Many MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air owners want to know how to properly use and maintain their batteries. But there is a lot of bad information online. Learn what to expect from your MacBook's battery, what you should and shouldn't do to prolong battery life, how to tell if there is a problem, how to get a replacement and how much it may cost.
You can also watch this video at YouTube.
Watch more videos about related subjects: Mac Hardware (56 videos), Power and Batteries (11 videos).
You can also watch this video at YouTube.
Watch more videos about related subjects: Mac Hardware (56 videos), Power and Batteries (11 videos).
Video Transcript
Hi, this is Gary with MacMost.com. On this episode I'm going to answer frequently asked questions about MacBook batteries.
MacMost is brought to you thanks to a great group of supporters. You can join us and get a exclusive content at MacMost.com/patreon.
So whether you have a MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro its got a battery. You probably have some questions about how to use it properly, how to maximize its life, and how to deal with any problems that may come up. So let's start by talking about longevity. How long should the battery last? Well, it varies greatly. Basically between five and ten years. Some of the factors are environmental, how often you use it, and a little bit of luck. After all a battery is just made out of a bunch of chemicals and sometimes some last longer than others. It's definitely not unheard of for a MacBook battery to last more than twelve years. But it's also not impossible for it to fail after only about four years. I'd say five to ten years for most users. But for power users, that are cycling through the battery everyday, it's probably closer to five years.
Now how do you see the condition of your battery? You can look at this right on your Mac. You want to go to Apple menu and About This Mac. Then System Report. Look on the left for Power. The two things you want to pay the most attention to are Cycle Count and Condition. So what is Cycle Count and what's a good number there. Well, a cycle is when you start the battery at 100% and you use it all the way down to zero. That's one cycle. You can do partial cycles. So if you go from 100% to 50% that's half a cycle. Then you charge it back up, use it again, down to 50% that's another half cycle.
Now a battery should last a certain number of cycle counts before it needs to be replaced. But it depends on the battery. Apple has a list on this webpage here that shows you the cycle counts that each MacBook model should reach. Now for Condition if it says Replace Soon, Replace Now, or Service Battery that means you've got to get a new battery. Now Replace Soon means you can probably wait a week or two until it's convenient for you. But the other two really you should stop using the Mac now, make sure that backup is nice and complete and up-to-date, and take it in for a new battery.
Now to get a new battery you've got several options. The main one is to take it to Apple. Take it to an Apple Store Make an appointment at the Genius Bar and tell them that you need a new battery. You can also take it to an authorized service center so you can look on Apple's website and find one that's near you. Now you could take it to another repair shop. I wouldn't recommend it. Battery replacements aren't that expensive as repairs go so it's worthwhile to make sure it's done right. If you're completely out of warranty and you go to Apple it's only going to cost you from $129 to $199. If that extends your MacBook's life from say six years up to ten years it's very much worth it.
Now one thing people notice is that as they're battery ages it sometimes never goes to 100% or occasionally, even after it's charged, it's immediately at 99%. Apple says this is actually normal. Remember that battery readings it's kind of difficult to actually read the amount of power in a chemical battery. So Apple says that sometimes a fully charge battery can show anywhere all the way down to 93% instead of 100% and it still is perfectly fine as long as the Condition of the battery is still shown as normal.
So batteries are covered by the standard one year warranty and by AppleCare. So if a battery fails or shows Service soon or Service now in the first year just take it to Apple and you'll get a new battery for free. If you have AppleCare then you'll be able to get a new battery during the length of AppleCare. In addition if there's a special recall then you can also use it. So, for instance, right now there are some Macs that are a few years old that are part of a battery recall program. You can get a new battery for free.
There are a lot of myths that are out there that are bad information about how to use your MacBook's battery. A lot of this dates back to before the current generation of batteries and for older laptops and it has just been repeated over and over again by bloggers and news sites. So one of those things is should you use your MacBook plugged in. The answer is YES. It's all about Cycle Count. So if your MacBook is sitting on your desk have it plugged in. Don't use the battery. You won't go through those cycles. It's perfectly okay to have your MacBook sitting on your desk charged up to 100%. Basically use it plugged in when it's convenient and use it on the battery when it's convenient. You won't damage your MacBook's battery by having it plugged in for a long period of time.
