Should I keep my laptop plugged in all the time? It is a common question every laptop user has. Most people keep their laptops plugged in all the time even when they are not using it. But, is that good for the battery? What is the best option? This is a difficult question to answer as it depends upon a lot of factors. Here, we look at those factors and try to come up with a good answer.

Factors Affecting the Decision to Leave the Laptop Plugged in All the Time

There are many factors that help you to decide whether you should to keep your laptop plugged in all the time or not. The main factors are:

1. Laptop Design
2. Battery Type
3. Charging Circuit

Increasing the Battery Life

If you are at home, it is always better to keep the battery removed from your laptop so that it gets time for cooling. One thing that can shorten the life of the battery is the temperature. When your computer is hot, your battery life will be shortened. Therefore, it is always better to remove the battery when you are at home or at the office as it helps in cooling and increases the life span of the battery. If your laptop is using a Lithium battery, then you should ensure that it is charged regularly as it helps in improving the life of the battery.

You should not discharge a lithium battery fully on a regular basis and then recharge it as it will shorten the life span of the batteries. It is always better to fully charge the lithium battery and then use your laptop. This way it helps in improving the life of the battery.

Should You or Shouldn’t You?

Research has proven that it is not harmful to keep your laptop plugged in all the time. Your battery will be charged and when it reaches 100%, it will stop receiving the charging energy. The energy is directly passed to the laptop’s power system. The only disadvantage of keeping your laptop plugged in all the time is if your laptop gets heated up quickly then it can harm your battery. Therefore, you should keep the following points in mind.

Points to Remember

1. If your laptop is having normal usage and there is no heating problem, then keeping your laptop plugged in all the time is not harmful.
2. If your laptop is having intensive usage, then, keeping your laptop plugged in all the time can be harmful to the battery. Heat is an enemy of the lithium battery. Therefore, make sure you remove your battery and then use an external charger to charge it.

The best plan is always to check your laptop’s hardware. If you are noticing extensive heating, then you need to be careful. Understanding the limitations of your battery and identifying the methods to find the best way to increase battery life.

Conclusion

Keeping your laptop plugged in all the time is a decision that should be taken after determining how much you use your laptop and whether it tends to get hot. It is never good to let a lithium battery go completely dead. If you are a constant user of your laptop it may be best to remove the battery during charging. If not, then it’s probably fine to leave it plugged in all the time so that it will help in increasing the life of the battery. Just check for excessive heat.