How to Fix a Laptop Battery That’s Not Charging

Is your laptop battery giving you the blues? If your once-faithful companion is now refusing to charge, don’t despair! Before you resign yourself to a life of constant cord-dependency, take a deep breath and follow these simple steps to try and revive your trusty battery.

Check the Power Source

If your laptop battery isn’t charging, the first thing to do is check the power source. Make sure the power cord is plugged securely into both the laptop and the electrical outlet. Try using a different power cord if you have one available. If the power cord and outlet are working properly, proceed to the next step.

Inspect the Battery

Carefully inspect the battery for any signs of damage, such as cracks or dents. If the battery is damaged, it may need to be replaced. Also, check the battery terminals and make sure they are clean and free of corrosion. If necessary, clean the terminals with a cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol.

Reset the Laptop Battery

Sometimes, a simple reset can resolve battery charging issues. To reset the laptop battery:

1. Turn off the laptop and disconnect the power cord.
2. Remove the battery from the laptop.
3. Press and hold the power button on the laptop for 30 seconds.
4. Reinsert the battery into the laptop.
5. Connect the power cord and turn on the laptop.

Update BIOS and Battery Drivers

Outdated BIOS or battery drivers can cause charging problems. To update the BIOS:

1. Visit the manufacturer’s website for your laptop model.
2. Download the latest BIOS update.
3. Follow the instructions to install the update.

To update the battery drivers:

1. Go to the Device Manager in Windows.
2. Expand the Batteries category.
3. Right-click on the Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery and select Update Driver.
4. Follow the instructions to install the update.

Run a Power Troubleshooter

Windows has a built-in power troubleshooter that can diagnose and fix common battery charging issues. To run the troubleshooter:

1. Go to the Control Panel in Windows.
2. Click on Troubleshooting.
3. Click on Power.
4. Follow the instructions to run the troubleshooter.

Reset the Power Management Settings

In some cases, incorrect power management settings can prevent the battery from charging. To reset the power management settings:

1. Go to the Power Options in Windows.
2. Click on Change plan settings for the current power plan.
3. Click on Change advanced power settings.
4. Expand the Battery section.
5. Make sure the settings are set to maximize battery life.

Test the Charging Port

If you have ruled out all other possible causes, the problem may lie with the charging port on the laptop. To test the charging port:

1. Turn off the laptop and disconnect the power cord.
2. Use a flashlight to inspect the charging port for any damage or debris.
3. If the charging port is damaged, it may need to be replaced.

Contact the Manufacturer

If you have tried all the above steps and the battery still isn’t charging, it may be time to contact the manufacturer of your laptop. They may be able to provide additional support or repair the device if necessary.

Troubleshooting Software Issues

1. Check the Battery Driver

The battery driver is responsible for communicating between the battery and the operating system. If the driver is outdated or corrupted, it can prevent the battery from charging.

To update the battery driver:

1. Open the Device Manager.
2. Expand the “Batteries” category.
3. Right-click on the battery driver and select “Update Driver.”
4. Follow the on-screen prompts to update the driver.

2. Reset the BIOS

The BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) is a firmware program that initializes the hardware components of a computer. Resetting the BIOS can sometimes fix software issues that are preventing the battery from charging.

To reset the BIOS:

1. Turn off the laptop.
2. Locate the CMOS battery on the motherboard.
3. Remove the CMOS battery for 30 seconds.
4. Reinsert the CMOS battery.
5. Turn on the laptop.

3. Check the Power Management Settings

The power management settings in Windows can affect how the laptop battery is charged. To make sure that the power management settings are optimized for charging, follow these steps:

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Click on “Power Options.”
3. Select the “High performance” power plan.

4. Run a Battery Health Check

Windows has a built-in tool that can check the health of the battery. To run a battery health check:

1. Open the Command Prompt.
2. Type the following command and press Enter:

powercfg /batteryreport /output "C:\battery-report.html"

3. A battery health report will be generated in the C:\battery-report.html file. Open the file to view the report.

5. Factory Reset the Laptop

If all else fails, you may need to factory reset the laptop. This will erase all data on the laptop, so make sure to back up any important files before proceeding. To factory reset the laptop:

1. Turn off the laptop.
2. Turn on the laptop and immediately press the F11 key.
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to factory reset the laptop.

Conculation

I hope this article has been helpful in troubleshooting your laptop battery issues. If you’re still having problems, I recommend taking your laptop to a qualified technician for further diagnosis. Thanks again for reading, and be sure to check back for more helpful articles in the future.