After numerous MacBook recharge cycles, its battery can lose its capacity, so that you will have to replace the battery. This article will explain how to check battery cycles on a MacBook, how long a MacBook’s battery usually lasts, and how to save the battery life of a MacBook.
Contents:
- Why check battery health on a MacBook.
- How to check battery condition on a Mac.
- How to check the number of battery charge cycles on a Mac.
- FAQ about MacBook’s battery life.
Quick Tip – How to extend MacBook’s battery life
Download a free trial of MacCleaner Pro and take care of your Mac.
MacCleaner Pro
Why check the battery health on a MacBook
If you use MacBook Air or Pro, you should pay attention to the state of your laptop batteries. Be watchful if there are any suspicious symptoms of the MacBook battery. For example, your Mac’s battery is draining fast, or even worse, your MacBook is not charging.
Usually, the MacBook battery is draining fast if you use it intensively or have many memory-consuming applications working in the background. You should regularly monitor the battery status and its serviceability. The macOS monitors the state of the battery continuously, so you can quickly determine the battery’s health, fix issues, and prevent the battery from getting dead at the most inopportune time. Below in this article, we will explain how to do this.
How to check battery condition on a Mac
On macOS Catalina and earlier versions, the users could check the power on a MacBook Pro right in the menu bar. If you use macOS Catalina or earlier, you can press and hold the Option (Alt) key and click on the Battery icon in the menu bar. In this case, the advanced options of the battery menu appear, and you can view all the important data about your MacBook’s battery life.
If you use macOS High Sierra or later, you need to open the System Preferences window to check battery condition on a Mac.
Steps on how to check battery life on a MacBook (macOS High Sierra and later):
- Click on the Apple icon in your menu bar.
- Press and hold the Option (Alt) key.
- Instead of “About this Mac…” you will see the “System Information” option. Select System Information.
- Go to the Power Options from the sidebar.
- In this section, you can find the battery health information. Look at the battery condition.
There are four conditions your battery might have:
- Normal – your battery is in excellent health and is functioning well.
- Replace Soon – this means that the battery has deteriorated. It works fine; however, it keeps a charge now less than it did previously. You will have to replace it soon.
- Replace Now – the battery is functioning well, but it keeps a charge much worse than previously. You should replace the battery as soon as possible to prevent damaging your laptop.
- Service Battery – The battery has to be replaced immediately. It can be damaged and overheated, which, as a result, may damage other components of your MacBook.
Steps on how to check battery life on a macOS Ventura:
- Open System Settings.
- Go to the General section.
- Click About.
- Scroll down and click System Report.
- You will see a window where you can check the battery life.
- Switch to the Power section from the sidebar and check the condition of your battery.
How to check the number of battery charge cycles
Every MacBook Pro or Air has a certain number of charge cycles. To view all details about your battery’s cycles, follow the next steps:
- Go to the Apple menu and press and hold the Option (Alt) key.
- Select System Information.
- Go to the Power Options section in the sidebar.
- Look at the Cycle Count information.
Сlean up your Mac from junk files
Frequently asked questions about MacBook battery
Is leaving MacBook plugged in bad?
By default, once your battery is full on your MacBook, it stops charging. So you do not need to unplug your MacBook Pro or Air. However, Apple does not recommend leaving your MacBook plugged in constantly. The MacBook’s battery is a lithium-based battery and its electrons need to move occasionally to work well for a long time.
Why is my MacBook not charging?
If your MacBook is not charging, check the power supply for damage. Make sure there are no charging cords for kinks, especially near the plug. Also, check a MagSafe connector. If it is dirty and clogged with dust, your MacBook will not charge. If everything is okay with the power supply and MagSafe, the problem might be connected to your battery.
Another common reason why your MacBook is not charging can be the failure of SMC. At first, try first to restart your Mac. If it also doesn’t help, then reset SMC. You can learn how to do this in the article “Mac won’t turn on.”
What is a good battery cycle count for MacBook Pro?
The batteries of modern models of Apple MacBooks can work great if their cycle number is no more than 1000. Usually, if the battery’s charge cycles reach the number 1000, the battery starts to drain fast and its capacity will be reduced by 20% and more over time.
Why is my MacBook battery draining so fast?
Different processes and applications affect MacBook’s battery life differently. If a MacBook is draining fast, you most likely have memory-consuming applications or many processes working in the background. Also, you should check the battery cycle count of your MacBook. For most MacBooks, if the battery cycle count is more than 1000, the battery will start draining fast.
How to reset the cycle count on a MacBook battery?
You can’t reset the cycle count on your MacBook battery. The system automatically counts the number of battery charges and displays it in the System Information window. This number increases, and it can’t go back.
How to show battery percentage on a MacBook?
Follow these steps to show battery percentage on a MacBook:
- Open System Settings and go to the Control Center section.
- Scroll down and find the Battery options.
- Swith on the toggle buttons for the options you need.
You can enable showing battery in the menu bar, in Control Center, and the percentage of the battery charge.