Now this is a really bad one that gets repeated. People say that if you're using the battery you should run it all the down to zero before you plug it in and charge it up again. That is just flat WRONG. All you're going to do is run up your cycle count. Where that probably comes from is the old technique of cycling the battery. The idea here is that every month or so to have your battery charge up to 100% then run it all the way down to zero and charge it up again and that this somehow calibrates the battery. It's just not something that needs to be done with modern MacBook batteries.
So what if your battery isn't lasting that long for each charge. Maybe you're only getting an hour or two out of it. Well, the usual culprit has nothing to do with the battery or the hardware itself. But a lot of time has to do with apps. You can click on the battery icon in the Menu Bar and it will show you which apps are using the most battery power. A lot of time there's an obvious culprit. Somebody is playing a game or maybe you're rendering video or maybe you're using Chrome and you have a bunch of tabs open. Chrome is notorious for using lots of battery power. Safari is much more efficient.
Other tips are to decrease screen brightness. Go to your energy save preferences and lower all the settings for when you're on the battery. Make sure you're not using apps that use a lot of power or things like a lot of tabs in the browser. Also think of any devices you have connected to your MacBook. Anything can connect like an external drive, a camera, a microphone that is going to use some battery power as well.
So what if you notice your MacBook is swelling. You've got maybe a little bit of a bump on the bottom or the keyboard is starting to bump up. This could mean that the chemicals in the battery are now bad and this is very dangerous. What you need to do is to stop using the Mac almost immediately. Make sure you have a backup. Make sure you're not charging the battery anymore. Get is somewhere for service. If the swelling isn't too much a repair center may be able to swap the battery out and you can keep using it. But if it can't be fixed then you still have to stop using that MacBook immediately and have the battery properly disposed of.
So back to longevity. How can you increase that longevity or maximize it. First of all avoid using your MacBook when it's too hot. Apple recommends that you only use it if it's 95 degrees F or or 35 degrees C or less. I say don't even get close to those numbers. Definitely don't charge it in a room where it's that hot. I say don't charge it if it's anywhere near 90 degrees or more. Also don't store it in a place where it's going to be hot and don't store it in a place where the temperature is going to vary greatly. Better store it say in the house than in a garage or a storage unit. Apple has some advice if you're going to store your MacBook long term. Anywhere more than a few weeks. Make sure it's charged around 50% and have it powered Off. Keep it in a cool place so less than 90 degrees F or 32 degrees C. Every six months or so turn it on, charge it back up to about 50% and turn it off again.
Apple has plenty of advice and tips for getting the most out of your MacBook battery. You can go to these URL's here to read more about it.
Another very useful video, Gary. You might have mentioned that in may Apple laptops replacing the battery is an easy thing to do oneself and that iFixit.com has terrific instructions on how to do so. By the time the vast majority of batteries have failed, your laptop is well out of warranty so no worries about voiding one's warranty
Very interesting video. What about battery usage with iPads? I have an iPad pro that needs charging daily.
Gary,
GOOD stuff. Timely; I just ordered a replacement from OWC for my Early 2011 15” MacBook Pro based on “Service Battery.” (I find the Other World Computing (OWC) video easier (than -iFixit) to see, understand, and with additional important details, like the screws are different lengths...). I’ve received the battery and within the instructions, they include the reminder of doing battery recalibration after instal as well.
THANKS,
Fan Jo-Ann
Does the advice for MacBook batteries also works for iPhone Batteries - does it make sense to plug in the iPhone when in the office and leave it plugged in all the time?
This was so timely for me as I just had to have my mid-2014 13" MBP battery replaced when it expanded after the back cover was removed to replace the SSD. I was surprised because I only use my MBP at my desktop, and it's always plugged in, so almost no cycling. The tech guy (not Apple) who replaced the SSD, then the battery, told me I needed to let the battery drain down to about 20% once a week to keep this from happening again. Good to know that's not true. Thanks, Debbie
Deborah: I believe the swelling has more to do with age than with how much you use it. Though both probably contribute.
Volker: It is fine to keep iPhones plugged in. Most people do this all night to charge it up, although some believe a bad myth that you shouldn't. It is rare for someone to keep an iPhone plugged in all day too, considering it is usually in their pocket and goes where they go. But if you can, then sure. You may want to think about a charging pad if your iPhone supports wireless charging to make it easier.
Jo-Ann: Sounds like you are lucky and have a MacBook model where it is easier to do it yourself. Some newer models are almost impossible (dissolving glue is involved).
Ed: Same basic rules for the iPad.
