Acer, HP, or Dell laptop runs slow when plugged in but fine on battery power? Do not worry. A couple of efficient solutions are introduced in this post from MiniTool to help you get rid of the “laptop slows down when plugged in” issue.
Laptop Slows Down When Plugged In
Users are generally advised to use the laptop plugged in to get the best performance out of it. However, many users find that the laptop slows down when plugged in. Typically, device lag or slowdown issues are related to laptop overheating, incorrect power management settings, virus attacks, or hardware failure.
Now, you can continue reading to know how to address the issue where your laptop becomes sluggish while charging.
Fix 1. Prevent Your Computer From Overheating
Laptop overheating is an important cause of computer performance degradation and slowdown. You can use a CPU temperature monitor to check the laptop temperature. If your laptop temperature is above 70 degrees, you may need to consider the following actions:
- Place the computer on a flat, hard surface and make sure the air vents are not blocked.
- Use a dry small brush or a glasses cloth with a little alcohol to clean the laptop fan and ensure that the cooling fan is running properly.
- Close applications that use a lot of system resources.
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Fix 2. Check if the Power Adapter Is Faulty
Charging your device with a faulty power adapter may also cause your computer to run sluggishly while charging. To eliminate this factor, make sure you are using the original adapter of your laptop. If this does not apply, use another power adapter that is compatible with your laptop.
Fix 3. Change a Power Plan
A power plan is a collection of hardware and system settings (such as display, sleep, etc.) that manage how your computer uses power. To fix the matter of “laptop slows down when plugged in”, you can follow the steps below to change a power plan.
Step 1. Press the Windows + I key combination to open Windows Settings. Then select the System option.
Step 2. Move on to the Power & sleep section, then click Additional power settings.
Step 3. In the new window, select the Balanced (recommended) option.
Fix 4. Change Maximum Processor State
Generally, we recommend keeping the maximum processor state at 100% at all times, which will help you get the best CPU performance. However, some users reported that setting the maximum processor state to 99% effectively solved the problem of slow running of the computer while charging.
Here you can follow the instructions below to change the maximum processor state.
Step 1. Open the Control Panel by using the Windows search box.
Step 2. In Control Panel, navigate to this location: Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Power Options\Edit Plan Settings.
Next, click the Change advanced power settings option.
Step 3. In the new window, click the plus sign (+) next to Processor power management and Maximum process state sequentially. After that, set up the maximum process state to 99%.
Step 4. Finally, click Apply > OK.
Fix 5. Run a Virus Scan
A laptop that slows down while charging can also be a sign of a malware or virus infection. In this case, you can run Windows Defender or other antivirus software to scan for and remove viruses.
Here you can see how to run Windows Defender for viruses.
Step 1. Press the Windows + I keyboard shortcut to open Settings. Then select the Update & Security option.
Step 2. Click Windows Security > Virus & threat protection.
Step 3. In the pop-up window, click the Quick scan button and wait for the process to complete.
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Wrapping Things Up
In a nutshell, this tutorial describes how to address the “laptop slows down when plugged in” problem. Hope the methods above are helpful for resolving your issue.
Should you have found any other solutions for this matter, or you have any questions about MiniTool Power Data Recovery, please contact [email protected].