Installation

Requirements

Before installing TLP Battery Boost, ensure the following prerequisites are met:

  • A Linux laptop with an internal battery and AC power
  • TLP installed and configured
  • Hardware that supports TLP Battery Care.
  • Python 3.10+
  • python3-tk (Tkinter)

Install TLP

TLP must be installed and active for this application to work.

Most Linux distributions provide TLP through their package manager, but installation steps vary.

To install the latest version of TLP, refer to the official TLP documentation:

TLP installation guide

After installing TLP, ensure it is enabled and running:

sudo tlp start

Use the following command to check that TLP is enabled and active:

tlp-stat -s

Install python3-tk (Tkinter)

On many Linux distributions, Tkinter is packaged separately from Python.
Install it using your distribution’s package manager:

Debian / Ubuntu / Mint

sudo apt install python3-tk

Fedora-based Linux systems

sudo dnf install python3-tkinter

Arch-based Linux systems

sudo pacman -S tk

CentOS, RedHat, and Oracle Linux systems:

Package names on YUM-based distributions can vary. If python3-tkinter is not available, run sudo yum search tkinter to locate the correct one.

sudo yum install python3-tkinter

Installing TLP Battery Boost

The preferred installation method is to use pipx, which keeps the application isolated from system packages while still providing a command on your PATH.Install pipx using your distribution’s package manager

Then install TLP Battery Boost from PyPI:

pipx install tlp-battery-boost

Launch the application:

battery_boost

Note: Battery Boost will prompt for sudo password on launch. This is required to run TLP commands.

Alternative: Install from Source (GitHub)

  1. Clone the repository:

    git clone https://github.com/SteveDaulton/tlp-battery-boost.git cd tlp-battery-boost

  2. Create a virtual environment:

    python3 -m venv .venv source .venv/bin/activate

  3. Install the package:

    pip install .

  4. Run the application:

    battery_boost

Optional: Create a Desktop Launcher

TLP Battery Boost includes a suitable icon (tlp-battery-boost.png) for use in desktop launchers.

If you would like the application to appear in your desktop environment’s application menu, create a .desktop entry:

~/.local/share/applications/tlp-battery-boost.desktop

With contents such as:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=TLP Battery Boost
Exec=battery_boost
Icon=tlp-battery-boost
Terminal=false
Categories=Utility;

Make the launcher executable:

chmod +x ~/.local/share/applications/tlp-battery-boost.desktop
update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications

Most desktop environments will locate the icon automatically if it is placed in a standard user icon directory (e.g., ~/.local/share/icons/).

Notes

  • Installing via pipx is recommended for isolation and convenience.
  • Installing from source is useful for development or testing.

Uninstallation

If installed via pipx

pipx uninstall tlp-battery-boost

If installed from source or with pip

Remove the virtual environment or uninstall using:

pip uninstall tlp-battery-boost

If running from a cloned repository, simply delete the directory.

Next steps

Proceed to the Usage guide to learn how to operate the application.