Laverne: They vary greatly in how difficult it is to replace the battery. Some models have you dissolving glue and re-applying adhesive. So I'd carefully check how-to instructions and think about your skills before buying.
As always, fantastic info for us Mac owners. Thanks Gary! And I appreciate the fact you keep to the facts and do not waver or use foul language.
Thanks for this info! I did have the battery swell up on my Mac about a year ago. My Apple store warned me not to try to open it or anything, but to bring it to the store and they would fix or replace it. They did have to send it out and they replaced it. My guy at the Genius Bar told me that a swollen battery had a risk of exploding if I'd opened the case, and they didn't even open it in the store, but they sent it out. The cost of a new battery is a whole lot less than the cost of a new Mac!
I was having issues with a 2015 MacBook .There was a flashing question mark, unexplained shutdowns, fans running at high RPMs, I came across a report that Apple has a battery replacement program for certain Macbooks. I shut my Macbook down and made an appointment at the Apple Store. They found the battery had swelled and was included in the program. They sent it to Texas. and ten days later, as promised, I have my MacBook Pro back. No charge f bor the new battery. Runs great.
My husband has enjoyed his iPad AIR for 4 years but in the last few months the battery has been discharging very quickly. From 100% falling to 3% in 20 minutes so now he has to keep it plugged in most of the time. Very frustrating. I believe it’s not possible to replace iPad batteries. I was wondering if the battery could be faulty. What are your thoughts?
Anne: You can definitely replace an iPad battery. People do it all the time. Make an appointment at the Genius Bar and they'll take care of it.
Thank you for resolving the many myths re care of MacBook Batteries and for your generosity of sharing your unique knowledge. You make a difference to people's lives. :)
Thanks for the video and also timely for me. I went to use my 2010 MacBook Pro two weeks ago after it was sitting for several months (I also have an iMac) and I received the message that the battery needed service. I was able to charge it and it worked ok until I was able to order a new one from OWC. I found that it would work for an hour so and even when just in sleep mode it would drain rather quickly. I just put the new battery in this morning and I am going through the calibration process.
Hi Gary, Re leaving your MacBook plugged into power all the time and your comments "It's perfectly okay to have your MacBook sitting on your desk charged up to 100%"
I started doing this a very long time ago when I watched one of your earlier videos suggesting this.
However when I went to an Apple Shop, the technician said this was not a good idea after looking at my battery cycle reading.
Now I am confused about whether to leave it plugged in all the time or not.
Margaret: What was your battery cycle reading? It should have been lower when compared to doing the opposite, so I'm not sure what the tech could have been complaining about.
Gary, are all MacBook batteries replaceable? Are there any models where you can do it yourself? Thanks
Karl: They can all be replaced by Apple or a tech shop. Very old models have removable ones, so obviously you can do those yourself (you can remove the battery without opening the case). The rest vary. Some can be done by someone with technical know-how. Others involve dissolving and re-applying glue and other issues. Basically, if you know how to do it, then you can do it. Otherwise, I would advise you to have Apple do it. It is one of the cheapest ways to keep an old MacBook going.
A very helpful and on-point post. It is good to see some of the "myths" about battery life so expertly dispelled. Thank you.
My battery count tonight is: Cycle Count: 222. I purchased my MacBook on 18th November, 2015. I was following your advice and leaving it plugged in all the time but stopped after the Apple Shop technician told me differently. I cannot recall the date that the technician told me this. Probably at least 6 - 9 months ago I suspect.
Margaret: That advice is just wrong. Was that at an official Apple Store or a third-party shop? 222 is not bad for one almost 4-years-old. But the most important thing is to use it as you need it.
My mid-2015 MacBook Pro is working fine, but says "Service Battery" at 534 cycles. I chatted with Apple support because I wondered whether I had to do something in a hurry, and I was told the message will come up when the cycles reach past halfway to 1000, and I could replace if having trouble. What if I use a longer cable/power supply to spend more time connected, and preserve battery? The tech said that would be a good plan.
Carol: if your MacBook battery condition is Service Battery I would get that done ASAP. Using it plugged in when convenient is what you should shoot for.
Yes Gary it was an official Apple Shop in Highpoint in Melbourne, Australia. My battery count is low because I was following your advice for a long time and leaving my computer always plugged in to power. I will now - once again - follow your advice from now on and leave my MacBook plugged in to the power when using it at home (which is most of the time). Thank you for a wonderful informative service that you provide. I so look forward to receiving your weekly eNewsletters.