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Get the best battery life for your MacBook by changing these settings

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Why This Matters

This article highlights essential tips for MacBook users to optimize battery health and longevity, which is crucial as battery performance impacts device usability and lifespan. By understanding battery health metrics and adjusting charging settings, consumers can extend their MacBook's lifespan and avoid unnecessary replacements, benefiting both users and the environment.

Key Takeaways

Before fiddling with settings, it's a good idea to check the baseline you're working with. Go to System Settings > Battery, and see what it says next to Battery Health. Click the "i" icon next to that to see it as a percentage of its original capacity. If it's 100 percent, then your battery's age isn't affecting its current maximum. (And if it's something like 95 or 90 percent, there isn't yet much to worry about.)

Apple recommends replacing a MacBook's battery if the percentage is below 80 percent. (In fact, you'll see a service warning.) If yours falls that low, then it's time to book a Genius Bar appointment.

To get the most out of the battery in the long run, you can optimize your device's charging. In System Settings > Battery, click the "i" next to Charging, and then choose Optimize Battery Charging. This caps your Mac's charge at 80 percent. That won't change your battery life right now, but it may extend its lifespan.

The menu bar's Battery shortcut is an ideal place to monitor things. Clicking on it will reveal not only the battery's charge, but also its current Energy Mode and any apps using a lot of power. This is also a handy place to override the 80 percent cap when you need a full charge — say, before a long flight. And if you don't see the Battery icon, go to System Settings > Menu Bar, and make sure there's a checkmark next to Battery.