If you’re finding that your Chromebook battery is emptying quickly there are tools to help.

Chrome OS has a semi-hidden (in that few people know about it) feature that lets you see just how much power your favourite apps and visited websites are using.

It would be great to see extensions added to the mix in the long term, as some can have a big hit in performance which will cause your device to work harder.

It’s not foolproof nor do stats persist between reboots. That means you’ll only really be able to find out what’s playing up when it’s playing up. Even so, here’s how to dive in:

Open ‘Settings’

Click ‘Battery’

You’ll be presented with a list of Chrome apps, Hosted apps and websites. The closer to the top an item is the more power it is using.

Clicking on an entry will open up further information and controls, including a “stop” button and details on permissions the website/app has.



Of course, don’t use this feature solely; all websites, apps, etc. do use power. As long as you’re getting enough juice from your device to suit your needs there’s little need to use this.

And if you’re not, there are plenty of other ways to get more battery life from your Chromebook than avoiding your favourite websites.