How to Check Your Laptop Battery's Health in Windows 10 & 11

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Plus, quick tips to improve your battery’s health and life
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Over time, repeated charge and discharge cycles slowly decrease your laptop's battery life.[1] If you think your laptop battery isn't holding a charge like it used to, you can run a battery health report to see how your laptop battery's charge capacity has changed over time. Read on to learn how to run a battery health report on your Windows laptop and how to interpret the results. We'll also give you some battery care tips to extend its lifespan.

Checking Battery Health in Windows: Quick Steps

  1. Press the Windows key and type "cmd".
  2. Right-click "Command Prompt" and select Run as administrator.
  3. Enter this command: powercfg /batteryreport
  4. Copy the path to the battery report.
  5. Open File Explorer.
  6. Paste the path into the address bar at the top.
  7. Press Enter to view the battery health report.
Section 1 of 4:

Creating a Battery Health Report

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  1. 1
    Open the Command Prompt as an administrator. To get information about your laptop battery's health and capacity in Windows 10 or 11, you can run a simple command in Command Prompt (CMD). First, you'll need to open Command Prompt as an administrator:[2]
    • Press the Windows key (or click the Start menu).
    • Type cmd.
    • Right-click "Command Prompt" and select Run as Administrator.
    • Click Yes.
  2. 2
    Run the powercfg command. At the prompt, type or paste powercfg /batteryreport /output powercfg /batteryreport /output "%USERPROFILE%\Documents\battery-report.html". This creates the battery report in your Documents folder. You will also see the full path to the report in the Command Prompt window.
    • Depending on your laptop manufacturer, there may be other ways to view your battery health. For example, if you have a Dell laptop, you can check battery health in Dell Power Manager, Dell Optimizer, and using Dell On-Board Diagnostics.[3]
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  3. 3
    Copy the path to the battery report. In the Command Prompt window, you will see "Battery life report saved to file path," followed by a path that looks something like this: "C:\Users\yourusername\Documents\battery-report.html." Highlight the full path (beginning with "C:"), then press Ctrl+C to copy it.
  4. 4
    Open File Explorer. An easy way to open File Explorer is to right-click the Windows Start menu and select File Explorer. You can also open it by pressing the Windows key + E at the same time.
  5. Step 5 Paste the copied path into the address bar in File Explorer and press ↵ Enter.
    Click the address bar at the top of the window, then press Ctrl+V to paste the copied path. When you press ↵ Enter, the battery report will open in your default web browser.
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Section 2 of 4:

Understanding Your Battery Health Report

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  1. Step 1 Review the "Installed batteries" area of the report.
    At the top of the report, you'll see some basic information about your laptop. Below that, in the "Installed batteries" section, look for "Design Capacity" and "Full Charge Capacity" sections. This section compares the battery's original capacity (design capacity) with the battery's current capacity, allowing you to see how your battery has degraded over time.[4]
    • Battery capacity is the amount of charge the battery can hold.[5]
    • When your laptop's battery is new, the Design Capacity and Full Charge Capacity values should be pretty close to equal, give or take about 10%.[6]
    • Over time, you will see the Full Charge Capacity value decrease.
  2. Step 2 Check out the recent usage.
    The "Recent Usage" section is under the "Installed Batteries" section. Here, you will find the charge and usage history of your battery over the past 3 days, including average battery life.[7]
    • Below the recent usage information, you'll see a visual chart that displays battery drains over the past 7 days.
  3. 3
    View more extended usage details. The "Usage history" section displays the amount of time your laptop was running on battery power, and how much of that time the laptop was running on battery power, over the past 7 days.
  4. Step 4 Read through the "Battery Capacity" history.
    In this section, you'll see the estimated life of the battery at full charge and at the designed capacity over the lifespan of the battery.
    • You can tell the battery's health by comparing the at full charge estimates to the design capacity estimates.
  5. 5
    Check the battery life estimates. In this final section, you'll see how battery life has changed over time by viewing estimations of how the battery life of your laptop was impacted by power drains over time. You'll see values for both the battery at full charge and at design capacity.
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Section 3 of 4:

