Stop your browser from killing your laptop battery - Easy fixes you need now
Laptop batteries drain fast, often when you least expect it, like during a crucial meeting or a tight deadline. While many factors contribute to battery drain, your web browser stands out as a major power consumer. Since browsers run constantly as you load pages, watch videos, or switch between apps, they use up significant energy. However, by adjusting a few settings, you can reduce this drain and extend your laptop's battery life.
Here's how to make your browser less demanding on your laptop's battery:
Chrome has a built-in Energy Saver mode designed to cut power usage. To activate it, click the three dots at the top right, go to Settings > Performance, then turn on Energy Saver. You can set it to work whenever your laptop is unplugged or when the battery falls below 20%. Also, enable Memory Saver to put inactive tabs to sleep, which further reduces Chrome's resource demands. These changes lower energy use with minimal effect on browsing speed.
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Edge offers Efficiency Mode to optimise power use. Access it by clicking the three dots, selecting Settings > System and Performance, then enabling Efficiency Mode. You can choose when it activates and adjust how long tabs remain active before sleeping. Setting Efficiency Mode to maximum saves the most battery, but may slightly slow page loading.
Opera includes a Battery Saver feature that can add about an hour to your laptop's runtime. Click the red Opera button, then go to Settings > Features, and enable Battery Saver. Set it to activate automatically when unplugged or at a specific battery level. Enabling 'Snooze inactive tabs' also helps cut down power use.
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Dark mode can reduce screen power consumption, especially on OLED or QLED displays, where dark pixels use less energy. Firefox users can activate dark mode via the menu under Settings > Appearance. Chrome, Edge, and Opera typically follow your system theme by default. While the battery savings vary by screen type, dark mode remains a quick way to conserve power.
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Each browser tab uses memory and processor resources, adding to battery drain even if you're not actively using it. Managing tabs by closing those not needed or using extensions like OneTab (for Chrome and Edge) or Tab Stash (for Firefox) can consolidate open tabs into a list and cut energy use. Reducing tabs is often the most effective way to lower browser power demands.
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