How to Fix ‘No Battery Is Detected’ on Your Laptop

The battery is one of the most vital parts of the computer, as it allows us to take our tech on the road and work anywhere we like. If you get a “no battery is detected” error, don’t panic. There are a number of potential solutions to this laptop issue and getting one of these error notifications doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll need to buy a replacement battery or buy a new laptop.

How No Battery Present Errors Appear

Depending on your version of Windows, battery error messages can appear as warning notifications in the center of the screen or small text alerts on the battery icon in the system tray.

Here are some examples of how battery-related errors can appear:

• No battery is detected.
• Battery #1: Not present.
• Consider replacing your battery.
• The battery is not detected.
• No battery present.

Cause of No Battery Detected Error Messages

Laptop battery not detected error messages are usually triggered by physical damage to the battery or laptop hardware, out-of-date drivers or other software, or overheating.

How to Fix Battery Not Detected Errors

While the cause of laptop battery errors can be rather mysterious, there are a number of ways to work out what the problem is and fix it.

1. Plug in your laptop. It’s possible the battery has simply run out of juice, so before you begin panicking, attach it to a power source. Wait for at least 15 minutes, then try turning it on.

   
   

2. Restart your laptop. This should be one of the first things you try when encountering almost any problem with your laptop (or any device, really), as restarting can fix a lot of issues such as a battery not detected error.

   
   

3. Cool down your laptop. If it’s been left in the sun or you’ve been using it all day, especially in a hot room on poor surface, the battery could be overheating. Let it cool down and then try using it on a hard surface to allow the underside to air out.

   You may also want to clean any vents that could be blocked with dust or dirt to improve the cooling function.

   
   
   

4. Update Windows. No matter the Windows version you’re using, it’s always important to keep the operating system up to date to maintain not just the OS but the hardware as well. Between basic driver installations and bug fixes, installing any available Windows updates is a smart choice that might be all you need to do to fix the no battery detected error.

   
   

5. Run a built-in troubleshooter to have Windows attempt to fix the problem.

   In Windows 10, do this through Settings > Update & Security > Troubleshoot > Power > Run the troubleshooter.

   Windows 11 troubleshooter’s are in Settings > System > Troubleshoot > Other troubleshooters.

   
   

6. Check the battery’s device status in Device Manager. This isn’t really a fix, but more of a check to see if Windows has identified a problem with the battery.

   To do this, expand the Batteries category, then right-click your laptop’s battery (e.g., Microsoft AC Adapter) and select Properties.

   If you see text stating your device is working properly, then your battery is fine and the ‘no battery detected’ bug is likely caused by something else. If you don’t see this message, your battery could be damaged and you may need to replace it; this is likely the case if it’s an old laptop — after all, laptops batteries don’t last forever.

   
   

7. Update the battery’s device drivers to clear the error message.

   One way to do this is through Device Manager. From the Batteries section, right-click your laptop’s battery name and select Update driver. Another method is to use a driver updater tool.

   Make sure to restart your laptop after installing any new drivers to make sure they’re fully installed and functioning properly.

8. If your laptop thinks there’s no battery present, perform a full shutdown, unplug the power cable, and physically remove the battery. Then, place the battery back in, reconnect the charging cable, and then power on your laptop.

   
   

9. Uninstall the battery from Device Manager and have Windows automatically reinstall it.

   This is possible through Device Manager. Once you find the battery, right-click it and choose Uninstall device. Then, reboot your computer to have Windows reinstall it.

   
   

10. Reset BIOS and then start up your laptop as usual. If the battery issue is caused by faulty BIOS settings, returning them to their defaults should fix it.

    
    

11. Use HP Support Assistant. If you own an HP laptop, you should have a program called HP Support Assistant pre-installed. Open it and choose Troubleshoot to perform a battery test. This may detect why exactly your battery isn’t being detected and can provide you with specific solutions.