tabs you don't need.
Using an ad blocker such as uBlock Origin can also reduce energy consumption, especially if you receive a lot of video ads.
If none of the other solutions work, you should replace the battery.
On most recent laptops such as the Dell xps 15 9550, the battery is fairly accessible. All you need to do is unscrew the screws on the back, unclip the panel, remove the battery screws and disconnect it. Remember to turn off your laptop and unplug it before you start. An official battery costs approximately €100.
Some older models or laptops aimed at the professional world have a replaceable or removable battery. Replacing them is then an easy task, unlike finding the right battery model. If you can't find the right battery for your laptop, seek advice from a computer shop.
It's always worth comparing several options. If you find a battery online, be sure to compare the price (including shipping costs) with what an official manufacturer's repair shop or the local computer shop will charge for the repair. Sometimes the price difference is so small that it's better to leave the repair to a professional rather than do it yourself.
General recovery tips
Please note
With this project, we try to create relevant guidelines on a product category and frequent faults level. The exercise is led by different repair networks, but our content can only grow and improve thanks to your help.