# Dead Laptop battery, leave it in or take it out.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-laptop-battery-leave-it-in-or-take-it-out/447795
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [May 2, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-laptop-battery-leave-it-in-or-take-it-out/447795 "2008-05-02T19:12:39Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2008, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-laptop-battery-leave-it-in-or-take-it-out/447795/1 "2008-05-02T19:12:39Z")
My laptop here at work used to go back and forth with me, but for the last six months or so, I just leave it here (at work), plugged in. Up until about two weeks ago the battery was ALWAYS at 99% or 100%. A few weeks ago though I would notice it dip down to below 50% then climb back up, all in a matter of an hour or so. I kinda figured it was dying. Now it’s been at 1% for two days and I doubt it’s going to recover. The last time I checked, I could run my laptop without the battery attached, provided it’s plugged in. So my question is, should I leave the battery in, or should I take it out? BTW I’m not planning to replace it.
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### Author:  [@Mikemike2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mikemike2)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2008, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-laptop-battery-leave-it-in-or-take-it-out/447795/2 "2008-05-02T19:38:53Z")
Good question. I look forward to the answers. I also have a notebook whose battery is 100% dead.
It has been my belief that notebooks don’t need surgue protectors because the battery and power supply buffer the notebook from a direct electrical shock. If that is true, there may be some benefit to leaving the battery in.
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### Author:  [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2008, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-laptop-battery-leave-it-in-or-take-it-out/447795/3 "2008-05-02T20:07:59Z")
I’ve been using this laptop as a home computer for a couple of years and my battery died some time ago through constant disuse. I left it in too, mainly because I coudn’t be bothered to take it out.
BTW why do batteries die if they’re not used?
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### Author:  [@Rico](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rico)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2008, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-laptop-battery-leave-it-in-or-take-it-out/447795/4 "2008-05-02T20:13:21Z")
[QUOTE=aldiboronti]
I’ve been using this laptop as a home computer for a couple of years and my battery died some time ago through constant disuse. I left it in too, mainly because I coudn’t be bothered to take it out.
BTW why do batteries die if they’re not used?
[/QUOTE]
Quick hijack: They all die in 2-3 years if used properly. 6-9 months if left plugged in. You need to use the battery to prolong it’s life. A properly cared for battery will have between 300-500 charge-discharge cycles.
[Here’s how to prolong the life of your lithium-ion battery.](http://www.batteryuniversity.com/parttwo-34.htm)
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### Author:  [@ASAKMOTSD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ASAKMOTSD)
#### Post date: [May 2, 2008, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dead-laptop-battery-leave-it-in-or-take-it-out/447795/5 "2008-05-02T20:36:16Z")
Anecdotal information here - I had a Dell notebook a few years back that I used at my desk & it was plugged in all the time. The thing kept powering off randomly. I discovered that when I removed the battery, the problem stopped. Moral - it may work better for you, but who knows?