Sometimes there is no place to plug in your laptop and sometimes it is a hassle. (The power brink on the power cord for my Dell Precision laptop is as big and heavy as an actual brick.)

One way to greatly improve the battery life on your laptop is to buy a new laptop. Obviously this is the most expensive solution, but if your laptop is four or more years old, it is one to be considered. If battery life is important to you, then C|Net’s feature The 25 best battery life laptops for 2020 is a great resource. The editors not only rank the laptops by battery life, but name a top choice in various categories as well as pointing out some models where the good battery life comes with too many performance compromises.

But if you are going to keep your trusty laptop for a while longer, check out 6 Ways to Improve Battery Life on Windows Laptops from How-To Geek. Using a few of these simple techniques can allow you to keep working instead of searching for an electrical outlet.