To check battery health on Windows 11, generate a battery report: right-click Start, open Terminal (Admin), run powercfg /batteryreport, and open the battery-report.html file it saves in your user folder. Compare Design capacity (when the battery was new) with Full charge capacity (now). The percentage between them is your battery’s health. Your laptop maker’s app may also show health in plain language.
Step 1: Create the battery report
- Right-click Start and choose Terminal (Admin) or Terminal.
- Type
powercfg /batteryreportand press Enter. - Windows replies with the file’s location, usually C:\Users\YourName\battery-report.html.
- Open that folder in File Explorer and double-click the file to view it in your browser.
To save it somewhere easier to find, run powercfg /batteryreport /output "C:\battery-report.html".
Step 2: Read the key numbers
In the Installed batteries section, find:
- Design capacity: how much energy the battery held when new, in mWh.
- Full charge capacity: how much it holds now.
- Cycle count: how many full charge cycles it has gone through (not all laptops report this).
Battery health = Full charge capacity ÷ Design capacity × 100. For example, 42,000 mWh ÷ 50,000 mWh = 84% health.
What the percentage means
- 80% or higher: normal wear. Most batteries are fine.
- Around 60 to 80%: noticeably shorter runtime. Keep an eye on it.
- Below about 60%, or if the laptop shuts off suddenly or the battery swells: consider a replacement from the manufacturer or an authorized repair shop.
A new battery can show slightly more than 100%; that’s normal.
Other useful parts of the report
- Recent usage and Battery usage: when the laptop ran on battery and how fast it drained.
- Battery capacity history: how full charge capacity has dropped over time.
- Battery life estimates: expected runtime at full charge now versus when new.
For a section-by-section explanation, see how to read a battery report; the report looks the same on Windows 11.
Check with your laptop maker’s app
Many manufacturers show battery health directly, for example Lenovo Vantage, HP Support Assistant, Dell’s SupportAssist or power management app, and ASUS MyASUS. These apps may also offer battery tests and charging limits.
Why doesn’t Settings show battery health?
Settings > System > Power & battery shows battery level, usage by app, and Energy Saver options, but not health or capacity. The battery report is Windows’ built-in way to see that.
Help your battery last longer
- Avoid keeping the laptop at 100% on the charger all day; many laptops can cap charging at around 80%. See how to limit battery charge to 80% on Windows 11.
- Keep it cool; heat wears batteries faster than anything else.
- Use Energy Saver when you’re unplugged for long periods.
- Don’t let the battery sit at 0% for long.
Frequently asked questions
Does the battery report work on desktops?
Only on PCs with a battery. A desktop without one has no battery information to report.
Is it safe to run powercfg?
Yes. The battery report only reads information; it doesn’t change any settings.
Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.
He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.