Improving Laptop Battery Life

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  1. 1
    Keep your laptop's battery between 20% and 80% as much as possible. Instead of using your laptop on battery power for a short time and then immediately plugging it in, give the battery some time to operate on its own. Keeping the battery charging at all times, or running the laptop on battery power below 20%, can negatively impact battery life.[8]
    • Some laptop manufacturers offer a tool called "smart charging" that keeps your laptop's battery within the optimal charging level. If your manufacturer offers this tool, use it when you need to use the laptop on its charger for extended periods of time.[9]
    • For example, if you have a Microsoft Surface laptop, you will find the option to enable or disable smart charging in the Surface app.[10]
  2. 2
    Unplug your laptop when you're using it at home or in the office. If you're sitting at a desk, working on your laptop for an extended period of time, allow the laptop to run on battery power once the battery is fully charged. When the battery reaches 50%, plug it back in to allow it to charge again.[11]
  3. 3
    Use energy and battery-saving features in Windows. Both Windows 10 and Windows 11 offer energy-saving features that can help extend laptop battery life.[12]
    • On Windows 11, go to Settings > System > Power & battery > Energy recommendations to view battery-saving recommendations for your laptop.
    • On Windows 10, you can run the power troubleshooter to access battery-preserving recommendations. To do this, go to Settings > Update & security > Troubleshoot > Power and select Run the troubleshooter.
  4. 4
    Take care when storing your laptop. If you don't plan on using your computer for an extended time, allow the battery to discharge to 50% before storing. A battery that is fully charged will lose capacity faster than one that's partially drained.[13]
  5. 5
    Calibrate the battery if the charging level doesn't seem right. If your charge level appears to be incorrect or the laptop is shutting down randomly, the battery may need calibration. Some laptops come with a built-in tool for battery calibration, but you can also calibrate the battery manually. Laptop manufacturers sometimes recommend calibrating the battery three times for best results. Here's how to calibrate your laptop battery manually:[14]
    • Allow the laptop battery to charge to 100%. You can use it during this time.
    • Unplug the laptop once it has charged to 100%.
    • Allow the battery to discharge to about 6%. You can use the laptop during this time as well.
    • Plug the laptop back in and allow it to charge to 100%.
    • Once the battery is charged to 100%, you've completed one calibration cycle.
    • Repeat three times for best results.
  6. 6
    Keep your laptop clean. Keeping the bottom of your laptop clean, as well as doing some regular cleaning of your laptop's air vents, can help preserve battery life over time. Learn how to clean your laptop with this helpful guide.[15]
  7. 7
    Avoid extreme temperatures. Using or storing your laptop in high temperatures will increase the speed of battery degradation. If you have to use your laptop in hot weather or if your laptop tends to run hot, buy a laptop cooling pad.
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Section 4 of 4:

FAQ

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  1. 1
    When should I replace my laptop battery? You can expect your laptop battery to last between 2 and 5 years. If the battery isn't holding a charge like it used to, you can buy a new one and install it yourself.[16]
    • Depending on your laptop, you may be able to open the battery compartment on the bottom, remove the battery, and insert a new one.
    • Some laptops require you to remove the bottom cover to install the new battery.
  2. 2
    How do I get a new battery? Laptop batteries are not interchangeable, so you need to buy a battery that's designed to fit in your laptop. The best thing to do is to buy a battery directly from the manufacturer–you should be able to log in to the manufacturer's website and use their tools to find and order a battery. If you want to buy a battery from somewhere else, be sure to get one that's confirmed to work in your laptop.[17]
  3. 3
    What do you do if your laptop battery swells up? If your laptop battery is swollen, turn off your laptop and unplug it from power. Avoid using the laptop until you replace the battery.[18]
    • Signs your battery is swollen:[19]
      • The touchpad or keyboard is lifting.
      • The computer rocks or bounces on a flat surface.
      • The computer seems to be bursting at its seams.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you wake up a dead laptop battery?
    Spike Baron
    Spike Baron
    Network Engineer & Desktop Support
    Spike Baron is a Network Engineer & Desktop Support Expert based in Los Angeles, California. He is the owner of Spike’s Computer Repair. With over 25 years of working experience in the tech industry, Spike specializes in PC and Mac computer repair, used computer sales, virus removal, data recovery, and hardware and software upgrades. He has worked as an IT Systems expert for numerous companies, including Huntington Health, Blackbox, Honda, and Manufacturers Bank. In his spare time, Spike also builds and restores computers. He has his CompTIA A+ certification for computer service technicians and is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert.
    Spike Baron
    Spike Baron
    Network Engineer & Desktop Support
    Expert Answer
    Dead laptop batteries are easily replaced, and trying to revive them is not cost-effective. If your battery is not charging anymore, it is just not a good battery, and you need to get a new one.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
     Thank you for your feedback.
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    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 9
  • Question
    Is it OK to keep a laptop plugged in all the time?
    Spike Baron
    Spike Baron
    Network Engineer & Desktop Support
    Spike Baron is a Network Engineer & Desktop Support Expert based in Los Angeles, California. He is the owner of Spike’s Computer Repair. With over 25 years of working experience in the tech industry, Spike specializes in PC and Mac computer repair, used computer sales, virus removal, data recovery, and hardware and software upgrades. He has worked as an IT Systems expert for numerous companies, including Huntington Health, Blackbox, Honda, and Manufacturers Bank. In his spare time, Spike also builds and restores computers. He has his CompTIA A+ certification for computer service technicians and is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert.
    Spike Baron
    Spike Baron
    Network Engineer & Desktop Support
    Expert Answer
    Leaving your laptop plugged in all the time isn't always the greatest idea. You want to unplug the power adapter occasionally and let the battery run down to almost zero, and then recharge it. That helps the battery last a lot longer than if you keep it attached to the power adapter all the time. The battery is supposed to be used to power the equipment. If you have the power adapter plugged in all the time, the battery is not being used.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
     Thank you for your feedback.
     If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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    Not Helpful 7 Helpful 14
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References

