Here’s How To Troubleshoot Your Laptop’s Battery

Laptop batteries store energy in the form of chemical energy. It is then converted into electrical energy to power up your notebook. As you would have guessed by now, these chemical batteries are affected by several factors such as temperature change, charge cycles, and wear. It leads to problems such as degrading capacity, slow charging, or worse not charging at all. Depending on the severity of your issue, here are a few fixes for your battery.

The Basics

Before running you through all the possible solutions, we hope you have checked the basic stuff. If you haven’t already done that, first try a different power outlet before making any changes on the laptop. If that doesn’t change anything, check the charger for any loose connections between the brick and power cord. Also, look for signs of damage on the cable.

Try Windows Troubleshoot

Windows 10 is not only feature-rich but also offers elaborate troubleshooting options. Microsoft’s operating system can detect and fix problems on its own. So it is worth trying out the Windows ‘Power Troubleshoot’. To access this feature, press the Windows Button, and type in ‘Troubleshoot Settings’. Clicking on it will present you with the Troubleshoot menu. Select Additional Troubleshooters as shown in the screenshot below.

Select ‘Power’ and tap on ‘Run the troubleshooter’. Windows will try to find the issues and offer a solution. If this doesn’t work out for you, move on to the next option.

Update Battery Drivers

Much like every other component in your laptop, the battery is controlled by specific drivers. If these drivers happen to be outdated or they get corrupted by malware, the battery may not charge properly. To iron out this issue, you may try updating the battery drivers.

Hit the Start Button, and type in ‘Device Manager’. Click on it to bring up the list of components. Select Batteries, which will reveal AC Adapter and ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery.

Right-click on each of them and select Update Driver. Choose Search automatically for drivers and Windows will do the rest for you. If that doesn’t work, you will have to download the drivers manually from your laptop manufacturer’s website and choose the Browse my computer for drivers option. Locate the drivers and hit next to complete the process.

Reinstall Battery Drivers

If updating the drivers doesn’t patch the problem, uninstalling the existing ones and reinstalling the fresh drivers might do the trick. Much like the instructions in the previous paragraph, Go to Device Manager and then click on Batteries. Now, right-click on AC Adapter and choose Uninstall. Next, right-click on ACPI- Compliant Control Method Battery and tap on Uninstall. Reboot your computer and Windows should automatically find and install the compatible drivers.

Check Battery Health On MacBooks

Those with Apple’s notebooks have the option to check battery health using the in-built tools. To access this feature, click on the Apple Menu, then select System Preferences. Locate the Battery option and then click Battery Health. The MacBook will present you with one of the following four messages:

Normal: According to the MacOS, the battery seems to be working properly.
Service Recommended: There could be an issue with your battery. Contact Apple authorised service centre to further evaluate the battery.

Reset SMC On MacBooks

In MacBooks, power management is regulated by the System Management Controller (SMC). A glitch in this system can halt the battery from charging. In some cases, resetting the SMC can solve the charging-related issues.

To perform the SMC reset, Switch off the MacBook. Connect the charger and make sure the plug point is powered on. Press and hold Control (left), Option (left), and Shift (left) keys. While still holding these three keys, hold down the Power Button as well. Press and hold these four keys for 10 seconds. After releasing these keys wait for a few seconds and then switch on the your MacBook. If your laptop’s issue stemmed from the SMC, this procedure should solve it.

Contact The Professionals

If all the aforementioned tips fail to fix the issue, we recommend contacting the professionals. If your laptop is under warranty, contact the manufacturer to get it fixed. If the device’s warranty has run out, you can opt for Onsitego’s Laptop Repair service. However, if you have decided to fix the problem on your own, here are a couple of more pointers.

Disconnect The Battery

If all the aforementioned tips fail to fix the issue, you can try and remove the battery. Keep in mind though that removing the battery may void your laptop’s warranty. Do it only if you are confident about it. With that out of the way, here’s how to go about it.

Disconnect the charger and switch off your laptop. Turn over your laptop and find the battery release latch. Most laptops feature a single latch while some come with two latches as shown in the images below. Slide these latches simultaneously to release the battery. Once the locks are disengaged, pull out the battery.

On some laptops, including the MacBook line-up, the battery is concealed under the back panel. In this case, you are going to need the right screwdriver set to remove the panel as shown in the gallery.

If it is a MacBook, look for a ribbon that connects the battery to the mainboard. It should feature a clear plastic tab. Use it to gently slide out the connector from the board.

Now, plug in the laptop and check if it works on mains power. If it does, then the charger is doing its job but the battery needs to be replaced.

Replace The Battery

First, order the battery from a trusted source such as the laptop manufacturer’s website. To find the right battery, use the battery model number on your existing battery. If the sticker is not legible, you can find the battery based on your laptop’s model number.

To find your laptop’s model number, check the back of your laptop or click the Start Button – Settings – System – About.

Once you find the right battery, follow the instructions from the ‘Disconnect The Battery’ section to remove the existing battery. Slide in the new battery and the release locks will engage on their own. If you have a MacBook, you will have to remove a few more screws to replace the battery.