Why Is MacBook Battery Health Important?
MacBook batteries are produced with lithium-polymer technology. Every battery has a certain number of cycles — Apple guarantees 1000 cycles for most modern MacBooks. One cycle means that 100% of the battery has been used (using 50% and then charging is half a cycle). With correct use you can extend the battery life to 4-5 years.
1. Keep the Charge Between 20% and 80%
Keeping the battery permanently at 100% or running it down to 0% wears the cells. Ideal use is between 20% and 80%. On macOS Ventura and later, keep the "Optimised Battery Charging" feature switched on — it stops charging at 80% and can learn your routine and postpone a full charge until the moment you need it.
2. Protect It from Excessive Heat
High temperature is the battery's greatest enemy. Do not use the MacBook in direct sunlight, inside a car or in environments above 35°C. Using it on a cushion or on a bed while charging also causes overheating.
3. Use an Original or MFi-Certified Charger
Cheap, uncertified charging adapters can cause voltage fluctuations and thereby damage the battery. Use an original Apple or MFi-certified adapter.
4. Set the Screen Brightness to Automatic
The screen is the component that consumes the most energy. Activate System Settings → Displays → "Automatically adjust brightness". When adjusting it manually, keep the brightness as low as you need.
5. Close Unnecessary Background Applications
Use Activity Monitor to check which applications are consuming energy. Chrome uses a great deal of energy when several tabs are open — close the tabs you are not using or switch to Safari (which uses less energy on macOS).
6. Switch off Bluetooth and WiFi when you do not need them
AirDrop, Bluetooth and WiFi scan continuously. Switching them off in flight mode or while working offline extends the battery life.
7. Install the macOS updates
Apple improves power management with every macOS update. The current macOS version generally provides better battery life.
8. Have thermal maintenance carried out once a year
Overheating wears battery cells out quickly. Annual thermal maintenance (thermal paste replacement + fan cleaning) protects both performance and battery life.
How Is Battery Health Checked?
You can check this under Apple menu → About This Mac → System Report → Power → the "Condition" and "Cycle Count" sections. If the cycle count is 800+ and it says "Service Recommended", the time has come to replace the battery.
At Altunakar Bilgisayar we carry out battery replacements of original quality for all MacBook models in Çankaya. We hand the device over with a 1-year warranty.