Adaptive Battery Optimizer - what is normal charging behavior?

[MikeOnline]

Regarding an HP 17" laptop with Adaptive Battery Optimizer turned on and enabled.

This laptop will not charge higher than 80% -- I understand this is correct and by design, to prolong the battery life.  But I notice that the battery charge level has been falling steadily for some time now -- from 80% down to less than 70%.  The laptop is plugged into A/C power all of the time, and is fully shut off when not in use. 

When I run HP Support Assistant and perform the battery diagnostics, it shows a healthy battery operating normally, with a low cycle count.

I have two questions regarding Adaptive Battery Optimizer on this HP laptop:

1. How low will the battery charge level fall to before it will be charged back up to 80%?
2. If I plug in USB accessories into the laptop, will those contribute to the drop in battery charge level even though the laptop is plugged into A/C power at the time?

I do not know the exact model.  It is a 17" HP laptop bought in 2023.

Thank you.

[VikramTheGreat]

Hi @MikeOnline,

Welcome to the HP Support Community.
 

Thank you for posting your query. I will be glad to help you.

HP’s Adaptive Battery Optimiser is designed to prolong your battery’s health by limiting charge levels and reducing heat stress while plugged into AC power for long periods. What you’re seeing — your laptop stopping charging at 80%, then gradually discharging — is intentional, though it can seem a little odd at first.

To Your Questions:

1. How low will the battery level fall before it charges back to 80%?
   Typically, with Adaptive Battery Optimiser enabled, your battery may drop as low as 60-70% before the system automatically begins charging it back to the upper limit (around 80%).
   • This threshold helps avoid frequent topping off, which can wear the battery faster.
   • The precise cutoff can vary a little by system model, temperature, and usage patterns, but falling to around 60-70% is expected behaviour.
     
      
2. Do USB accessories contribute to battery drain while plugged into AC?
   Yes — when you connect high-power-draw USB devices (like external hard drives, mobile phones, or powered accessories), they may draw power directly from the battery even if the laptop is on AC power.
   • This can cause the battery level to slowly decline.
   • The system will balance the AC adapter’s output and the internal battery depending on power demands, adapter wattage, and battery optimisation settings.
   • If the accessory uses more than the adapter supplies (or power delivery is capped due to heat or optimisation limits), the battery supplements the load.

I hope this helps.

Take care and have a good day.

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VikramTheGreat

HP Support