You’re in the middle of an important presentation at work – you’ve been preparing for this assignment for days and are killing it – then suddenly, to your dismay, your laptop shuts down!
Maybe this isn’t the case – maybe you were in the middle of some time-intensive work and your laptop mysteriously powered off despite indicating that its charge was close to full. Do you need computer repair? Maybe not.
These frustrating situations don’t necessarily mean it’s time to go to the repair shop or even purchase a brand new laptop. Your laptop battery might just be on its last legs and it may be time for a battery replacement.
If you’ve tried everything you can think of – closing unwanted apps, shutting down background processes and dimming the brightness of the screen, only to be left dealing with a laptop that doesn’t receive a charge – or isn’t even able to stay on without an adapter plugged in, it’s time to start considering purchasing a battery replacement for your laptop.
To be sure that this is the case, we’ve outlined a few signs that it is time for a battery replacement below:
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Your Laptop is Frequently Shutting Down
If your laptop is shutting down without cause fairly frequently, it’s more than just an annoyance. It could be a sign that your battery is not holding a charge properly. Make sure your adapter is plugged in properly, but if the problem persists, contact a good computer repair shop.
If they determine that nothing is wrong with your charging port, it may just be time to purchase a replacement battery.
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Your Laptop is Frequently Overheating
It’s normal for your laptop to warm up whenever you use it for an extended period of time. But sometimes, your laptop can overhear, causing a sudden shutdown. Sometimes, your battery will refuse to charge because that means excess heat generation.
Laptops by design cool themselves off during usage and dispel any extra heat. If your laptop feels warm when you touch it, chances are your battery is working overtime and is unable to cool itself.
Another indication that your laptop is excessively hot may be noise – your internal fans are currently working overtime.
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Your Laptop is Charging Slowly, or Not at All
Is your laptop not getting a charge, even when it is plugged in? Your first course of action is to see if your adapter is plugged in properly. Also, inspect your adapter and look for signs of damage.
If everything seems to be on the up and up, your battery might be dead.
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Your Battery Dies Before it Says it Should
Are you seeing that your laptop should be powered on for a couple of hours, only to experience a shutdown well before the stated time? This is the sign of a dying battery. Time to find a replacement as soon as you can.
Note: A full charge should juice up your laptop for six hours of power or longer depending on what types of programs you are using. If your laptop is barely making it past a few hours, this is a sign your battery needs to be replaced.
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Your Battery has Been Charged More Than 400 Times
Most batteries begin to lose their capacity to hold charge after 300-400 cycles of recharging. Although you haven’t kept track of how many times you have charged your laptop since you purchased it, this shouldn’t be a hard estimate.
How many times do you charge it in a week? How many weeks have you used it? Multiply these two numbers, and if the result is more than 300-400 times, there’s a high probability you need to get a new battery.
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Your Battery is Getting Up There in Age
The normal lifespan of a laptop battery can run from 18-24 months. The more you use your laptop, the more this lifespan is shortened. Consider changing your battery after 18-24 months of usage.
“OK, These Are Good Tips But How Do I Know For Sure?”
We’re glad you asked. First, Windows will warn you when your battery capacity is running out. If you still aren’t sure, you can generate a battery report using the command prompt.
Windows Warning Signs of a Bad Battery
Here’s a tip for Windows 7 users or higher. When your battery reaches a capacity level that is low enough, Windows will let you know. You’ll see a red X appear on your battery icon in the system tray, and when you click on it, Windows will suggest that you “consider replacing your battery.”
It might also say that your laptop might shut down suddenly due to a problem with your battery. Meaning, your battery can’t hold enough of a charge to keep your laptop running when it’s not plugged into an adapter.
Generate a Battery Report in Windows
Open up a Command Prompt.
- Type powercfg /batteryreport.
- Press enter.
- See the message that lets you know an HTML file was saved to a user folder.
- Head to that folder and find the battery report file.
- Double click to open it in your browser.
When it’s Time to Replace the Battery
If you’re lucky enough to have a battery you can remove on your own, replacing it is a fairly easy endeavour. If your laptop has a built in battery, it’s best to either contact your laptop manufacturer or head to a computer repair shop.
If you go to a repair shop, look for a store that offers a warranty and buys high quality parts. If you plan on replacing your battery on your own, order a replacement for your laptop model from a reputable site.
Although getting the cheapest third party battery might seem like a good idea, these batteries are often cheaply built and insufficiently tested. At worst, you could be dealing with a dangerous battery which could catch fire and go up in flames.
