Battery information center

Steps to maximize the life of your battery

There are actions you can take to make your battery last longer during each charge cycle and live longer over many cycles. HP always recommends following the instructions for charging and storage that came with the battery or notebook. On this page we offer additional suggestions to help you get the most from your portable power supply.  

Manage battery power more effectively in Windows

 

Make sure your battery gives the power you need, when you need it. Power Options in your Control Panel allow you to adjust the power management features of your notebook PC.

 

Tips for conserving battery power on notebook PCs

 

You can manually change the power consumption of your notebook PC and conserve battery power.

 

Reduce the brightness of the screen to the minimum readable level. Use the function keys on the top of your keyboard to adjust the brightness.
Remove peripherals when not in use. External hard drives, CD-ROMs, Zip drives, PC cards, and other peripheral devices can draw power from your battery even when they are not in active use. Disconnect them when you have finished using them.
Turn off the Wireless On-Off button when it is not in use. If your notebook has one, press the Wireless On-Off button so that the light turns off.

 

Battery care practices

 

Battery cells suffer gradual, irreversible capacity loss over time. Such aging occurs more rapidly as temperature and discharge loads increase. Here are some suggested ways to minimize the capacity loss for your battery.

 

Store Li-Ion batteries between 20°C and 25°C (68°F and 77°F) with 50% to 70% charge.
Do not leave batteries exposed to high temperatures for extended periods. Prolonged exposure to heat (for example, inside a hot car) will accelerate the deterioration of Li-Ion cells.
When storing your notebook for longer than 1 month, HP recommends discharging your battery to 50% and removing it from the system. Be sure to store at a reasonable room temperature (~25°C). If storing for more extended periods, it is recommended to recharge the battery to 50% every 6 months or so.

 

Special notes for embedded (non user replaceable) batteries:

 

If the notebook will be unused for more than 3 months, discharge the battery to approximately 70% before storing. For prolonged storage, check the battery capacity every 6 months and charge back up to 70%. Always store the notebook between 20°C and 25°C (68°F and 77°F).
If the notebook is used primarily on AC power, allow the battery to discharge completely and recharge once per month.

 

Note:
Recommendations for battery use and storage are covered in the HP User Guides for each model.

 

Calibrate the notebook PC battery

 

Short discharges and recharges do not fully synchronize the battery's fuel gauge with the battery's state-of-charge. This can result in the amount of power available in one cycle being less than expected or the battery meter being inaccurate.

Under normal usage, batteries should be checked and calibrated a minimum of once every 3 months. Use the following links for more information on calibrating your battery

 

Calibrating the Notebook Battery in Microsoft Windows 98, ME, XP, and 2000
Calibrating the Notebook Battery (Windows Vista)
Testing and Calibrating the Battery (Windows 7)