16 Ways to Improve MacBook’s Battery Life

If you are using Apple’s latest computers, you probably have nothing to worry about when it comes to battery life. This is a problem with older devices that use an Intel chip and have probably run their course. 

But, there are a few settings you can change to make the most out of your battery life. 

Let’s find out. 

1. Check Your Battery Percentage

Being able to see the battery percentage is not going to help extend it, but it will give you a fair estimate of how long you have before you run out of charge. 

With macOS 11, some changes were made to charging methods so that you can extend the life of your battery. If you haven’t updated to the latest OS, consider doing so. 

2. Check Which App Is Draining Your Battery

Clicking on the battery icon on the menu bar also lets you see which app is sucking up your battery. If you can, close the app till you find a charging outlet. 

3. Examine Your Battery’s Health

Over time, the battery’s health naturally deteriorates. This might especially be an issue if you have a second-hand MacBook. You can test the battery’s health by typing ‘Battery’ in Spotlight. 

Go to the ‘Battery’ tab and click on Battery Health. You will see one of the following conditions: 

• Normal – This means everything is status quo
• Service recommended – As the name suggests, the battery needs to be replaced. 

You can also check how many charge cycles the battery has gone through. Apple recommends changing the battery once you cross 1,000 charge cycles for newer devices. 

4. Make Sure You Have The Right App Version

If you are using the M1 MacBooks but not apps that have been optimized for M1, you may be causing a significant drain on your battery. 

App developers are releasing an M1 version, so make sure you go and update all your most-used apps. 

5. Use Safari Instead of Chrome

Chrome is a widely used browser, and it is easy to see why. There are 1,500 plugins available; it has great security features and has a ton of features that make it easy to use across devices. 

But, it can hog up your battery and processing power. Safari is better than Chrome, albeit slightly low, does not impact your battery health negatively since it was designed for macOS. 

6. Dim Your Display

You can save battery by dimming your display since this is another thing that sucks up a lot of battery power. Turn down the brightness to a level where it is still comfortable for you to view the screen. You can also automate this after a period of inactivity. 

You can also make sure of the Auto-brightness feature that automatically adjusts based on ambient light.

7. Clean Up Your Mac

If your storage is almost full, then it can affect your battery life as well. You can either set up a regular cleaning schedule or use one of the widely reviewed popular cleaner software that can automatically clean up your system.

8. Reduce Battery Drain When Video Streaming

This is another option available to you that allows you to save some battery juice. This option essentially plays HD videos in SD, which requires less battery. 

9. Update to the Latest Software Automatically

Software updates contain performance enhancements that can also optimize how your battery is utilized. Make sure you turn on automatic updates to install the latest OS seamlessly.

10. Avoid Using Backlights

Backlight keyboards look great, but they can drain your battery. Turn it off unless you really need it. 

11. Turn off Bluetooth

Keeping your Bluetooth turned on can also drain your battery because your device is continuously scanning for devices nearby. The only caveat is that you will not be able to use the Continuity feature between your iOS devices and Mac. 

12. Close Apps After Use

When you are done using an app, close it. These apps that remain open suck up battery too. 

13. Close Tabs After Use

Follow the same principle for browser tabs. Once you’re done with it, close the tab to conserve battery. 

14. Remove Accessories Post Use

The same logic applies to external devices. Once you are done using it, unhook it from your laptop. 

15. Use WiFi 

WiFi conserves battery compared to mobile hotspots. Try to use WiFi when you’re running low on battery. 

16. Use Energy Saver Mode

Make use of the dedicated energy saver mode to conserve your battery. Energy Saver can be found in System Preferences. 

Final Thoughts

If your laptop is over five years old, consider upgrading to the latest version. Not only do they provide longer battery life, but they also have many features designed to save power.

If you cannot afford to do so, replace your battery to keep using the same device.