How to Check Your Laptop Battery and Charger
Find out which one is letting you down.
When a laptop will not charge, the fault is the charger, the battery, or the socket between them. These checks tell you which.
Step by step
- Check the charger light, if it has one, and that the lead is pushed firmly into the charger brick.
- Try a different wall socket.
- Look at the charging socket on the laptop. Does the plug wobble?
- Press the Windows key, type cmd and open Command Prompt.
- Type powercfg /batteryreport and press Enter. Windows saves a report and shows you where.
- Open the report and compare Design capacity with Full charge capacity.
What the result means
- Full charge capacity is close to design capacity: the battery is healthy. Look at the charger or socket.
- Full charge capacity is half the design capacity or less: the battery is worn out.
- The plug wobbles, or charging depends on the angle: the socket needs repair. See battery and charging repair.
Not sure? Call 020 7237 6805. We are happy to talk it through, and the assessment is free.
Questions and answers
Is it safe to leave a laptop plugged in?
Yes. Modern laptops stop charging when full.
My battery is swollen. What should I do?
Stop using and charging it, and call 020 7237 6805. Do not press on it.
Does a cheap charger matter?
It can. A poor charger can damage the charging circuit. Use the right one for your model.
More guides
- Check your Computer Before You Call
- Check your Hard Drive or SSD
- Check your Computer’s Memory
- Check If your Computer Is Overheating
- Check your Internet and Wi-Fi
- Check your Computer for Viruses
- Back Up your Files Before a Repair
Let us take a look
The assessment is free, the price is fixed before we start, and every repair carries a 3-month warranty. Call 020 7237 6805, or tell us what is wrong and a technician will reply.