microsoft
Bluetooth battery drain, potentially related?
Microsoft PowerToys version
0.66.0
Installation method
GitHub, PowerToys auto-update
Running as admin
Yes
Area(s) with issue?
General
Steps to reproduce
I have absolutely no clue where to start on this one. I have noticed that my MagicKeyboard batteries are draining horribly fast, unlike my Logitech G602 mouse. I changed lithium batteries out with a fresh pair yesterday at 100% and totally drained six hours later.
✔️ Expected Behavior
I have absolutely no clue where to start on this one. I have noticed that my MagicKeyboard batteries are draining horribly fast, unlike my Logitech G602 mouse. I changed lithium batteries out with a fresh pair yesterday at 100% and totally drained six hours later.
❌ Actual Behavior
long term batteries, unsure if the issue is with powertoys, but it's the only application that has been updated since the issue occurred, aside from a windows update, and magicutilities which I completely disabled. there is no "discussion" forum here.
Other Software
No response
zero clue but i run bluetooth keyboard and mice as well and have since the start.
Could you maybe have something stuck in the keyboard that is forcing like the pause button or something down that is continually sending data from the keyboard? /needinfo
Could you maybe have something stuck in the keyboard that is forcing like the pause button or something down that is continually sending data from the keyboard?
no stuck buttons. it's a magic keyboard (apple).
PowerToys has no Bluetooth functionality so far. We do have some keyboard hooks, but that would be between us and the OS, we're not using Bluetooth directly.
I don't think there's any change in the 0.66 release that could be causing this. Only suspect might be that we started shipping .NET self contained and that might have included some bluetooth dlls being loaded automatically? Can you please try uninstalling PowerToys for a day to check if it may be the case that PowerToys is causing this? (your settings are not deleted) /needinfo
I completely removed MagicUtilities from the system, and the issue seems to have gone away. Instead of using expensive Lithium batteries, I bought several packs of Thunderbolt Magnum alkaline batteries and haven't had a problem with significant battery drain, though I'm unable to check the battery levels out.
I had no genuine belief PowerToys had anything to do with the Magic Keyboard battery power drain since the program only enables power scripts on user request. The fact that I updated the program and a feature (service) pack for windows was my only suspect.
The author of MagicUtilities is not cordial and refuses to look into the issue, despite there being other bugs present. Blocked my email from further communications even when providing him/her/them screenshots of the issue while I was actively experiencing the issue at that moment.
What concerns me is the lithium AA batteries being fully charged, brand new out of the packaging, and never used were drained in roughly six hours. These last for over a year. The previous lithium batteries IIRC went from 100%-92% in a few months, then 92% charge to 0% in less than two weeks once the application notified me I only had 14 days left in the trial. The alkaline batteries I've been using have been in since the day I posted this without issue and magicutitlities removed.
Perhaps if someone has a magic keyboard or is curious, looking into magicutitlies would be of interest to you. The developer in words is arrogant. There were multiple bugs I was experiencing.