电池的记忆效应，是发生在某些充电电池身上，表现为充电电池容量减少的现象。人们越来越广泛地使用这个名词来描述类似的情况，但实际上它的原意仅仅是指一种很特殊的现象。

当镍镉电池(NiCd)或镍氢电池(NiMH)多次地在没有完全放电（也就是没有完全把电用完）的情况下又被充满时，就会产生记忆效应。这种“真正的”记忆效应是极少发生的，通常只出现于较古老且十分昂贵、稀有的那些无人管理的电子设备身上，比如通信卫星（每次经过地球阴影时，它都会消耗相同的电量，却不能消耗完）。实验室中的多次尝试证明了要人为地产生这种效果十分困难。

Memory effect, also known as battery effect, lazy battery effect, or battery memory, is an effect observed in nickel cadmium and nickel–metal hydride rechargeable batteries that causes them to hold less charge. It describes the specific situation in which NiCd batteries gradually lose their maximum energy capacity if they are repeatedly recharged after being only partially discharged. The battery appears to "remember" the smaller capacity.