How to Improve the Performance of a Dell Laptop Battery

Laptop configuration and power settings can impact the battery performance. This includes settings such as:

• Display brightness
• Keyboard backlight
• Display resolution
• Windows power plan
• Processor speed
• External devices that are connected to the laptop

Consider the following to help reduce the power consumption of the computer and conserve battery charge:

• Disconnect external devices when not in use.
• Reduce the brightness of the screen.
• Reduce the amount of open software.
• Turn off WiFi or Bluetooth (or both) when not in use.
• Utilize the power save feature in Microsoft Windows.
• Avoid exposure to extreme temperatures. If the computer is exposed to extreme cold or hot temperatures, allow it to reach normal temperature before use and before charging.
• Power Off your device before placing it in a laptop bag or other enclosed area.
• Always use the original AC adapter provided with the laptop. Do not use third-party AC adapters or batteries.
• Install and use a Dell battery management software such as Dell Power Manager on applicable computers.

A power plan, also known as power scheme, is a collection of hardware and system settings that manages how computers use and conserve battery power.

1. Click Start and type Control Panel.
2. Click Control Panel, then click Hardware and Sound.
3. Click Power Options, and select a power plan.

Dell Power Manager allows you to select a Battery Setting that is optimized for specific computer usage patterns. For example, some settings focus on extending battery life, while others provide fast charge times. Available settings may be limited, depending on the battery. Possible battery settings include:

• Standard - Fully charges the battery at a moderate rate. This setting provides a balanced approach to extending battery life while still providing a reasonably fast charging time. This is recommended for users who frequently switch between battery and external power sources.
• ExpressCharge - Quickly charges the battery using Dell's fast-charge technology. Recommended for users who need the battery to charge quickly. If the computer is powered off, then the battery typically charges to 80 percent within one hour and 100 percent in two hours. Charge time may be longer if the computer is turned on.
• Primarily AC Use - Extends battery life by lowering the charge threshold, so that the battery never charges to 100 percent capacity. Recommended for users who primarily operate the computer while plugged into an external power source.
• Adaptive - Automatically optimizes battery settings that are based on the user's typical patterns. Recommended for users who want to set and forget.
• Custom - User selects when the battery starts and stops charging. This is recommended for advanced users.

To learn more, see our Guide to Dell Power Manager.

How to get better battery runtime on your computer

Dell computers are portable powerhouses. Like the gas mileage for race cars varies based on how fast it goes, the battery runtime on your computer varies based on what configuration you have and how you are using it. Turning your screen brightness all the way up and running multiple power-intensive programs can drain your battery quickly. Below are some basic and advanced tips for getting more battery runtime out of your Dell computer.

Some Simple First Steps

Manufacturers make battery runtime claims based on specific tests in controlled environments. For example, on our XPS 13 Plus with an OLED screen, we download and run Netflix from the Microsoft Store to see how long the battery lasts. That length of time can vary based on the panel and configuration of your laptop.

The first tip to improve battery runtime is to adjust your screen brightness. The panel in a laptop is one of the biggest power draws in the computer. Clicking it down a few notches can get you significant battery savings. Also, if you are using an OLED screen, consider switching to dark mode in apps or applying a dark theme to Windows.

Figure 1: Screen brightness

Windows 11 offers a battery saver mode that is one of the easiest ways to improve your battery runtime. To enable it, click the battery icon in the System Tray and then click the option for Battery saver.

If you are still looking to maximize your battery, consider closing apps that use a lot of power. To look at Battery usage per app, click the Windows logo and then select Power Options. Scroll down to Battery usage and expand that menu. This reveals a Battery usage per app ranked list of applications by estimated power consumption.

Figure 2: Battery usage per app

If you are still looking to maximize your battery, consider closing unused applications. If you are still trying to eke the maximum amount of battery from your computer, you can enable Airplane Mode to further stretch your usage. Keep in mind that you cannot access the Internet or online files in Airplane Mode!

Battery-Saving Tips for Advanced Users

If you have exhausted your options in the built-in Windows settings, there are several advanced tools and changes you can use to extend the battery runtime on your Dell computer.

First, to further understand how different applications are using your battery, open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl+Shift+Escape. Ensure that the More details dropdown is selected and then scroll to the right of the screen to see Power usage. This column of data can show you what apps are consuming the most power while running your computer. Knowing what applications are consuming your battery most can help you decide which power-hungry apps to close. Closing applications without understanding what the app can be risky. Be sure that you are aware of what any app is doing before you click close.

Figure 3: Task Manager Power usage

Disabling Intel’s Turbo Boost functionality can also increase your computer’s battery runtime, at the cost of some performance. First enter Dell’s BIOS settings. For more information about how to get to BIOS settings, reference How to Access UEFI (BIOS) System Setup from Microsoft Windows on your Dell Computer. Under the Performance tab, scroll down to Intel Turbo Boost Technology and then change the selection to Off. This reduces your computer’s maximum performance, but it also positively affects your computer’s battery runtime.

Figure 4: Disabling Intel Turbo Boost Technology

Another advanced tool that you can use to understand how your computer is consuming energy is Intel’s SoC Watch. Intel SoC Watch analyzes the energy that the CPU uses to identify any specific computer behaviors that are using excess energy. You can learn more about Intel SoC Watch and download the tool from https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/develop/documentation/energy-analysis-user-guide/top.html.

Battery health affects the performance of the laptop and battery run time. Checking the battery health and making the necessary changes to improve performance is important. On Dell laptops, battery health can be measure using different ways.

Learn How to Check Battery Health Status on Dell Laptops.