  1. ↑ https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/energy/a23135177/lithium-ion-battery-degradation-study-nature/
  2. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/caring-for-your-battery-in-windows-2db3e37f-5e7d-488e-9086-ed15320519e4
  3. ↑ https://www.dell.com/support/contents/en-us/article/product-support/self-support-knowledgebase/battery-and-power/battery
  4. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/caring-for-your-battery-in-windows-2db3e37f-5e7d-488e-9086-ed15320519e4
  5. ↑ https://www.dell.com/support/contents/en-us/article/product-support/self-support-knowledgebase/battery-and-power/battery
  6. ↑ https://support.hp.com/si-en/document/ish_2268927-1713329-16
  7. ↑ https://www.lg.com/us/experience/laptop-battery-life
  8. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/caring-for-your-battery-in-windows-2db3e37f-5e7d-488e-9086-ed15320519e4
  9. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/use-smart-charging-in-windows-2ac1b4ba-6027-410a-b80e-f6767d867002
  1. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/surface/smart-charging-on-surface-dda48e48-950b-421c-a436-c48c55e158c4#windowsversion=windows_11
  2. ↑ https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000124304/notebook-best-practices-for-care-and-use
  3. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/learn-more-about-energy-recommendations-1c9b5a49-6d8f-4c04-80dc-5e3c20a9f04e
  4. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/caring-for-your-battery-in-windows-2db3e37f-5e7d-488e-9086-ed15320519e4
  5. ↑ https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000205559/how-to-perform-a-battery-calibration-cycle-on-a-dell-laptop
  6. ↑ https://www.lg.com/us/experience/laptop-battery-life
  7. ↑ https://support.hp.com/si-en/document/ish_2268927-1713329-16
  8. ↑ https://support.hp.com/bg-en/document/ish_1997723-1499370-16
  9. ↑ https://us.vaio.com/blogs/innovation-hub/swollen-laptop-battery-common-symptoms-causes-cures
  10. ↑ https://www.dell.com/support/kbdoc/en-us/000128491/swollen-battery-information-and-guidance

About This Article

Spike Baron
Co-authored by:
Spike Baron
Network Engineer & Desktop Support
This article was co-authored by Spike Baron. Spike Baron is a Network Engineer & Desktop Support Expert based in Los Angeles, California. He is the owner of Spike’s Computer Repair. With over 25 years of working experience in the tech industry, Spike specializes in PC and Mac computer repair, used computer sales, virus removal, data recovery, and hardware and software upgrades. He has worked as an IT Systems expert for numerous companies, including Huntington Health, Blackbox, Honda, and Manufacturers Bank. In his spare time, Spike also builds and restores computers. He has his CompTIA A+ certification for computer service technicians and is a Microsoft Certified Solutions Expert. This article has been viewed 199,751 times.
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Updated: October 4, 2025
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