How to Restore Laptop Battery

This wikiHow teaches you how to restore laptop battery performance. Although we can take some steps to extend laptop battery life, this part still needs to be replaced every 2-3 years for the computer to achieve optimal performance. Note: if the laptop uses a lithium battery, freezing and discharging the battery many times will cause more damage to the battery.

Table of Contents

Restoring NiMH or NiCD batteries using a freezer

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You need to make sure this is not a lithium battery. This method only applies to Nickel-Metal Hybrid (NiMH) or Nickel-Cadmium (NiCD) batteries. If you make a mistake then there is a chance that the battery will be permanently damaged.

All Macs and many Windows models today use lithium batteries. ^{[1] X Research Source}
This process should not be done with laptops with built-in batteries because we need to remove the battery (affect the warranty of the machine) or freeze the whole laptop (damage the device).

Turn off the machine and unplug it. The laptop needs to be powered off and completely unplugged before you proceed to remove the battery, otherwise electric shock may occur.

Take out the battery. In most cases, we need to hold down the battery lock button located on the bottom or remove the laptop back cover and remove the battery.

Put the battery in a soft cloth bag. The soft cloth bag acts as a lining between the battery and the second bag that we will use. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Put the battery pack in the zip pocket (the bag has a slanted mouth). This will ensure that the battery does not get wet during freezing.

Avoid using regular plastic bags because the battery can collect moisture due to not being sealed.

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Place the battery in the freezer for 10 hours. This will give the battery enough time to recover somewhat. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

You can leave the battery in there for 12 hours, but any longer can cause the battery to leak.

Calibrate laptop battery

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You need to know when to apply this method. Laptop batteries need to be calibrated when the indicator no longer shows the correct charge level.

For example, if the battery shows 50% capacity but the computer shuts down very quickly afterwards, you need to recalibrate the battery.

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Charge the battery to 100%. Plug in the charger until the battery reaches “Fully Charged”.

Unplug the laptop. Unplug the charging cord from the computer.

Never unplug from the power outlet first because plugging it back in with the connected charger cord on the laptop can cause the device to get an electric shock.

Use the laptop until the battery is completely drained. You just need to let the device run until the battery runs out. Note: streaming video or launching a high-power process will speed up battery consumption.

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Do not charge the computer for 3 to 5 hours. This process is intended to help drain the virtual battery completely before you continue.

Skip this step if the laptop uses a lithium battery.

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Start charging the laptop by plugging the power cord back in. After the charge level reaches 100%, the battery has been calibrated.

Carry out discharge and full charge

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Follow this method if the battery drains too quickly. If the laptop battery suddenly drains faster than usual, apply this method once to fix it.

Do not abuse this method often because if you discharge the battery and then fully charge it many times, it can reduce the battery life by 30%.

Use the battery properly

Limit the battery to less than 50%. If you let the laptop run out of battery, 30% of the battery life will decrease after 300 to 500 charges, while if you discharge 50% and then charge it, after more than 1000 charges, the battery will lose the same amount of life.

Ideally, when you only use about 20% of the battery and then charge it. You will have more than 2000 such battery discharges before reaching the 70% battery life mark.
If your computer uses a NiCD battery, you can discharge it every 3 months or more.

You need to make sure the computer doesn’t overheat. Heat can cause the battery to operate less efficiently and affect its lifespan. If you must use the computer in a warm environment, you need to make sure that the laptop’s ventilation holes are well ventilated. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

You should put the laptop on a cool surface like a desk. Contrary to common practice, using a laptop on your lap can interfere with the air circulation in the machine, and your body temperature will also cause the overall laptop temperature to increase.

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Store batteries in proper conditions. If you plan to store the battery in storage and still want to preserve component life, charge the battery fully and store it at a temperature between 20°C and 25°C.

Batteries can be stored in this condition for several months before needing to be recharged.
Never store a lithium battery until it is 100% fully charged.

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Consider removing the battery when playing games or editing on the machine. If your laptop has a removable battery, it’s a good idea to remove it and let the computer run on power when performing heavy tasks like gaming or video editing to prevent heat from damaging the battery.

High temperatures can shorten battery life, so this is the optimal solution if you often use the laptop with high intensity.

Advice

Laptop batteries are not permanent components. If these methods don’t work then you need to buy a new battery. Laptop batteries are available online and at tech stores like Phong Vu.
Try not to let the battery drain during daily use. As soon as you see the “low battery” warning, you need to plug in the charger to increase the battery life in the long run.
The lithium battery pack can go into “hibernation” mode if you let it run out for a long time. In this case, you will need to take the battery to a tech store to have it restored by a professional.

Warning

Do not put your laptop in the refrigerator without properly packing it, as water and ice seeping in can lead to damage to the device.
Only perform the freezing method on NiCD or NiMH batteries. If you apply this method to lithium batteries, it will seriously affect battery life.
Never open a laptop battery to replace the lithium cell inside as it is extremely dangerous.

Steps