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Laptops have come a long way. From producing feature films to handling massive editing projects to intense gaming, laptops are far more capable than they were a decade ago. Their batteries, now pushed harder than ever, deliver impressive screen time without breaking a sweat, especially in high-end pro models. But laptop batteries aren’t invincible. They can only carry a set amount of juice in a charging cycle before they run out of charge. And the reality of being tethered to a charger creeps in every few hours. This begs the question: should you keep your laptop plugged into the power socket or unplug it after it reaches 70-80% mark? If this is a new territory for you, don’t fret. A user on X recently learned that laptop batteries did not work as they thought they did. “Thought The Opposite” Sharing a photo of a fully-charged Apple MacBook, a user on X by the handle @0x45o wrote that they always assumed that keeping the laptop plugged in all the time was more damaging than draining and refilling it frequently. “keeping your laptop plugged in is less damaging to the battery than constantly draining and refilling it. I always thought it is the opposite, (sic)” they wrote. The user’s post quickly caught the fancy of many, and soon the Elon Musk-owned platform shifted the discussion to the viral-trending tab on the website. A tech enthusiast (@justabdulraouf) responded to the viral post in agreement. “when you keep it plugged and it get charged fully it stops charging and start treating it as a circuit just to keep the electricity running which stops battery degrading, (sic).” While others seemed to have doubts. “Really? Even if is constantly hitting near 100%?? (sic)” asked one on X. The original post attracted responses and a “heated” debate online. “Using the laptop while plugged in won’t use any cycles as the battery won’t be discharged. The problem is that letting the battery sit at 100% charge isn’t good for it either. The solution is limiting the battery to 80% yet keeping it plugged in as much as possible. The battery won’t be discharged during use while plugged in, saving cycle counts, and the battery will stay at 80% which won’t strain it nearly as much as sitting at full charge,” joined another in the conversation. “Plugged in has a different meaning when a device supports bypass charging. When directly powered by AC, no battery usage means no heat, so no degradation,” added another. What Do Experts Think? Anker, an electronics manufacturer and market leader in battery-powered devices such as power banks, has explored this topic. Titled “Is It Bad to Leave a Laptop Charger Plugged In?” the Chinese company’s blog post noted that lithium-ion and lithium-polymer batteries generally do not get “overcharged”, implying that once the battery reached the 100% mark, the laptop charger powered off automatically. “There is no need to worry about overcharging and damaging your device’s battery in short term! After the battery loses some of its charges, the charger will resume and fully recharge your battery,” an excerpt from the blog read. However, the company issued a gentle reminder about the lifespan of a battery, which would gradually decrease after hundreds or thousands of charging cycles. The company also pointed out the common factors that could perhaps speed up the degradation of a battery: 1) Temperature, 2) Usage Patterns, 3) Voltage Level, 4) Age and 5) Quality. The electronics manufacturer cited a study, stating that a battery operated in a 35°C environment would degrade faster than normal. It also stressed consumer usage patterns: a battery subjected to constant charging and discharging would have a shorter lifespan due to repeated stress on the cells. The blog also emphasised the importance of stable voltage when charging a laptop, noting that voltage spikes could damage the battery. Many tech enthusiasts on X also highlighted that keeping a laptop plugged in wasn’t advisable for older systems that lacked smart circuits.
