Dell Extended Battery/Longevity mode (not working)

I am having the exact same issue! The battery life will be much better if the software actually works! I just tried updating all the firmware and software using Dell Update and it is STILL not working, without a replaceable battery the least Dell can do is to help customers extend the battery life. Please Dell Tech Support help us out here, much appreciated!

Yes. I still am. It is a bit frustrating too.. they bury the battery deep into the laptop, thus making it impossible to remove if you want to run on sustained a/c adapter power... because if the Laptop is always plugged in that will ruin the battery over time.. Then worse, they come out with FAKE software saying there is "extended battery life" options, or "charge battery between 50-100%" etc etc.. and it does neither !!! it is literally a placebo fake piece of software that does NOT work !!!! I've done various tests - when extended battery life is unchecked, the battery drains/charges approx. the same "speed" or "time" when it is checked or unchecked... doing the same processes.. being it can not be 100% matched, the range of battery depletion should be more than just your standard battery drain/charge... if that makes any sense... Basically, NONE of the options in "Extended Battery Life" work !!! It's a fake software adaptation that DELL has used to workaround hiding the battery in the laptop itself making it impossible to be removed..

Yes. I still am. It is a bit frustrating too.. they bury the battery deep into the laptop, thus making it impossible to remove if you want to run on sustained a/c adapter power... because if the Laptop is always plugged in that will ruin the battery over time.. Then worse, they come out with FAKE software saying there is "extended battery life" options, or "charge battery between 50-100%" etc etc.. and it does neither !!! it is literally a placebo fake piece of software that does NOT work !!!! I've done various tests - when extended battery life is unchecked, the battery drains/charges approx. the same "speed" or "time" when it is checked or unchecked... doing the same processes.. being it can not be 100% matched, the range of battery depletion should be more than just your standard battery drain/charge... if that makes any sense... Basically, NONE of the options in "Extended Battery Life" work !!! It's a fake software adaptation that DELL has used to workaround hiding the battery in the laptop itself making it impossible to be removed..

Yep I have to remove half a dozen screws to access the battery beneath the back cover, it is a complete pain in the side. I also wish that there was an option that would completely disconnect the laptop from the battery and rely wholly on AC to power the laptop. That would be a great alternative to these "battery saving options" from dell.

Agreed. A big, big pain. They need to fix this.. As I too think they can easily come out with a software that some how disconnects the "Battery" so that we can use the Adapter without constantly charging the battery..... The way this is configured to have the battery hidden and so difficult to get too is a flaw.. Then they add insult to injury by adding FAKE software to allow the user to think he/she is getting "Extended Battery Life" options when we are not.. It does nothing. It does not preserve the battery. Your batter charges at the same rate, speed as if this Extended battery Life options were checked or unchecked.. It makes NO difference... the more I think about it, the more it bothers me.. I think DELL has a lot of nerve to pull a stunt adding a software that totally does nothing, does not work... Its manipulation of its customer base tricking them into thinking it works when it doesn't.. They should just remove it all together being more and more already seem to know that its a useless placebo effect perhaps added in last minute when they realized how many users like to use just an AC adapter for power...(thus not being able to take out the battery in these Slim designs)... Thanks for the feedback !!

Here's the email I received after weeks/month of waiting for an answer to issue in the title:

•                    Power mode – set to Dell mode power plan

•                    In BHM – under battery status Dell Extended Battery Life needs to be checked and on settings tab, restore to defaults

•                    Under the different modes check either the desktop mode or the Longevity mode not both

•                    Reboot

•                    Continue to charge and discharge regularly and use on battery wherever possible. The system learning process takes time as listed above.

Those instructions seems quite ambiguous.

Where can you download the extended battery software?I reinstalled windows and can't find it on Dell's page.

Oy vey... I am so sorry ---- For some reason, this forum does not except "spaces, enter or breaks in paragraph".. Making it difficult to read.. perhaps this could be another query or question to ask Dell.. Unless this is my computer. I just wanted to apologize if those reading my above comment find it difficult, lengthy or confusing b/c its all in one paragraph.. That was not how I wrote it.. Marc

thank you so much for posting this !!!! This is all in response to Dell Technical Support - not user BrightNight09 ---(which by the way, thanks again for working on this issue .... my emails were never responded too either!!).. However, as someone else said it is very ambiguous.. And, confusing !! This statement is quite honestly nothing like what the App itself says it can do... Or leads you to believe.. For example - I was under the impression that when using Dell Extended Battery Life options - (Such as Longevity Mode.). When plugged into the AC Adapter, that the laptop itself wont fully charge the battery to its full capacity keeping a charge somewhere between 50-100% or 88-100% ?? And rarely getting too 100% under Desktop or Longevity Modes .. So which does one choose? What is the difference since they roughly say the same thing ?? (Desktop / Longevity) Why is there two options which is even more confusing - (that is a choice to either keep a charge between 50-100% or 88-100% ?? (Desktop Mode / Longevity Mode respectively)...) ... And now this response Dell posted says to choose one and not the other - or not both!.. Again, this is directed towards Dell Technical Support if they are reading this --- I am a lil confused. As the options for Dell Extended Battery Life mention none of this and how it operates. In EBL (Extended Battery Life) options, it says the battery will remain in a state of charge between 50-100% ... but in fact, this is not true. It always charges to 100% .. So, if I am not the only one who thinks that this is deceptive, confusing or just placebo software.. perhaps Dell should re-word and come out with better instructions in the documentation instrx and App itself.. Anyhow.... Another question - in that post towards the bottom --- Should the following suggestions extend the battery life as advertised? (As I just did the following .... which I'd like to thank you again for posting their response!) "For these modes to be active, Customer needs to use the settings below • Power mode – set to Dell mode power plan • In BHM – under battery status Dell Extended Battery Life needs to be checked and on settings tab, restore to defaults • Under the different modes check either the desktop mode or the Longevity mode not both • Reboot • Continue to charge and discharge regularly and use on battery wherever possible. The system learning process takes time as listed above." A final question: What is "BHM" ? --- Battery Health Meter ? Since Dell got back to you it looks like we are on to some kind of resolution. So after months and months this question seems closer to being answered. Once resolved I will click "Answered" and write out a detailed and understandable explanation ...(of course, once I understand it myself !!! LoL!) Thanks, Marc