My laptop battery won’t charge – what should I do?

The first thing you should know about your laptop battery, is that it will degrade much faster than the other components in your machine. So don’t be surprised if, after 2-3 years, it starts to drain more quickly, or even hold no charge at all.

The second thing you should know is how to care for your battery. As a rule, once your battery is charged, disconnect the mains power. Continually charging your battery when using your laptop causes it to degrade more quickly. If you can, allow the battery to drain fully before recharging.

My laptop battery doesn’t charge anymore 🙁

If you notice that your battery charge meter no longer shows a charge, don’t immediately assume a faulty battery. There are a few reasons why your computer may show no charge, so you should carry out a simple test first.

First of all, check that the battery is properly seated. If it’s not in the correct position, it may cease to function at all.

If that’s not the problem, the next step is to switch off the computer and remove the battery. Plug in the mains power cable, and switch the laptop back on. If it is working at this point, you have ruled out a defective power cable or socket.

Assuming you’ve already established that the battery is faulty, there’s only one course of action left: replace the battery. A laptop battery is a non-repairable unit, and must be disposed of correctly when you replace it (contact your manufacturer or local authority for details.)

When ordering a new battery for your machine, make a careful note of the make and exact model to ensure receipt of a compatible battery. Batteries can be ordered direct from the manufacturer, or from an authorised dealer/ repair shop.

When replacing your battery you should always replace with an official genuine battery as the unofficial ones are not advised and can also be very dangerous.