Use only what you need at any given time. If your laptop has plenty of memory, then keep necessary applications open to avoid loading repeatedly from the hard drive. Close all the applications that run in the background, like your syncing or backup software. Quit cloud storage services or video players that you aren’t using.
Run simple applications that don’t use much RAM, disk drive, or processing power. Close unnecessary tabs you open in your browser. Use a basic text editor rather than the processor and RAM heavy Microsoft Word. Heavy applications like games or movie watching are especially hard on the battery. Aim to keep at least 20% of your hard drive free at all times, so your laptop can function at its highest level and retain battery power.
Click “Power Options” in your control panel on Windows XP / Vista / 7. Click “Settings > System > Power & sleep” on Windows 8 / 8. 1 / 10. Click on “Energy Saver” in System Preferences, on a Mac.
Turn off the wireless card if you do not plan to access your network or Internet connection. For Mac laptops, there is a button for powering on and off your wireless device is found on the toolbar at the top. Disable Bluetooth. If you don’t use this feature, you can safely disable it to avoid draining your laptop battery.
Disable unused ports and components, such as VGA, Ethernet, PCMCIA, USB, and, your wireless, too. Use the “Device Manager” or configure a separate hardware profile (see next step).
Configure your laptop for the various scenarios (on a plane, at the coffee shop, the office, etc. ). Use “Hardware Profiles” menu by right-clicking on My Computer and selecting Preferences or by using a freeware utility such as SparkleXP.
You do not need to do this on a Mac & Windows 8 / 8. 1 / 10, as they do this automatically by themselves when needed. Also, do not do this if your computer uses a solid-state drive, as it will slow and lower your hard drive’s life!
Right-click on the desktop in Windows 7. Select the Screen Resolution. Turn down the resolution.
Replace mechanical hard disks if you can. They require higher power to work. An SSD uses less power as it has no moving parts.
Set up your settings to use the powerful graphics chip only for playing games or running demanding applications, but you should check whether it can be done.
Store a copy of data you need to your laptop hard drive or a thumb drive before traveling. Optical drives consume large amounts of power to spin up CDs and DVDs. Don’t leave a disc in your DVD drive, as it might spin up whenever you launch Windows Explorer or access the Save option in an application. Avoid applications that keep your hard drive or optical drive spinning. Use your phone or a handheld MP3 player, rather than playing songs on your computer. They will keep the hard drive working which uses energy. Turn off the autosave feature on MS Word or Excel. Constant saving will keep your hard drive turning and using energy.
Lithium-ion batteries can’t be overcharged, but in the long-term, your battery will develop problems if you keep it plugged in all the time. Avoid letting it discharge below 20%.
