You likely
spend more time on your laptop than with your significant other, your dog
or — at the very least — your plants. So there’s no reason you
shouldn’t treat it with the same tender loving care. Here are a few tips
to ensure that your gadget’s battery has a long and happy life.
(This guide is focused on lithium-ion
batteries, which is what most modern laptops are packing. If you want to learn
about how to care for other types of batteries, check out Battery
University, a dense database of such things.)
1. DON’T
GET TOO ATTACHED.
When you
plug your laptop in for the first time, you should make sure to fully charge it
once to calibrate it. But after that, aim to keep it between 40 and 80 percent.
Apple’s customer care says you should do this to “keep the electrons in it
moving occasionally.” Wired
has a better explanation of why here. But the bottom line is,
doing this can help prolong your battery life by as much as four times.
I know
that’s easier said than done. Just remember to keep an eye on your battery
percentage (usually shown in a corner of your screen) throughout the day. If
you leave your laptop at home, then shut it down, close it and keep it
unplugged on a desk, not a couch.
You should
also fully charge and discharge your computer’s battery at least once a month.
Set a reminder on your phone or something. You forked over what I assume
to be a ton of money for this thing, so paying attention to it once a month
shouldn’t be a problem.
2. STAY
COOL
Most modern laptops are made
with lithium-based batteries, which should be stored in temperatures
between 50 and 95 degrees Fahrenheit. You might not always be able to keep
tabs on that sweet spot, so to make things a bit simpler, room temperature is
fine.
That being said, there are a few ways you can
make sure your laptop isn’t constantly having menopausal hot flashes. You
should start by minding its air vents. Most MacBook vents are located on the
back of the laptop, near the top of the computer. Whenever you prop your laptop
up on your bed, couch or lap, you’re likely blocking the airflow. This, in
turn, causes the computer to overheat. And overheating will screw up your
battery life.
That’s not
to say you should be completely paranoid about keeping it on flat, cool
surfaces all the time. But maybe consider moving it to a desk before you fall asleep
or head to work.
3. UPDATE,
UPDATE, UPDATE.
Most companies are constantly looking for
ways to improve battery life via software updates. In fact, it was one of the
main things Apple
touted in its OS X Mavericks release last year. You may fear change, but
change can extend your battery life. So make sure you have the latest software
installed on your computer.
4. DON’T
JUST LEAVE IT THERE
Maybe you’re in trouble with the law and need
to disappear for six months. We understand how these things go. But that
doesn’t mean you’re off the hook for correctly storing your computer. You
should store it with a 50 percent charge in a consistently cool area. Storing
the computer with a fully discharged battery might ruin the battery forever.
And storing it with an absolutely full charge might cut the battery’s lifespan
short.
Simple enough? Now go, be a better laptop
owner. Your machine is counting on you.