How to Improve macOS Battery Life: 20 Proven Tips & Tricks
Maximize your MacBook's battery life with these expert-tested optimization techniques. Learn how to identify battery drains, adjust system settings, and implement power-saving strategies that really work.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Battery life is a critical concern for MacBook users, especially when working remotely or traveling. While Apple continuously improves battery efficiency with each macOS update, there are numerous techniques you can implement to significantly extend your Mac's runtime between charges.
This comprehensive guide covers everything from basic power-saving settings to advanced optimization techniques for maximizing your MacBook's battery life. The tips are compatible with all recent macOS versions, including Sonoma, Ventura, and Monterey, with version-specific notes where applicable.
By implementing these strategies, you can potentially extend your battery life by 20-40% depending on your specific Mac model and usage patterns.
Check Battery Health
Before diving into optimization techniques, it's important to understand your battery's current health status:
View Battery Health in System Settings
macOS provides built-in tools to check your battery's health:
- Go to System Settings (or System Preferences in older versions)
- Click Battery
- In macOS Sonoma and later, click on Battery Health... at the bottom of the window
- For older macOS versions, hold the Option key while clicking on the battery icon in the menu bar, then select "Battery Health"
The window will display:
- Maximum Capacity: Indicates what percentage of the original capacity your battery can still hold. Anything above 80% is considered good.
- Battery Condition: Shows "Normal" if your battery is functioning properly, or various warning messages if service is recommended.
- Cycle Count: Shows how many complete charge cycles your battery has undergone.
Pro Tip
Most MacBook batteries are designed to retain up to 80% of their original capacity after 1,000 complete charge cycles. If your battery is below 80% capacity and experiencing significantly reduced runtime, consider a battery replacement.
Get Detailed Battery Information
For more detailed information, you can use the Terminal:
system_profiler SPPowerDataTypeThis command displays comprehensive information about your battery, including:
- Full charge capacity (in mAh)
- Cycle count
- Condition
- Current charge
- Charging status and power source
Optimize Energy Settings
macOS offers several built-in energy optimization settings that can significantly extend battery life:
Display Settings
The display is one of the biggest power consumers on your MacBook:
- Go to System Settings > Displays
- Reduce brightness to 50-70% (this alone can extend battery life by 1-2 hours)
- Disable "Automatically adjust brightness" if you prefer manual control
- Set a shorter "Turn display off after" time in System Settings > Lock Screen
- For MacBooks with ProMotion displays, consider lowering the refresh rate when on battery:
defaults write com.apple.Safari ProMotionRefreshRateEnabled -bool false
Tip
True Tone and auto-brightness features have minimal impact on battery life with modern MacBooks, so you can leave these enabled if you prefer them.
Sleep Settings
Configure your Mac to sleep when not in use:
- Go to System Settings > Lock Screen
- Set "Turn display off when inactive" to 2-5 minutes when on battery
- Go to System Settings > Battery
- For the "Battery" tab:
- Enable "Low Power Mode" for maximum battery savings
- Uncheck "Wake for network access" unless absolutely necessary
- Check "Optimize video streaming while on battery" (Sonoma and later)
- Click "Options" and configure Power Nap settings:
- Disable "Enable Power Nap while on battery power"
- This prevents your Mac from performing background tasks while sleeping
Pro Tip
MacBooks with Apple Silicon processors are more efficient at managing sleep states than Intel models. If you have an Apple Silicon Mac, Power Nap settings have less impact on battery life.
Identify Battery Drains
One of the most effective ways to improve battery life is to identify and address the applications and processes that are consuming the most power:
Using Activity Monitor
- Open Activity Monitor from Applications > Utilities (or use Spotlight to find it)
- Click the Energy tab
- The list will show all applications and processes sorted by energy impact
- Pay attention to:
- Energy Impact: Higher numbers indicate more battery drain
- Avg Energy Impact: The average impact over time
- GPU Energy: Applications using the dedicated GPU (if available)
- Quit or close applications with high energy impact when not in use
Warning
Be careful about quitting system processes (those shown in red). Only quit applications you've manually started or are familiar with.
