Power button on the notebook broken - what to do?

If the power button on your notebook is broken, you can either repair it or replace it with a trick. We'll show you how to solve the problem.

Notebook: Power button broken

• Backup: Before the laptop stops working, you should back up your data to an external memory. Of course, this is only possible if the notebook is still on.
• Battery: The power button may not be defective at all, but the battery. Also read the practical tip "Laptop battery no longer charges".
• Repair: Turn off your laptop and unscrew the device. On some models, you can simply remove the bezel above the keyboard. Check whether the area around the power button is dirty and clean it. You may also notice a defect.
• Specialist: If the problem cannot be solved at all, the only thing left to do is repair by a professional. In many cases, contact has been broken. The re-soldering is also detailed work for professionals, but only costs around 20 to 30 euros.
• BIOS: If the computer is still running, you can use a little trick to take the wind out of the sails. Read on in the next paragraph.

BIOS: Switch on the laptop without the power button

Depending on the laptop, a different BIOS is installed. The different manufacturers also offer different options in your BIOS. On some devices, useful functions are available that replace the power button.

• First of all you have to call the BIOS. Of course, this only works if the computer is still on. Do not shutdown the PC, but restart it.
• Once you have reached the BIOS, you can search through the numerous functions. If you are lucky, you will find a function with which you can start the laptop using a defined key on the keyboard.
• For desktop computers, there is often the "Power State after power loss" option in the BIOS. This option starts the computer when the power switch is flipped. This may also be possible with laptops.

In the next practical tip, we will show you how to use your laptop as an alarm clock.