- To create a battery report on Windows 10, open Command Prompt (admin), run the âpowercfg /batteryreportâ command, and check for the âdesign capacityâ and âfull charge capacity.â If the full charge capacity falls between 50 and 40 percent, itâs time to replace the battery.
If you find yourself plugging your Windows 10 laptop into a power outlet every couple of hours while working, something is not working correctly.
A battery dies quickly typically because of the battery itself, as batteries only last a certain number of charge cycles. In other words, if youâve already tried lowering the displayâs brightness, turning off the Wi-Fi connection, limiting video watching, and unnecessary closing apps, turning on battery saver, and your laptop canât still hold its charge, it might be just the time to replace the battery (or the laptop).
On Windows 10, you can quickly determine whether itâs time to replace your battery by generating a battery report.
In this guide, Iâll teach you how to use the âpowercfgâ command-line tool to generate a report determining whether your laptopâs battery needs replacing.
Create battery report on Windows 10
To create a battery report of your laptop Windows 10, use the steps:
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Open Start on Windows 10.
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Search for Command Prompt, right-click the top result, and click Run as administrator.
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Type the following command to generate a battery report and press Enter:
powercfg /batteryreport
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Confirm the path of the report file.
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Open Start.
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Search for Run and click the top result.
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Type the path to the battery-report.html file to open the report with the browser.
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Click the OK button.
Once you complete the steps, the report will open in your default web browser, and you will need to review it.
The battery report that Windows 10 generates contains much information, including basic battery information like make and model. The âBattery capacity historyâ section shows how the battery depleted over time, and the âBattery life estimatesâ section tells you how long your battery will last in its current condition. However, the most important data are âdesign capacityâ and âfull charge capacity.â
When to replace your laptopâs battery
The âdesign capacityâ lets you determine how much charge it can hold when the battery is new. In contrast, âfull charge capacityâ shows how much charge the battery can hold in its current stage.
For example, my report shows that my laptopâs battery capacity was designed to hold 37,434 mWh, but now, after a few years, the full charge capacity is 37,434 mWh. This means the battery can still hold up to 100 percent of its original capacity when fully charged, which suggests it is still in excellent condition. However, if the full charge capacity falls between 50 and 40 percent, it might be time to replace the battery.
Windows 10 battery report / Image: Mauro Huculak
Replacing your laptopâs battery isnât very difficult, but it depends on your laptop type. On older laptops, you can simply use the button to eject the battery and insert a new one. However, nowadays, with modern mobile devices, you have to go through the disassembling process using special tools, and some laptops may even come with a battery built in a way that you cannot replace.Â
You should always contact your manufacturer, as your device may still be under warranty, and they might be able to replace it at no extra cost. If your device isnât under warranty but they can offer a good deal, you should consider it.
Also, if you plan to replace your laptopâs battery yourself, consider only replacing it with a genuine battery replacement.
Source: Pureinfotech