If your MacBook is severely weak in the battery compartment, this could indicate a major technical issue and that you need to boost the MacBook battery life ASAP. If there is an error in your battery, no matter how smart you are on how to use your Mac battery, you are not getting the best results. If there’s a technical issue, it’s best to take your MacBook to your local Apple store – especially if your laptop is still under warranty!
We are always keen to get more laptop batteries, which allows us to work a little longer on the road without having to find a power socket but in as much as current MacBooks are very powerful, they at best enjoy the same battery life as their predecessors. Sometimes the four-hour battery cycle of a MacBook Pro is not enough.
GadgetsWright has carefully crafted this article to walk you through on how to boost MacBook battery life to help you stay longer on your computer without running out of power.
How to boost MacBook battery life
Here are what to do to make your MacBook PC battery last longer.
1. Display blackout
Screen operation is the most significant drain on battery resources. So, first of all: reduce screen brightness to a comfortable level for your eyes. The brighter the screen, the less battery life. You can also set the display to slightly dim the battery power and turn it off after a period of inactivity by going to System Preferences> Energy Saver. If you are running on battery power in a bright environment, you may want to disable the auto-brightness feature. To do this, go to System Preferences> Display and uncheck the box to automatically adjust brightness.
2. Rogue application management
In general, rogue and resource-consuming applications consume battery power. What you need to pay attention to is whether it’s still working when you’re not using it.
Practice quitting applications that require a lot of resources and do not use them Applications like Photoshop, Steam, and any games you have installed.
To see if any application has become deceptive, open Activity Monitor (From Applications> Utilities) and click the CPU tab. Here you will see the applications that are the most massive resource hogs. If the app is acquiring an unusually large share of CPU operations (over 70 per cent), double-tap it and select Finish.
3. Disconnect unnecessary accessories
As a general rule, anything connected to your MacBook will drain the battery, be it a USB stick, SD card, 4G modem, or an external drive. Make sure to disconnect any peripherals that you do not currently use. If you have SuperDrive, it is also a good idea to eject any CDs or DVDs that are not -currently being used.
And although we all did it at some point, avoid the temptation to charge other devices by attaching them to your MacBook, like your phone, tablet, e-reader, or iPod, as this will have a huge negative impact on your Mac’s battery life.
4. Try Battery Health
Battery Health is a free app that displays a wealth of technical information about battery status, including the original battery capacity versus its current capacity, when the battery was manufactured, its temperature, and the number of completed charge cycles. This information can be invaluable for diagnosing battery problems.
Install and run Battery Health, and you will notice a new icon in the MacBook menu bar. Click this icon to open a dialog that contains a lot of useful information about the general condition of your battery.
5. Turn off background apps
If you’re trying to make your Mac battery last for your home trip, you’ll need to focus on the basics only. But in your heart, you know that your Mac does not do such a thing. It may seem like he’s only committed to watching Game of Thrones. Still, actually you know he’s behind your back manipulating all kinds of other apps, which are consuming Mac resources and draining your battery faster than needed.
To see which processes are running, go to Applications> Utilities> Activity Monitor and start closing items you are sure you do not need to run now.
6. Turn off the keyboard backlight
If you routinely work in the dark or if the keyboard backlight is enabled, you should consider turning it off. You can do this with the F5 key. While the backlit keyboard is a great feature in MacBooks, prolonged use can mean low battery life.
7. Update your software
We’d like to believe that Apple developers are working hard to try to improve their Mac experience. Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt and start with the absolute basics to make sure your OS is up to date.
Did you even know that their software updates often include cutting-edge energy-saving technologies, so always make sure your Mac is using the latest version of the macOS. New software release could mean the difference between watching Game of Thrones on your commute and a blank screen due to a depleted battery.