You can add new life to your NiMH or NiCD laptop battery by placing it in a tightly-sealed plastic bag and freezing it for 12 hours. If you have a Lithium Ion or Lithium Polymer battery, however, freezing it is actually dangerous. Instead, consider doing a battery calibration, which will both restore and prolong your battery power. While these methods won’t make your battery as good as new (you may only gain about thirty minutes of extra charge time from an older battery that no longer holds a charge), they will help you get the most of your battery until you can buy a new one.
1. Reviving a NiMH or NiCD Battery in the Freezer
Turn the computer off, then open the battery cover (typically on the bottom of the laptop). If the battery says something like Li-ion, Li-on, Li-ion II, Lithium, LiPo, you do not have the proper battery for this method.
If you are unable to read the text on the battery (perhaps it rubbed off), call your computer manufacturer to find out, or use a different method.
If your NiMH or NiCD battery no longer holds a charge at all, this method may only get you an additional 30 minutes or so of battery charge capability, which is much better than 0 minutes. If the battery is simply draining too quickly, you may be able to get better results with this method.
2. Re-calibrating Any Laptop Battery
Re-calibrating the battery fixes issues where the battery meter on your laptop no longer appears accurate. It also does a complete discharge and recharge, which can add extra life to your battery.
3. Performing a Full Recharge
Doing a full recharge will work on any laptop hardware, no matter the battery type. Try this method if your battery is draining more quickly than it used to.
