Run Windows 11’s built-in battery health report via PowerShell

ZDNET's Kyle Kucharski outlines how to run Windows 11’s free battery health report to check a laptop’s battery condition. The report is generated from PowerShell and produces an HTML file you can open in your browser. To create the report, open the Windows search bar, type powershell and hit Enter.

In the PowerShell window type: powercfg /batteryreport /output "C:\battery-report.html" and hit Enter. The report shows the battery name, chemistry, lifecycle position and recent charging data, and includes key metrics such as design capacity (mWh), full charge capacity (mWh), cycle count and recent run times.

Kucharski notes the difference between design capacity and full charge capacity indicates degradation: for many small to mid-range batteries (45Wh, 48Wh, 60Wh or 65Wh) a reduction of 15% or more is likely noticeable, and about 20% loss is often considered grounds for replacement. Cycle count records full equivalent discharges; most consumer batteries are designed for around 500 cycles and may see roughly 20% capacity loss by then.

Usage patterns affect how quickly cycles accumulate, and overheating (for example, putting a running laptop in a bag) can accelerate degradation. The report also estimates how long the battery lasted recently versus when it was new; those numbers can vary widely and big differences may indicate degradation.

Key Topics

Tech, Powershell, Battery Report, Battery Health, Cycle Count, Design Capacity