What is the consensus about leaving your 6 month old MacBook Pro plugged in all the time or not. Currently i plug it in till its fully charged then unplug it till its dead, then start the cycle over again. However i have noticed lately that my battery seems to drain faster now. If i sleep it by closing the lid the battery lasts, but if i just walk away it is set to seep after 15 mins, but ill come back an hour later and will have lost 10-20% of my battery?
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Scott Z
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Battery – Plug in all the time or not?
Comments: 3 Responses to “Battery – Plug in all the time or not?”
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Leave it plugged in.
There is no reason to unplug it until you need to use it away from the power outlet.
I hear this a lot, and I'm not sure where it is coming from. Maybe some old PC laptops would misbehave?
But Mac laptops (and modern PC ones) are smart enough that they don't overcharge the battery or anything. Leave them plugged in.
Otherwise, you charge then, then unplug them, immediately starting to use the battery (in sleep mode). Leaving it plugged in means the battery won't be used at all. That's what you want. Why use the battery when you could have it plugged in?
I had a 2007 HP that i left plugged in all the time. It must have wrecked the battery to the point where it wouldnt even turn on unless it was plugged in. So at this point it looks like my battery has taked soem ware and tear, you think leaving it plugged in now will boost it back to normal levels?
Thanks Gary, love your site and insight. i appreciate it.
It sounds like something was wrong with your HP laptop or battery.
But that's not the way MacBooks work.
I don't think plugging it in will "restore" it, though. Once batteries lose some of their ability, they don't get it back.
But it will prevent more damage, if that is the cause.