These days, more people are using laptops than ever before. Their portability allows us to take our work with us and access the internet wherever we go. Modern laptops have incredibly long battery lives, but at the end of the day, they'll always need to re-charge. As you use your laptop more and more, the battery life will inevitably start to weaken, keeping you constantly on the lookout for an outlet. Here are some ways that you can keep your laptop's battery in good health.

The easiest thing you can do to save your battery is to stop or turn off any unnecessary functions. Two big factors are screen brightness and the keyboard backlight. Unless you need to have them on to use your device, keeping them low or off can help conserve your battery. Other things include background functions such as WIFI, Bluetooth or any programs that might be running when you're not using them.

Similarly to the functions mentioned above, having peripheral devices constantly connected to your laptop will also drain your battery. These factors include the computer mouse, external keyboards, USB sticks, and webcams. If you have a built-in webcam, go into settings to keep it turned off when you aren't using it.

Speaking of settings, almost all laptops come with pre-programmed power saving features. Whether you have a Windows or Mac operating system, take some time to go through the power settings on your device so you know what's there. Note the different hibernation or sleep modes available and the timers that enable them. For example, Windows 10 has a power-saving mode that kicks off when your battery reaches 20%, dimming your screen and cutting off background functions and apps that otherwise would eat away at the battery.

Finally, keep your software updated! Software updates are designed to keep the efficiency of your device at peak performance, taking some strain off the battery.

With these tips in mind, you don't have to worry about being chained to an outlet and can enjoy the full portability of your laptop!