Alienware Laptop Battery Issues

Table Of Contents

1. Error Message "Plugged in, not Charging"
2. Battery does not hold charge
3. How to extend your battery life?
4. How do I get a battery replacement?

1. Error Message "Plugged in, not Charging"

Before troubleshooting it is important that this error is likely to happen on batteries over a year old and also when the customer uses the battery plugged in most of the time

1. Make Sure Desktop Mode is Disabled

   Desktop mode is only available when the OSD driver is installed, on Dell systems is part of the Quickset application

   To disable it do the following:

   • Right Click on the icon at the System Tray
   • Click Desktop mode battery charge

     

   • Click Disable
   • Click Apply
   • Click Ok

     

2. Run an ePSA test on the battery only

   • Restart the system
   • Start pressing the F12 key while the system turns on
   • Select Diagnostics from the menu and press Enter
   • The diagnostics will run automatically

3. You can also run an On-line Diagnostic by Clicking Here

4. Go to the BIOS and confirm that the AC Adapter is properly detected under the Main tab

5. If the AC Adapter is not being detected properly disconnect it and reconnect it while in the BIOS

6. Check the battery health under the Advanced tab in the BIOS (All revs of 13, 14, 15, 17 and 18)

7. Update the BIOS to the latest available at https://www.dell.com/support/drivers

8. Unplug the AC Adapter from the system

9. Unplug the power cord from the AC Adapter and from the wall outlet

10. Remove or Disconnect the battery from the system

11. Press and hold the power button for 30 seconds

12. Reconnect the battery

13. Plug the AC Adapter back to the wall and to the system

14. If the issues persist ask the customer to use the system on battery until the battery runs out and then charge it for 4 hours with the system off

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2. Battery does not hold charge

The first step in case your system battery is draining quickly is run a battery diagnostic

Click Here to run a diagnostic On-line

The test will let you know if your battery needs replacement or not

If you have an Alienware 13 R1/R2, Alienware 15 R1/R2 or Alienware 17 R2/R3 please follow our article: Disable Express Charge on Alienware Systems and Improve Battery Life

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3. How to extend your battery life?

Batteries need regular usage to mantain healthy charge levels. To keep your battery healthy follow these recommendations:

• Do not leave your system plugged for extend periods of time
• Drain your system battery completely and then charge it while it is of at least once a month

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4. How do I get a battery replacement?

Alienware system batteries have a 1 year limited warranty. PLease note that if your system has more than one year warranty, your batttery will only be covered in warranty for the first year

You can check your system warranty online at dell.com/support

If the above tests indicate you may contact techical support for further assistance

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Recommended Articles

Here are some recommended articles related to this topic that might be of interest to you.

• Disable Express Charge on Alienware Systems and Improve Battery Life
• Top Solutions for your Alienware System
• Alienware, Precision, and Dell G Series Laptop Performance Issue or Battery Drain While AC Adapter is Connected
• How to Change the BIOS Battery Charge Mode to Primarily AC Use on Alienware Laptops