Why Your Laptop Battery is Draining So Fast: Hidden Culprits to Check

You packed your laptop and went to a coffee shop. And just after 2 hrs, you see a notification: “15% battery remaining.”Yes, obviously, laptop age has a lot to do with battery backup. But sometimes we face this issue in our new laptops too.

Most laptops have lithium-ion batteries which naturally degrade over time. So, do you need to buy a new battery then? Well no!

In this blog, we will share some daily habits and tips. If you follow them, you can prevent fast battery drain. If your laptop is less than 2 years old, then you will see a sudden jump in battery life after following the tips below.

And even if your laptop is older, you will definitely notice some improvement in battery backup. So, let’s move on to some good tips.

The 50-Tab Browser Habit

Many people have a habit of keeping 50-100 tabs open while working. Yes, they look cool and productive too.

We are able to work on multiple things at a time, and they seem to save time too. But, they consume a good amount of battery.

You might not know this, but every open browser tab is actively refreshing and consuming RAM and CPU cycles. They will consume RAM even if you don’t click on them. If they are open, they will consume RAM.

That’s why if you want to save the battery of your laptop, then make sure no unwanted tabs are open. Only keep those open, which are useful.

Heavy Background UI & Graphics Processing

When you open any app, a lot of programs run behind it to draw your app windows, show buttons and menus. This work is done by WindowServer on Mac, and sometimes it consumes a lot of CPU power, which leads to faster battery drain.

Some users also face lag in computers. If you feel like your laptop has also started lagging, then it’s time to change something or fix the issue.

Remove Background Syncing Apps

There are many apps running in the background which work even if your laptop is in sleep mode. These apps do not let the laptop sleep and consume continuous battery.

If you have such apps/softwares then uninstall them if they are not useful. 

Many cloud apps like Google Drive also consume a lot of battery because they are connected to the cloud and keep updating in real time. This can increase CPU usage and reduce battery life.

So, if your laptop is getting hot and draining battery fast, then background syncing apps can be the reason.

High Screen Brightness

When I was young, I had a habit of working on a laptop with high brightness. This is not only bad for your eyes but also for your laptop’s battery health.

If you keep super high brightness, then it is obvious that the battery will drain. Brightness affects your laptop’s battery.

But what if you work outside where you can’t work under low brightness? Then look for a place with dim lighting.

Keyboard Backlighting

Keyboard backlights look cool but they drain a lot of battery too. Some people have a habit of keeping keyboard backlights on even in the morning or noon when there is enough natural light.

It is recommended to use a backlight only in dark places or at night when there is less light.

If you are working outside like from a Coffee shop then backlights are strictly not recommended. If you use them, your laptop battery will die in 2-3 hours and you won’t be able to work the whole day unless you charge your laptop again.

Heat and Thermal Throttling

If your laptop gets hot very quickly then it can also be one of the big reasons for battery drain. 

Almost all laptops have lithium-ion batteries. If this lithium-ion battery gets hotter, then it will drain very fast.

There are a few things that I do to avoid heat from my laptop. First of all, ensure the fan of your laptop is working properly. You can also apply thermal paste to the CPU to improve cooling.

Make sure you are not using your laptop on a bed or soft blanket, which suffocates the exhaust vents. Due to this, the internal temperature increases and leads to overheating.

Conclusion

If your laptop’s battery starts draining super fast that does not mean your laptop is damaged or your battery is broken. It simply means some apps or software are consuming more CPU power than they should. Or you are putting excessive pressure on the battery by using high brightness or keyboard backlight.

If you fix all the things discussed above, there is a high chance that your laptop’s battery issue will be solved easily.

If even after following the above tips battery drain doesn’t stop, then I would recommend replacing your battery. If your laptop is new and under warranty then you can easily get it replaced for free. But even if it is old & out of warranty, you can get it replaced for a few bucks.