After time, a Dell laptop battery can begin to wear down. The battery will deteriorate and the amount of time it takes to charge it might increase. In some cases, the battery might no longer hold a proper charge or be able to be fully recharged. Defective batteries and a few years of continued use are the main causes of a Dell battery that is not fine and will need to be replaced.
Step 1
Check to make sure the battery is in place and turn on the Dell laptop. If the laptop does not turn on, the battery might need a charge. Plug the power supply into an electrical outlet and into the back of the laptop, then wait for the green charging (or power) light to come on. Push the power button once it is plugged in and the laptop will run off of the electrical power.
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Step 2
Look for error messages when the computer is starting up. Some Dell laptop models will stop loading and display an error message that the battery is not being recognized and thus will not be charged. Other times, an error message might indicate the battery is not available.
Step 3
Locate the small battery-shaped icon in the lower of the Windows "Start" bar. Put the mouse pointer over the battery icon to see information about the charge. You can also double click the battery icon to view the battery information. Information shown will be the percentage of charge the battery contains and if the battery is being charged. Some Dell models will indicate how much time is left until the battery is fully charged.
Step 4
Look for Windows status messages that might pop up during regular use. These messages usually appear in the lower-right corner of the Dell screen. Messages might indicate the battery is nearing the end of its usable life or the battery is not being recognized.
Step 5
Check to see if your battery is one that was recalled by Dell. You can enter the battery PPID number at a Dell website. This number is located on the label on the back of the battery. Defective or recalled batteries might be eligible for a free repair or replacement from Dell.
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