How to Perform a Battery Calibration Cycle on a Dell Laptop
Summary: This process can help resolve problems where the laptop battery discharges quickly or the battery percentage drops suddenly (example: 20% charge to 6% in a short timeframe).
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Instructions
Battery Calibration Cycle
It is recommended to perform up to three battery calibration cycles to ensure that the laptop’s battery has been fully calibrated.
- Start by plugging in the laptop’s AC Adapter to the wall outlet and the laptop. Ensure that the laptop has begun charging once the AC adapter is plugged in (Figure 1).
Figure 1Note: Your AC Adapter might be a USB Type C or a Barrel style connector. - Allow the laptop to charge up to 100% (Figure 2). While the laptop is charging, you may use it normally.
Figure 2
- Unplug the AC adapter from the laptop and allow the battery to discharge normally (Figure 3). The laptop can be used normally during this time.
Figure 3
- Once the laptop’s battery has reached 6% or less, plug the AC adapter back in, and allow the laptop to charge up to 100% (Figure 4).
Figure 4
- Once the laptop has been charged up to 100%, this completes one battery calibration cycle.
For more information about Dell battery usage and troubleshooting, see these Dell Knowledge Base articles:
Affected Products
G Series, G Series, Alienware, Dell Pro Plus, Dell Pro Premium, Inspiron, Latitude, Dell Pro Rugged, Vostro, XPS, Legacy Laptop Models, Mobile WorkstationsArticle Properties
Article Number: 000205559
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 17 Jan 2025
Version: 5
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