How to Change Smart Charging Mode on Surface
Smart Charging mode on a Microsoft Surface device controls battery charging. Changing Smart Charging mode protects the Surface battery's lifespan by limiting charging to 100%. This guide explains the steps to switch between available Smart Charging options, ensuring the device's battery stays healthy.
Smart charging on your Surface is a handy feature designed to protect your battery. It stops conditions that can wear out your battery or cause it to swell. Smart charging kicks in automatically when your device stays plugged in for a long time or gets too hot.
Open the Surface app, click Battery & charging, and then select Adaptive, Limit to 80%, or Charge to 100%. If you choose Charge to 100%, specify how long to maintain the full charge.
What Does Smart Charging Do?
Surface smart charging mode is a feature that helps keep your battery healthy by automatically stopping the charge at 80% when your Surface is plugged in for extended periods or gets too warm.
Your battery will charge to 100% if it drops below 20% or if you’re using your device a lot. If you need a full battery, you can manually pause smart charging in the Surface app. Smart charging will automatically reactivate once your usage patterns suggest it’s time.
Why Would You Pause Smart Charging?
You might want to pause Surface smart charging mode when you need a full 100% battery charge for times when you’ll be away from an outlet for a while, like during long trips or important meetings.
- While traveling on a long flight
- During long meetings
- At a coffee shop or restaurant
- Any time you think you’ll need your full battery and no outlet will be nearby
Pausing smart charging on a Surface device charges the battery to 100%. Smart charging automatically restarts based on usage patterns, which may take up to 3 days. Users can view the battery status in the Surface app at any time.
More Battery Help:
Keeping your Surface battery healthy involves more than just smart charging; Microsoft provides helpful guides with tips for general battery care to help your battery last longer.
Caring for your Surface battery | Microsoft Support Review tips on caring for your Surface battery. Find out how to keep your Surface battery healthy and working longer.
Surface battery charging issues require specific troubleshooting steps when the device shows plugged in but not charging. This also applies if the Surface turns off immediately upon unplugging the power supply. Following these instructions helps resolve power-related problems.
Here’s How to Change Smart Charging Mode:
- Open the Surface app.
- Click or tap on Battery & charging to expand it. (see screenshot below)
- Select one of these options:
- Adaptive (default)
- Limit to 80%
- Charge to 100%
- If you picked Charge to 100%, choose 1 day or 1 week from the drop menu. This tells your Surface how long to charge fully.
Changing your Surface smart charging mode is straightforward and involves a few simple steps within the Surface app to select your preferred battery charging setting.
Summary
Surface smart charging mode is a helpful feature that protects your battery by limiting the charge to 80% to help it last longer, and you can easily adjust it in the Surface app when needed.
What is smart charging on Microsoft Surface?
Smart charging on your Microsoft Surface is a feature that protects your battery from wear and tear by limiting its charge to 80%, especially when plugged in for long periods or when the device gets hot.
What is the difference between custom charging mode and smart charging mode?
Surface smart charging mode automatically manages your battery based on how you use it to prevent it from degrading, while custom charging mode lets you manually pick a specific charge limit yourself.
Does smart charging reduce performance?
No, Surface smart charging mode does not slow down your device’s performance; it only limits how much the battery charges to protect its lifespan, so your computer still runs at full speed.
How do I turn off Microsoft Surface Smart charging?
You can pause or turn off Microsoft Surface smart charging by opening the Surface app and going to the battery and charging settings, where you can choose to let your battery charge to 100%.
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About the Author
Richard
Tech Writer, IT Professional
Richard, a writer for Geek Rewind, is a tech enthusiast who loves breaking down complex IT topics into simple, easy-to-understand ideas. With years of hands-on experience in system administration and enterprise IT operations, he’s developed a knack for offering practical tips and solutions. Richard aims to make technology more accessible and actionable. He's deeply committed to the Geek Rewind community, always ready to answer questions and engage in discussions.
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