Why laptop runs slow when not plugged in?

A laptop runs slow when not plugged in is something that many people will experience at some point. The reason for this happening is because the laptop’s processor has to work harder when it doesn’t have access to power. This can cause your computer to run unusually slowly, even though you’re only using a few programs. There are several things that you can do in order to help fix this problem, but before we get into those, let’s talk about why laptops slow down when they don’t have access to power and how one can tell if their device is slowing down on battery or not.

Why your laptop runs slower on battery?

The battery can’t supply as much power as when plugged in. The CPU/GPU need to reduce their performance to let the battery live longer. So this is not problem in your laptop or battery. It’s a built in feature to increase your backup time.

Why do laptops run faster on AC power than battery power?

The laptop can handle higher performance when plugged in because the power supply is more stable than battery, which provides multiple currents with different level of voltage. The CPU/GPU adjust their speed to use less power on low-performance (battery) mode to conserve the battery life.

Performance decreases to conserve energy and increase battery life Performance decreases to prevent excess wear on components that are more easily damaged when extra current is applied The laptop needs to throttle down its CPU/GPU usage to avoid overheating Processors may implement dynamic frequency scaling which will reduce their clock speed depending upon load.

How can laptop run faster on battery?  

Assuming you’re running a reasonably modern Intel CPU, then go into your BIOS configuration utility and set it to performance mode. You may have to dig around in the settings for a power profile or battery life setting. In Windows, as I understand it, this is built-in as well as long as you are using an Intel processor (the reason being that Nvidia processors don’t behave the same). Generally you don’t want to do anything different because reducing CPU/GPU speeds will decrease your effective battery life. However some do allow you to set profiles so that on battery power the laptop will automatically switch to a more energy saving mode reducing speed and screen brightness.

Other Reasons of low performance on battery

It is not necessary that your laptop is running slow because it is not plugged in there are few other things which you need to check. By applying below tips you can fix the issue and get the maximum performance from your laptop when running on battery.

Battery is not fully charged

Your laptop might be running slow because battery is not fully charged. To fix the problem fully charge your battery and hopefully your problem will be resolved.

Wrong power plan setting

Your laptop runs slow while not plugged in because you may have wrong power plan setting. To fix this issue, it is best to create a custom power plan in the Power Options (Control Panel) application under Windows and then configure all settings you like. If you don’t want to do it each time when starting your laptop.

Too many applications running

It could also be reason your laptop is running slow when not plugged in because there are too many applications are currently running. You have to close the unnecessary applications to achieve desired performance from your laptop while it is on battery.

When you’re using your laptop on battery, make sure to close any programs that are not needed and turn off any notification alerts from social media or email accounts.

Hard Drive is full

Your hard drive may be full, causing files to take longer to load and run slower than usual while not plugged in. You have to empty free space on your hard drive to fix the issue.

Ways to increase battery life

A healthy and powerful laptop battery can help to get maximum performance from your laptop when not plugged in. So here are some tips which you can follow to lengthen the life of your battery.

Decrease Screen Brightness

Decreasing screen brightness can also increase battery life for most laptops because it decreases the power consumption of the back light and reduces thermal (heat) generation in the display and processor. It is a good idea to cut down screen brightness while using devices like Laptop and Notebook etc., on battery backup. To prevent eye strain turn off this feature altogether when you use it without plugging in the main supply.

Edit Power Plan Settings

To do this right click on ‘ START BUTTON’ and select power plan, then choose high performance or max battery . Then check whether the adapter is plugged in / if not plugged in then plug in and apply changes. This can increase up to 25% more backup time for laptop.

Enable Hibernation

When your laptop entirely runs out of power, it stores the content in its memory and enters hibernation mode. This is the reason why when you again turn on your laptop, you find everything exactly as it was before. Make sure that sleep mode is disabled when running on battery because this feature doesn’t allow your system to enter into deep sleep state resulting in wastage of precious backup time.

Use Laptop Cooler

Using a laptop cooler can considerably increase the device’s battery life and enhance your laptop performance while not plugged in because if there is less heat generation inside the case, it automatically helps in prolonging your laptop’s battery backup. You can easily get one from any branded computer accessories supplier nearby. However this may not be true for all devices as some devices offer better cooling than others! So do check out before buying one!

Laptop overheating

If you notice your laptop running slow when not plugged in then also check if your laptop is not overheating!  If it is then you can use an external usb fan or cooler to reduce heat generation which may help in prolonging your laptops battery backup time. You can buy a small USB fan online stores, they cool down very quickly so no need to worry about the time it takes to cool down. I have one but prefer using laptop cooler as it reduces heat much faster than a small USB fan!

Replace Battery

If you notice that even after following all the above steps, there still isn’t much improvement in battery life, it might be an indication that the battery has actually gone bad already. I suggest to make sure “Battery” does not show “Low Battery”, “Critical Battery” or “plugged in, not charging”. If it does then go to manufacturer and get a replacement. It is not recommended to run your laptop on damaged or weak battery because this can damage your other hardware which may cost you hundreds of dollars in repair or replacement.


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Wasim Cheema
By Wasim Cheema

Wasim Cheema is a tech enthusiast who is passionate about all things that have to do with laptops and gadgets. He provides unbiased laptop reviews on different tech sites, where he has been sharing his thoughts on the latest technology for over 8 years now. His technical knowledge has helped him in providing sound advice on various topics including laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other consumer electronics which are often difficult to find a reliable source of information on the web.


The Laptop Arts is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

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