How to Fix Laptop Lag or Slowdown When Charging It on Windows
Is your system getting slower than the tortoise as you use it while it is being charged? Do you always have to keep your device plugged into a power source when using it to avoid rapid battery drain but are you tired of the slow performance you get? Your device might lag or slow down due to incorrect power management settings, excessive heat generation, or hardware failure.
In this article, we will cover different checks and fixes that will help you eliminate lag issues and get the best performance.
1. Ensure Excessive Heat Isn’t to Blame
The high heat generated by device components is one of the significant reasons a laptop slows down when charging.
During the charging of a laptop, a part of the energy is converted into heat, which needs to be dissipated. If it doesn’t find a way out, it builds up and increases system temperatures, resulting in sluggish performance. Therefore, you should ensure that your device isn’t slowing down due to high heat levels.
Although laptop cooling fans spinning madly should be enough to confirm high heat generation in your laptop, you can alsomeasure the CPU temperature with temperature monitoring apps. If the temperature is too high, you have found the culprit slowing down your device. Therefore, help your laptop vent the heat comfortably to resolve the problem.
If you’ve never cleaned your laptop or fixed an overheating issue, check out ourin-depth guide on fixing overheating laptopsto cool down your device properly. However, if overheating isn’t the problem, start applying the remaining fixes.
2. Check for Problems With the Power Adapter
Using a faulty power adapter to charge your device could be another cause of its slow performance. It shouldn’t be a problem if you have been using the original charger that came with your device. However, if it has already become too old, you may encounter problems. It is, therefore, imperative to rule out this possibility.
To ensure your power adapter is not causing your device to slow down, try charging your device with a different one that is compatible with it and see if it helps. If it improves performance, buy a new power adapter. If the issue persists after trying a new adapter or in case you do not have another adapter on hand, you may move on to the next fix.
3. Run Your Laptop on an AC Power Supply
Keeping the charger plugged in for a long time can cause the laptop battery to overheat. Therefore, if your device is overheating due to its battery dissipating more heat, remove the battery and run the device directly from the AC power supply.
This will certainly cut off the excessive heat production by the battery, resulting in massive performance gains. You should, however, only do this if the voltage remains stable in your area; otherwise, it could blow your device. Moreover, you should also use a UPS to prevent your progress from being wiped during an electrical outage.
Also, using original power adapters is recommended, as an AC supply from an unsupported adapter may damage your device. Finally, avoid touching the battery compartment, especially where the battery contacts are, to avoid getting jolts.
4. Change Power Settings
You need to keep your power plan settings balanced to get the best performance from your device. The higher performance settings certainly help us perform demanding tasks more effectively, but they also cause occasional lag and stuttering. Follow these steps to change the power settings:
There is no need to do anything if only theBalanced (recommended)option is available in thePower Optionssettings.
5. Change the Processor Power Management Settings
While it’s preferred to set the processor settings to use maximum capacity when running resource-hungry processes, it is common to encounter lag if the CPU is loaded to its full capacity. Therefore, it’s possible to prevent laptop lag and stutter by not allowing your processor to reach its peak performance even when required.
Follow these steps to change the processor’s power management settings:
6. Take the Burden Off Your Laptop Components
Using the above tips will certainly help you rule out hardware issues or incorrect power management settings, but if your system still lags or slows down, you may be able to speed it up by freeing up its RAM and CPU resources. Here are the steps you need to follow:
If this fix fails, you should only use your device when it isn’t charging.
7. Use Your Device When It Isn’t Charging
If none of the fixes listed above have helped, you should have your device inspected by a technician to rule out any hardware issues. If the problem persists after getting your device checked, you will have no choice but to use the laptop only when it’s not charging. So, charge your device fully before use and avoid using it when it’s plugged in.
If you’re worried about your device draining its battery too fast, look at our guide ontips for preventing fast battery drain. By following the steps in the linked article, you should be able to extend your device’s battery life and not even need to keep it plugged in when using - a temporary solution for lag issues when charging.
Don’t Let Your Laptop Lag While Charging
Slow laptop performance leads to a downward spiral of productivity. By applying the fixes in the article, hopefully, your laptop will no longer lag while charging. Thus, you won’t have to drain your battery to get the best performance.
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