Why Do Some Laptops Never Charge To 100%?

By Nichols deCourville
An individual in a loud, orange sweater sits behind a black laptop, a computer-generated icon showing a battery with a warning sign floats above the black laptop ParinPix/Shutterstock
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Starting your day with a laptop battery reading 100% can feel like you're ready to take on anything, but there may be more than one reason your laptop isn't hitting the mark. If hours of charging still leave your battery at a percentage far lower than you would expect, your machine likely has a safeguard in place to prevent overcharging. Just as charging an Android phone to 100% may hurt it, the same may be true for your laptop.

Certain battery problems can prevent a battery from charging, but one of the first things you should check is whether your laptop has battery health settings that may prevent charging to 100%. On a MacBook, for example, this feature is called Optimized Battery Charging, while Windows has something similar called Smart Charging (though some PC brands may use a different name). Essentially, these features help preserve the lithium-ion battery in many laptops, since constantly charging to 100% can degrade it faster.

Of course, other daily habits may be killing your laptop battery, too, but checking whether your laptop has any extra battery features may be a good place to start. We'll show you a couple of ways to disable this feature, but also look for other common signs your battery may be failing. Also, consult your owner's manual to see what it says about your battery.

Why doesn't my laptop charge to 100%?

A photo focusing on two USB-C ports on a laptop while also showing a white USB-C cable sitting on top of the device, suggesting the USB cable will help charge the device Photo For Everything/Shutterstock

Naturally, a hardware or software problem can affect a battery's health, but your laptop may also be stopping charging on its own. For example, Optimized Battery Charging (introduced in macOS Catalina) on a MacBook will delay charging a battery past 80% until "the time it expects you to need a full charge." Users can also set Charge Limits on macOS Tahoe 26.4 or later. This means you may not reach 100% at the exact time you want, but you can disable this feature.

Here are the steps (macOS 13 or later):

  1. Select System Settings from the Apple menu.

  2. Choose Battery from the sidebar.

  3. Select the Info button next to Battery Health or Charging.

  4. Turn off Optimized Battery Charging. Apple will give you some options.

  5. You can also check if you have a Charge Limit enabled from this menu.

On Windows machines, this feature is called Smart Charging, and it handles this charging juggling act for you. However, it may also prevent you from reaching 100%. Windows should show a battery icon on the right side of the taskbar to show the feature is running (you can also see it in Power & battery settings). There's an easy way to test your Windows laptop's battery health, but consult your owner's manual or the manufacturer's website to learn how to disable Smart Charging. Keep in mind that your laptop may be intentionally not reaching 100%.

Other ways to check a laptop battery

A silver MacBook with a whit, frayed USB-C cable laying on top of it, the MacBook screen shows a low battery icon SergeyKlopotov/Shutterstock

If smart/optimized charging features are disabled and you're still experiencing issues, it may be time to run some simple diagnostics. You should also know the signs that your laptop battery is dying. Start with a simple restart to clear minor bugs that may be preventing your device from fully charging. Next, inspect your power adaptor and charging port for any physical damage.

If you can, try the charging accessory with another device to see if the charger works. With Windows, you can try updating your battery drivers.

Here are the steps:

  1. Open Device Manager.

  2. Expand the Batteries section.

  3. Right-click Microsoft ACPI-Compliant Control Method Battery.

  4. Choose Uninstall Device. You may need to confirm.

  5. Restart your device.

You can also check for any BIOS and firmware updates your device may need. You can also check with the manufacturer to see if your device has battery diagnostic tools; calibrating the battery may also help.

To calibrate a battery:

  1. Charge the device as high as it will go and charge it for two hours after.

  2. Unplug the device and use it until the battery is drained.

  3. Save any progress when you receive a low battery warning.

  4. Keep the laptop running until it goes to sleep.

  5. Wait five hours, then charge your laptop uninterrupted for five hours.

If your laptop battery randomly shuts down or drains quickly, it may be time to replace it.

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