By brand · HP

HP laptop battery health

HP has its own battery tests and a BIOS setting that can cap charging at 80%. Here's what to use and when.

Check it with the Windows battery report

Every Windows laptop can write a battery report, whatever the brand. Open Command Prompt or PowerShell and run:

powercfg /batteryreport

Then drop the battery-report.html file into the checker. It works out the health percentage, wear and cycle count, and the file never leaves your browser.

Check my battery

HP's own battery tests

HP provides several tools for testing a notebook battery:

  • HP PC Hardware Diagnostics Windows: HP's preferred method.
  • HP Support Assistant: includes a battery test.
  • HP PC Hardware Diagnostics UEFI: tests the battery before Windows starts, useful if Windows won't load.

The battery report and the checker tell you how much capacity is left. HP's tests are what HP support will ask about for a warranty claim.

HP Battery Health Manager

Select HP business notebooks, mobile workstations and thin clients have HP Battery Health Manager in the BIOS settings. HP says it helps reduce battery wear and swelling. The options include:

  • Let HP Manage My Battery Charging: adjusts charging based on how you use the laptop and its temperature.
  • Maximize My Battery Health: limits the battery's maximum charge to 80% straight away. Best for a laptop that's plugged in most of the time.

You can change the setting at any time from the BIOS. Older BIOS versions may not have it, so update the BIOS first if the option is missing.

When an HP battery needs replacing

Look at the health percentage against how you use the laptop, and stop using it if the battery swells. See when to replace a laptop battery.