Battery Usage History
In macOS Sonoma and later, you can view detailed battery usage history:
- Go to System Settings > Battery
- Click Usage History
- Review:
- Last 24 Hours tab to see recent battery consumption patterns
- Last 10 Days tab to identify long-term trends
- Look for apps that appear repeatedly in the high-usage sections
Tip
For older macOS versions, you can view a simple battery usage graph by clicking the battery icon in the menu bar.
20 Power-Saving Techniques
Here are 20 proven techniques to extend your MacBook's battery life:
Enable Low Power Mode
macOS Monterey and later feature Low Power Mode, which reduces system performance to extend battery life:
- Go to System Settings > Battery
- Check Low Power Mode in the "Battery" tab
- You can also enable it for the Power Adapter tab if desired
This single setting can extend battery life by 1-3 hours depending on your usage.
Limit Browser Tabs and Extensions
Browsers are often the biggest battery drains:
- Keep open tabs to a minimum (under 10 when on battery)
- Use tab suspender extensions (like Tab Suspender for Safari or The Great Suspender for Chrome)
- Disable unnecessary browser extensions
- Consider using Safari over Chrome or Firefox when on battery (Safari is more energy-efficient on macOS)
Manage Background Apps
Control what runs in the background:
- Go to System Settings > General > Login Items
- Review and remove unnecessary startup items
- Check the "Allow in Background" tab and disable non-essential apps
- Quit applications completely (Cmd+Q) rather than just closing windows
Optimize Bluetooth and Wi-Fi
Wireless radios consume power even when not actively used:
- Turn off Bluetooth when not in use (from Control Center or menu bar)
- Disable Wi-Fi when working offline
- For macOS Sonoma, use the Network Quality tool to identify poor connections that cause battery drain:
networkQuality
Disable Keyboard Backlight When Not Needed
The keyboard backlight can be a significant power drain:
- In well-lit environments, turn off the keyboard backlight
- Set it to turn off after inactivity in System Settings > Keyboard
- Lower the brightness to minimum usable levels
Manage Location Services
Location services can constantly use GPS and wireless radios:
- Go to System Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services
- Disable location services entirely or selectively for apps
- Pay special attention to apps with the "Always" permission
Optimize iCloud and Sync Settings
Constant syncing can drain battery:
- Go to System Settings > Apple ID > iCloud
- Disable syncing for non-essential services
- For Photos, consider setting to "Optimize Mac Storage"
- Turn off "Desktop & Documents" sync if you don't need it
Adjust Mail Fetch Settings
Email checking can be a battery drain:
- Open the Mail app
- Go to Mail > Settings > Accounts
- For each account, change "Check for new messages" to "Manually" or "Hourly" instead of "Automatically" or frequent intervals
Disable Spotlight Indexing Temporarily
Spotlight indexing can consume significant resources:
- When you need maximum battery life, temporarily disable Spotlight:
sudo mdutil -a -i off - Re-enable it when plugged in:
sudo mdutil -a -i on
Use Optimized Charging
macOS features battery optimization to extend overall battery lifespan:
- Go to System Settings > Battery > Battery Health
- Enable "Optimized battery charging"
- This learns your routine and delays charging past 80% until you need it
Manage External Devices
Connected devices draw power from your MacBook:
- Disconnect external drives when not in use
- Use powered USB hubs when connecting multiple devices
- Eject external drives properly before disconnecting
- Disconnect high-power devices like external GPUs when on battery
Close Resource-Intensive Applications
Some app types are known battery drainers:
- Video editing software (Final Cut Pro, Adobe Premiere)
- 3D applications and games
- Virtual machines (Parallels, VMware Fusion)
- Cryptocurrency miners and blockchain apps
- Apps that use the dedicated GPU
Optimize Video Playback
Video playback can be optimized for battery life:
- Lower video resolution when streaming (720p instead of 4K)
- In macOS Sonoma or later, enable "Optimize video streaming while on battery" in Battery settings
- Download videos for offline viewing instead of streaming when possible
- Use Picture-in-Picture mode sparingly
Use Dark Mode
Dark mode can save battery on Macs with OLED displays:
- Go to System Settings > Appearance
- Select "Dark" appearance
- This is primarily effective for MacBook Pro models with OLED displays (2021 and newer)
Disable Turbo Boost (Intel Macs Only)
For Intel Macs, disabling Turbo Boost can significantly extend battery life:
- Install the Turbo Boost Switcher app
- Disable Turbo Boost when on battery
- Note: This will reduce maximum performance but can add 1-2 hours of battery life
This technique is only applicable to Intel Macs. Apple Silicon Macs use a different architecture that already optimizes for power efficiency.
