How to Change the BIOS Battery Charge Mode to Primarily AC Use on Alienware Laptops
Summary: This article serves as a guide to change the BIOS battery charge mode to Primarily AC Use on Alienware laptops.
This article applies to
This article does not apply to
This article is not tied to any specific product.
Not all product versions are identified in this article.
Instructions
 |
Set Primarily AC Use to maintain battery Health
Many users have been using their Alienware laptop in AC mode during the coronavirus pandemic period. In order to maintain the battery health, you may see a notification to change the battery charge mode to Primarily AC Use. The notification (see Figure 1 [English Only]) is displayed during the BIOS update.
Figure 1: The notification that is seen during the BIOS update to set the settings of express charge to Primarily AC Use.
| Platform Name | Implemented BIOS version | Release date | Default setting of Battery Charge Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alienware 13 R3 | 1.12.2 | July 30, 2021 | Auto |
| Alienware 15 R3 | 1.12.2 | July 30, 2021 | Auto |
| Alienware 17 R4 | 1.12.2 | July 30, 2021 | Auto |
| Alienware 15 R4 | 1.13.2 | July 30, 2021 | Express Charge |
| Alienware 17 R5 | 1.13.2 | July 30, 2021 | Express Charge |
| Alienware Area 51m | 1.14.0 | June 8, 2021 | Adaptive |
| Alienware Area 51m R2 | 1.8.1 | July 30, 2021 | Adaptive |
| Alienware m15 R2 | 1.8.1 | July 30, 2021 | Adaptive |
| Alienware m17 R2 | 1.8.1 | July 30, 2021 | Adaptive |
| Alienware m15 | 2.7.0 | April 21, 2021 | Express Charge |
| Alienware m17 | 2.7.0 | April 21, 2021 | Express Charge |
Set Primarily AC Use
You can follow one of the methods below to change the Express Charge settings.
Method 1: Set Primarily AC Use in BIOS
- Turn the laptop on.
- Press F2 key during the startup to enter the BIOS.
- Switch to the Advanced tab.
- Locate Express Charge (see Figure 2 [English Only]) or Battery Charge Configuration (see Figure 3 [English Only]).
- For Alienware 13 R3, Alienware 15 R3, Alienware 17 R4, Alienware 15 R4, Alienware 17 R5, Alienware m15, and Alienware m17
Figure 2: Express Charge - For Alienware Area 51m, Alienware Area 51m R2, Alienware m15 R2, and Alienware m17 R2
Figure 3: Battery Charge Configuration
- For Alienware 13 R3, Alienware 15 R3, Alienware 17 R4, Alienware 15 R4, Alienware 17 R5, Alienware m15, and Alienware m17
- Change the value to Primarily AC Use.
- Press F10 to save the change and exit.
Figure 4: BIOS Prompt - Save configuration and reset
Method 2: Load BIOS default
- Turn the laptop on.
- Press the F2 key during POST to enter the BIOS.
- Press F9 to load default settings.
Figure 5: BIOS Prompt - Load Optimized Defaults - Press F10 to save the change and exit.
Figure 6: BIOS Prompt - Save configuration and reset
|
|
 |
 |
 |
 |
Affected Products
Alienware 13 R3, Alienware 15 R3, Alienware 15 R4, Alienware Area-51m, Alienware 17 R4, Alienware 17 R5, Alienware Area-51m R2, Alienware M15 R2, Alienware M17 R2Article Properties
Article Number: 000184707
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 10 Jul 2024
Version: 3
Find answers to your questions from other Dell users
Support Services
Check if your device is covered by Support Services.