Lithium Ion or Li-ion batteries are the most commonly used batteries in laptops and other devices. Dell laptop batteries are designed specifically for each Dell laptop. See the suggested quick steps below if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms.
CAUTION: Dell recommends using a compatible battery purchased from Dell that is designed to work with your Dell laptop. Using a third-party or non-Dell battery, or an incompatible battery may increase the risk of fire or explosion. Do not use a battery from other computers with your computer.
NOTE: If you see that the battery pack is swelling, Dell recommends discontinuing using the battery and replacing it with a Dell-authorized battery. To learn more, see the Swollen battery information and guidance article.
When there is damage to the wiring of your AC power adapter, it can cause a short, which can damage your computer or fail, leaving you without a means to charge your battery. Look for frayed cables (Figure 1), exposed wires (Figure 2), a cut in the cable (Figure 3), or a pin that is bent or broken (Figure 4).
For more information, see Dell Knowledge Base article How to Identify AC Adapter Damage on Dell Systems.
Figure 1: Example of a frayed cable on an ac adapter
Figure 2: Example of an exposed wired on the ac adapter plug
Figure 3: Example of a cut in the cable
Figure 4: Example of a pin that is bent or broken inside the ac adapter plug
Dell AC power adapters have a LED light to indicate whether the AC adapter is getting power and is on. The LED light may be on either the AC adapter brick or the adapter (DC) plug.
If the LED light is not on, perform the following steps to help resolve the issue.
For more information, see our AC Power Adapter Help and Support site.
The AC adapter that came with your computer provides the correct voltage and amperage needed to work correctly. Ensure you are using the AC adapter shipped with your computer or another of the same model.
Dell does not recommend using incompatible or third-party AC adapters with Dell laptops.
When the computer seems to be taking longer than normal to charge the battery, it may be due to a poor connection.
Perform the following steps to help resolve the issue.
NOTE: When there is a difference in charging it may be the surge protector or something interfering with the outlet making good contact.
Another poor connection could be caused by your docking station if you are using one.
Plug the DC power cord directly into the laptop, bypassing the docking station to see if the battery charges quicker and the computer works better.
Several settings in the operating system, such as power management settings and drivers, may impact the battery’s performance.
Checking the health of your battery will tell you if the battery is working correctly and helps identify if an aging battery requires a replacement.
See Dell Knowledge Base article How to Check Battery Health Status on Dell Laptops for step-by-step instructions.
To improve your battery performance, see Dell Knowledge Base article How to Improve the Performance of a Dell Laptop Battery.
This application ensures your computer has the latest Dell driver and BIOS updates and checks settings to keep your computer efficient and reliable.
NOTE: If SupportAssist does not show up in the search results, go to the SupportAssist for Home PCs page to download and install SupportAssist.
Figure 5: SupportAssist Search Results
NOTE: You can touch or click the down arrow and then run the individual test. Dell recommends running a full computer test.
Figure 6: SupportAssist Main Screen
Running the battery diagnostics ensures that your battery and the hardware that supports it is working correctly.
To run the diagnostics, browse to the SupportAssist battery hardware test page (the test starts automatically).
If the test fails, contact Dell Technical Support.
If these quick steps did not resolve your issue, we have more detailed information in the Other Resources section. You can also search for content related to the issue using the search bar at the top of this page.