Batteries aren't magic. They're chemical. And, like most things built by humans, they wear down over time. I don't need to tell you this—anyone who has owned a MacBook knows that battery life gets worse and worse as it ages. But what if I told you it's possible to slow that process down?
One common bit of advice is to only charge your devices up to 80 percent most of the time. Battery University, funded by a consultancy that helps large companies get more out of batteries, suggests this based on its research. So does the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.
But how do you actually follow this advice? The good news is that your MacBook already does this, sort of, and there's a great free application that allows you to go even further.
Built-In Optimization
Your Mac is designed to only charge up to 80 percent—at least, under some circumstances. By default, Mac devices learn your charging and usage routines and juice up your battery based on that. According to Apple, “Your Mac delays charging past 80 percent when it predicts that you’ll be plugged in for an extended period of time, and aims to fully charge the battery before you unplug.”
What does this mean? Well, for example, if you tend to charge your laptop overnight, your Mac will charge up to 80 percent, then wait until morning to top off the last 20 percent. The idea is to minimize the amount of time the battery is fully charged in a way that you won't even notice.
The nice thing about this feature is that you don't have to do anything to look out for your battery's health. Your Mac is already doing what it can to only charge up to 80 percent whenever your routine suggests it won't affect you.
(This feature is actually a macOS setting that's toggled on by default. You can find it in Settings > Battery > Battery Health, where you can toggle this protective setting off, though you should keep reading to figure out if that's best.)
If you'd rather not think about how charged your battery is, ever again, stop reading. If you want more control, though, I have some advice.
Take Control With a Free App
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