Whether you use your laptop every day or leave it aside for a while, the battery is still a fragile component. To get the best out of it over time, it’s essential to know the right ways to charge, care for and monitor it. Here is a complete guide to maintaining your lithium-ion battery effectively.
Use or inactivity: two risks for the battery
A battery degrades even when it’s not used
Contrary to popular belief, not using a laptop does not stop the battery deteriorating. Even when switched off, it naturally loses between 5 and 10% of its charge every month. If it drops too low, its total capacity may be damaged permanently.
Always keep a minimum level of charge
To preserve your battery over time, avoid letting it fully discharge. Even for long-term storage, keep the charge at around 50%. This level is optimal to maintain the battery’s health in the long run.
Best charging practices to know
Avoid staying plugged in all the time
Once your laptop is charged to 100%, leaving it plugged in permanently can speed up battery wear. Fortunately, recent models include protective sensors that automatically stop charging at full capacity. However, the best habit is still to unplug the laptop once it is fully charged.
Don’t wait until 0% to recharge
Lithium-ion batteries tolerate frequent top-ups very well. Unlike older generations, they do not need a full charge cycle to work efficiently. It is therefore recommended to recharge as soon as the battery reaches 10 to 20%, rather than waiting for a complete discharge.
Keep an eye on your battery’s condition
A built-in tool to track performance
To find out how your battery is doing, there is a built-in system command that lets you see the battery status and how it’s evolving:
- Open the terminal built into your device with the shortcut CTRL + ALT + T.
- Type the command battery_test to get a diagnostic report.
Depending on the version you’re using, you can add a delay to measure the estimated power loss:
- battery_test 0: instant status
- battery_test 30: estimated discharge over 30 seconds
- battery_test 120: estimated discharge over 2 minutes
This allows you to anticipate drops in battery life and take action accordingly.
Beware of high temperatures
Heat speeds up battery ageing
One of the most damaging enemies of a battery is excessive heat. High temperatures can drastically reduce its capacity over time:
- At 0°C, the annual loss remains low: around 6% of the maximum charge.
- At 25°C, this loss rises to almost 20%.
- At 40°C, it can reach up to 35% of capacity lost in a year.
Keep your Chromebook cool
It is therefore strongly recommended that you do not expose your laptop to direct sunlight or let it run in an environment that is too hot. This slows down the battery’s natural wear and contributes to a longer lifespan for your device.
Conclusion
With a few simple steps and well-chosen habits, you can preserve the battery life and performance of your Chromebook for several years. Keep in mind that neither inactivity nor overcharging is good for it: balanced use, moderate temperatures and proper monitoring are enough to extend its lifespan.
