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Think keeping your laptop plugged in ruins its battery? Think again — modern devices are smarter than you think, but there’s still a trick to make them last longer
Experts say keeping your laptop plugged in constantly isn’t as harmful as once believed due to modern battery management systems.
Many laptop users often wonder whether keeping their devices plugged in constantly is harmful. Recently, an online post reignited this debate, showing a laptop charging with the caption, “Keeping your laptop always plugged in causes less damage than repeatedly discharging and recharging the battery. I always thought it was the opposite.”
Mixed User Experiences
The claim challenged a long-held belief that constant charging ruins batteries. Users on Reddit shared mixed experiences. One noted, “Most modern laptops, including MacBooks, draw power directly from the adapter once fully charged. Using AC power continuously is almost like using a desktop.”
Others pointed out that frequent charging and discharging cycles can wear out batteries faster, while staying plugged in reduces these cycles but can slightly shorten overall lifespan.
Battery Management Solutions
To counter this, many laptops now include an 80% charge limit option, preventing full charging and extending battery health. Some brands even use smart battery management systems that adapt charging patterns based on usage, especially when the device is mainly desk-bound.
Advanced Battery Systems
As one user shared, “My MacBook’s battery died in 2010, but it worked fine plugged in for weeks.”
Today’s laptops are far more advanced, with intelligent systems that prevent overcharging. So, while keeping your laptop plugged in isn’t as bad as once thought, it’s still wise to enable battery optimisation features and occasionally let it discharge to maintain balance.
November 12, 2025, 14:58 IST
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