Laptops have become an essential part of daily life; whether for school, remote work, or travel. One of the biggest concerns for users is laptop battery life. While modern Windows laptops and Apple MacBooks are designed with advanced power-saving features, you can still extend your battery usage with a few simple adjustments.
Use Built-in Battery Saver on Windows and MacBook
Both operating systems offer built-in power-saving tools designed to optimize performance while reducing energy consumption.
- On Windows laptops, this setting is known as Energy Saver (previously called Battery Saver).
- On macOS, it’s called Low Power Mode.
When activated, these modes automatically dim the display, reduce background processes, and in some cases slow CPU performance to preserve power. This feature is perfect if you’re browsing, taking notes, or streaming videos.
How to enable on Windows:
- Click the Start menu → System → Power & Battery.
- Switch Always Use Energy Saver to On.
- Alternatively, click the battery icon in your taskbar and toggle Energy Saver directly.
How to enable on MacBook:
- Open System Settings → Battery.
- Under Low Power Mode, choose when you want it active: Never, Always, Only on Battery, or Only on Power Adapter.
Turning this on can instantly help you increase laptop battery life without sacrificing usability for light tasks.
Shut Down Unused Apps and Features
Another major drain on laptop performance is leaving unnecessary apps or connectivity options running in the background.
Disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
If you’re not actively using the internet or wireless accessories, turn these off:
- Windows: Click the network icon in your taskbar → toggle off Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. Or enable Airplane Mode to disable both.
- macOS: Use the menu bar Wi-Fi icon or Control Center to switch them off.
Stop Power-Hungry Apps
Both operating systems allow you to track which applications are consuming the most power.
- Windows: Go to Settings → System → Power & Battery → Battery Usage.
- macOS: Open Activity Monitor → Energy tab.
Once you identify the apps draining your battery, you can close them or uninstall if unnecessary.
Manage Startup Programs
Prevent apps from launching at startup, which saves both power and system resources.
- Windows: Go to Settings → Apps → Startup, then toggle apps off.
- macOS: Go to System Settings → General → Login Items, select the app, and remove it with the minus (-) button.