Overcharging your laptop, or any device for that matter, has already been established to be a bad thing for battery-powered electronics. Despite that, people seem to still be doing it. A researcher sheds light on why it's bad for your laptop, as well as recommended practices for battery usage.

Unplug When Fully-Charged

People often opt for laptops because it's a convenient choice. You're able to bring it anywhere, which means you won't have to be glued to your desk to use the computer. Of course, you have to make sure it has enough juice so it can run for hours.

There's a particular anxiety behind running out of battery, so people tend to keep their laptops plugged in. However, doing so will just do more harm than good, as it will only accelerate battery degradation, as reported by Gizmodo.

University of California assistant professor and researcher, Kent Griffith said that keeping the laptop's battery at 100% all the time will lead to battery degradation, which is caused by the device being under stress.

Griffith also said in an interview that the battery being at 100% charge is also the worst condition it can be in. especially if it stays at that percentage for hours, especially months at a time. Prolonged overcharging will eventually lead to the battery lasting much shorter.

The reason why 100% is a stressful state for the laptop is due to the lithium-ion battery, which has two layers namely the graphite and the lithium cobalt oxide. Fully charged, there are too many lithium ions on one side only, which is bad for the battery.

The optimal state for the battery is around 20% to 80%, although that's not to say that the laptop should not be charged fully, or to charge it before it reaches below 20%. The best practice is still to charge the battery to 100% and let it deplete before doing so again.

If you have close access to an outlet and you don't want to worry about draining your battery and charging it again, you can just remove the battery and plug the device directly using the charger, just like you would with a desktop.

Read Also: 5 Things to Keep in Mind When Buying a Used Laptop

Signs That Your Battery Needs Replacement

There are always obvious signs when your laptop battery is no longer in the best condition, which means that you have to replace it as soon as you can. The most common sign is that it doesn't last as long as it used to.

You will also see sudden drops in battery percentage, such as a 100% charge dropping to 20% after just a couple of minutes. Rapid battery drain is a sign that it can no longer hold a charge, which could also damage the laptop itself.

You might also notice that the computer might be overheating. Barring other causes like room temperature or overworking, it could be due to a dying battery. If your laptop is suddenly shutting down in the middle of a task, it could be a sign that your battery is not powerful enough anymore.

Related: 7 Disadvantages of Choosing a Laptop Over a Desktop