Use Battery-Friendly Apps
Some applications are more efficient than others:
- Use native macOS apps when possible instead of Electron-based apps
- Safari is more efficient than Chrome or Firefox
- Apple's iWork suite (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) uses less power than Microsoft Office
- Preview uses less battery than Adobe Acrobat
Optimize Font Rendering
Font smoothing can impact battery life:
- Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Display
- Uncheck "Font smoothing" when on battery
Manage Time Machine Backups
Automatic backups can drain your battery:
- Go to System Settings > General > Time Machine
- Click "Options"
- Check "Back up while on battery power" to disable automatic backups when unplugged
Use Battery-Saving Browser Extensions
Several browser extensions can help save power:
- Ad blockers (reduce processing needed for ads)
- Flash blockers (if using older websites)
- JavaScript limiters
- Dark mode extensions for websites
Keep macOS Updated
Apple regularly improves power management with updates:
- Go to System Settings > General > Software Update
- Install the latest macOS updates
- Each major release typically improves power efficiency
Optimize macOS Features
Several macOS features can be optimized for better battery performance:
Reduce Visual Effects
macOS includes many visual effects that can impact battery life:
- Go to System Settings > Accessibility > Display
- Check "Reduce motion" to disable animations
- Check "Reduce transparency" to disable translucent effects
These settings reduce the graphics processing load, resulting in better battery efficiency.
Manage Notification Center
Notifications can wake your display and use processing power:
- Go to System Settings > Notifications
- Disable notifications for non-essential apps
- Turn off "Allow notifications when the screen is locked" for better sleep efficiency
- Consider using Focus modes when working on battery
Configure FileVault Efficiently
Disk encryption is important for security but can impact battery life:
- If you use FileVault, ensure it has completed its initial encryption (which is power-intensive)
- For maximum battery life in non-sensitive environments, consider disabling FileVault temporarily
- Note: Only disable FileVault if security is not a concern
Security Warning
Disabling FileVault reduces the security of your data. Only consider this in trusted environments where security is less critical than battery life.
Hardware Considerations
Physical factors can also affect your MacBook's battery performance:
Optimize Operating Temperature
Battery efficiency is significantly affected by temperature:
- Keep your Mac in the optimal temperature range (62°F to 72°F / 16°C to 22°C)
- Avoid using your MacBook in direct sunlight or very cold environments
- Ensure ventilation is not blocked (don't use on soft surfaces like beds or couches)
- Consider using a cooling pad in warm environments
Use Appropriate Chargers and Accessories
Charging equipment can impact battery health:
- Use Apple-certified chargers or high-quality alternatives
- Match the wattage rating to your MacBook model for optimal charging
- Consider a portable power bank for extended mobile use
Tip
For MacBooks with USB-C charging, using a higher-wattage charger than required is fine and can speed up charging. However, using a lower-wattage charger may cause your Mac to charge slowly or even discharge while in use.
Battery Myths Debunked
There are many misconceptions about MacBook batteries. Here's the truth behind some common myths:
Truth: Modern lithium-ion batteries in MacBooks don't need to be fully discharged. In fact, frequent deep discharges can shorten battery lifespan. It's better to keep the battery between 20% and 80% charged most of the time.
