Ask Our Experts: Laptop Battery Life Maine

Senior Editor Kalpana Ettenson responds: Even if you use your laptop primarily when it is plugged in, removing the battery is not a good idea--your battery will function better and last longer if you keep it in the machine. However, if the battery is unused for a long time, it can lose its ability to hold a full charge. To use your battery optimally, you should charge it up all the way when you first buy your notebook. You should then discharge it all the way down, and then charge it up again. This procedure calibrates the battery and enables it to run for more cycles.

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