When I got my laptop last year, I was told that if I used it plugged in to the mains, that I should remove the battery to 'preserve' it. As I mostly do use it with the mains, I take the battery out.

Questions are: Do I need to do this and, if so, do I have to replace the battery each time, or can I store it somewhere safe for when I do need it?

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Time spent on things that make you happy is never wasted.

You'd be best getting an Apple..apparently they are that advanced they use a hydrogen fuel cell and only need charging once in a millenium..or you can get the nucleur reactor upgrade and that runs forever!............out of my price range mind you.

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Intelligence is no guarantee of common sense.

I've always believed than continuous recharging over time does shorten the life of a battery. Therefore I'd consider it advisable.

I rarely use mine on battery, but always leave the battery in whilst running on mains. I only really use the battery as an UPS, so if it's charge-holding capacity reduces it doesn't really matter to me. Having said that, when I have tried it, it runs for at least a couple of hours.

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Always put off 'til tomorrow what you could have done today.

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Always put off 'til tomorrow what you could have done today.

Batteries apparently develop a memory if theyre not allowed to fully discharge and recharge. So if you continually use the laptop plugged into the mains with the battery in it, then switch it off before its fully charged, it will progressively lose a degree of its charging capacity until it hardly charges at all. Same goes for mobile phones and cordless drills, etc.

Some types of batteries don't have this problem, but on the safe side run them down as low as is convenient then recharge.

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Intelligence is no guarantee of common sense.

Modern laptop batteries are lithium ion and don't suffer from memory effect. Nicad batteries do, and to a lesser extent, NiMH batteries.

If you are using the laptop for long periods on the mains, it's better to remove the battery as not all charging circuits are that intelligent which can lead to shortened battery life.

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Good judgement comes from Experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.

Thanks everyone. I think I shall continue as I have been doing, but I'm grateful for the explanations.

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Time spent on things that make you happy is never wasted.

My son always used his laptop with the mains lead plugged in, and eventually the battery wouldnt hold any charge at all.
I dont know what kind of battery was in it, but the laptop is only about two years old, so its surely likely to be a modern one?