Care & support1 min read
Make a used laptop battery last longer
Simple charging habits and settings that slow battery wear, and how to tell when a replacement is the better option.
By UKUsed support
Batteries wear with every charge cycle and with heat. You can’t stop that, but you can slow it down a lot.
Keep it cool
Heat is the biggest enemy. Use the laptop on a hard surface, not a bed or cushion, and don’t leave it in a hot car.
Use charge limits if you have them
Many laptops can stop charging at 80%. On Lenovo it’s in Vantage, on Dell in Power Manager, and on Mac it’s “Optimised Battery Charging”. If the laptop is plugged in most of the day, turn it on.
During power cuts
Running the battery all the way down regularly speeds up wear. When you can, plug in at around 20% rather than waiting for it to shut down.
When to replace it
Below about 70% health, or if the laptop shuts down unexpectedly, a replacement battery is usually worth it. Ask us — we can check compatibility for your model.
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