Apple does recommend calibrating the battery indicator by performing a full discharge and recharge cycle approximately once a month, but this is only to ensure accurate battery percentage readings, not to maintain battery health.
Truth: Modern MacBooks have sophisticated battery management systems. Since macOS Catalina, Apple has introduced optimized battery charging that reduces battery wear when connected to power for extended periods.
When your Mac predicts you'll be connected to power for a while, it will stop charging at 80% and only complete the charge when it anticipates you'll need to disconnect.
For older MacBooks without this feature, it's good practice to occasionally use the battery by unplugging, but keeping it plugged in isn't harmful.
Truth: Quality third-party chargers that meet USB-C Power Delivery specifications are generally safe for your MacBook. However, very cheap or uncertified chargers may not provide stable power, potentially damaging your device or reducing battery life.
Look for chargers with USB-IF certification or those from reputable brands that comply with USB Power Delivery standards.
Truth: When you close an application window or swipe the app icon up from the Dock, many macOS apps continue running in the background. This allows for quick reopening but can drain battery.
To completely quit an app and save battery, use Command+Q or right-click the app in the Dock and select Quit.
Truth: Battery percentage indicators are estimates based on current power draw and battery condition. They can become less accurate over time, especially if your usage patterns change significantly.
Occasionally allowing your MacBook to run down to below 10% and then fully charging it can help recalibrate the battery percentage indicator.
Troubleshooting Battery Issues
If you're experiencing unusually poor battery life even after implementing the tips above, try these troubleshooting steps:
The SMC controls many hardware functions, including power management. Resetting it can resolve battery issues:
For Apple Silicon Macs:
- Shut down your Mac
- Wait 30 seconds
- Press and hold the power button for 10 seconds
- Release and wait a few seconds
- Press the power button to turn on your Mac
For Intel MacBooks with non-removable battery:
- Shut down your Mac
- Press and hold Shift+Control+Option on the left side of the keyboard and the Power button simultaneously for 10 seconds
- Release all keys and wait a few seconds
- Press the power button to turn on your Mac
Sometimes processes can get stuck using excessive CPU:
- Open Activity Monitor
- Sort by "% CPU" to see the most processor-intensive processes
- Look for processes using abnormally high CPU percentages (over 50% for extended periods)
- Select the problematic process and click the "X" button to quit it
- If it's a system process, try restarting your Mac
If your battery is failing, it may need replacement:
- Go to System Settings > Battery > Battery Health
- If you see "Service Recommended" or your maximum capacity is below 80%, your battery may need service
- For more detailed information, hold Option while clicking the battery icon in the menu bar
- Look for "Condition" — if it says anything other than "Normal," consider servicing
Battery service options include:
- Apple Store or Authorized Service Provider
- Self-service using Apple's Self Service Repair program (where available)
- Third-party repair services (may affect warranty)
Apple's built-in diagnostics can identify hardware issues:
For Apple Silicon Macs:
- Shut down your Mac
- Press and hold the power button while turning it on
- Release when you see startup options
- Press Command+D to start diagnostics
For Intel Macs:
- Shut down your Mac
- Press the power button while holding D
- Release when you see the progress bar
If diagnostics identify a battery issue, contact Apple Support or an authorized service provider.
Sometimes user profile settings can cause battery issues:
- Go to System Settings > Users & Groups
- Click the "+" button to create a new administrator account
- Log out and login to the new account
- Use your Mac normally and monitor battery life
- If battery life improves significantly, the issue may be related to settings or background processes in your original account
Conclusion
Optimizing your MacBook's battery life is about identifying and managing the factors that consume power. By implementing the techniques in this guide, you can significantly extend your runtime between charges.
The most effective strategies include:
- Enabling Low Power Mode
- Reducing display brightness
- Identifying and quitting power-hungry applications
- Managing background processes and services
- Keeping your MacBook updated with the latest macOS version
Remember that battery optimization is a balance between performance and runtime. Depending on your needs, you may choose to implement all or just some of these tips.