macOS Big Sur battery drain issue

Welcome, brsm1990, to Apple Support Communities!

Unfortunately, there is no «general fix», because the issue(s) depend upon further details of your system setup.

In fact, this is not at all unique to Big Sur: it has been seen in many, if not all, previous macOS upgrades (not updates).

The process toward an individual fix is the use Activity Monitor (Launchpad -> Other -> Activity Monitor) to look at Energy, CPU, and GPU usage of All Processes (not just the default of “My Processes”) on your system.

This helps you find the culprits.

Once you know the culprits, on your computer, you are beginning to find out what is needed, in your particular case.

(Of course, this all assumes there are no hardware issue! We do hope there are no hardware issues on anyone’s Mac!)

SzyslakMoe and @All:

The issues y’all are experiencing has nothing, whatsoever, to do with M1 based Macs: Big Sur, on both M1 and Intel platforms, share source-code, but are separately optimized.

This is what is well known, by those of us that are “old timers”:

• Unless a computer has a hardware fault (such as a short-circuit, including an internal short in a battery), there is no way for a computer to use a great deal of energy without running programs being the cause! (CPU or GPU intensive processes, usually.) Of course, we all hope your computer’s hardware is and keeps running well!
• Big Sur is a major Operating System (OS) upgrade. It is not a mere update! In fact, Apple considers it to be such a major upgrade that they actually increased the major version number, from 10 to 11, for the first time since 2001!
• With any major OS upgrade, there are a number of “housekeeping” processes that run in the background (you won’t see them in Activity Monitor unless you change the View from the default of “My Processes” to “All Processes”): these are indexing all the files on your Data drive, analyzing and indexing all your photos/videos/music/books/etc., and any number of other “housekeeping” tasks to get the system ready for your daily use and convenience. (The results help make your system more responsive to your needs.) These will “settle down” when they have completed their “housekeeping” to the point that they are “caught up” with your files and such. (After that, just as with the previous OSs, they simply work as needed to keep up with what you change and add.) This has been seen on most, if not all previous OS upgrades!
• There are third party programs, utilities, extensions, etc., that simply may not be ready for such a major OS upgrade: they can get “confused”, and can “run amuck”, on your system, until you upgrade these third party programs! Please be aware of this potential issue. (With such a major OS upgrade, I’m, frankly, quite surprised we aren’t seeing more issues in this incompatible software category!)

You can run Activity Monitor, with the View set to All Processes to see what is running on your system, and how much CPU or GPU or Energy they are using. (Note: it appears that not all background processes have been “instrumented” for Energy use. So, the listing of All Processes using significant Energy is likely incomplete. However, since the majority of Energy use is generally due to CPU and GPU use, these will show up under the CPU tab, in Activity Monitor. That being said, though, the total Energy Impact is not dependent upon having all programs “instrumented” for Energy use.)

The Activity Monitor is a good tool for seeing what is going on “under the hood” of your computer.

Any time you wonder what might be going on, on you computer, that might be affecting its responsiveness, Energy use, Heating, etc.; the Activity Monitor can, usually, help you get an idea of what is going on.

(Unfortunately, if your computer has hardware faults—we hope not!—Activity Monitor is not the best tool for recognizing such issues.)

Welcome, Twies88, to Apple Support Communities!

«same issue» same solution.

Unfortunately, since the actual issues are due to the diversity of installed third-party software, the solution tends to involve hunting down the errant software, using tools like Activity Monitor (Launchpad -> Other -> Activity Monitor), and changing the Views to “All Processes” (rather than the default of “My Processes”); then upgrading or removing the errant software.

Since a clean install of Big Sur will have no issues, whatsoever (with healthy hardware: it is unfortunate that this proviso seems to be necessary), it has long been proven that it is nothing that Apple can “fix”, because nothing is broken. (Well. Not on their side: hardware and [their] software.)

Hi all,

I haven't posted an update in a while so here's the latest. I won't get into all of the details again but to recap:

- Installed Big Sur when it came out: severe battery drain (+/- 2 hours). Note: The only third-party applications that I use are Affinity Photo and BitDefender. Both were updated for Big Sur prior to my upgrade. 

- I did EXTENSIVE troubleshooting for 2 weeks with no viable results. I confirmed WITH APPLE that there were NO hardware issues and NO CPU issues. 

- I decided to ask Apple to wipe my disk - they reinstalled High Sierra. I then updated back to Catalina which gave me one more hour of battery life, and a bunch of new issues. I suspected these were due to the disk wipe not being done properly and confirmed this with a senior advisor at Apple. 

- During my call, the senior advisor revalidated that there were no issues with the CPU processes. He suggested that I reduce my screen brightness (I do like it at 100%) and that I try disabling the BitDefender extensions in Safari to see how my battery would fare. 

- Keep in mind that the testing I did was in Catalina: I allowed the MBP to auto-adjust the brightness. I disabled all 3 BD extensions and enabled them one at a time after each battery drain. The first test was run with none of the extensions enabled. The average lifespan of the battery was 7 hours. The only exception was when I enabled the 3rd BD 'icon' extension - I got about 6 hours of battery life. I believe my culprit is the screen brightness because right now, that's what makes the most sense. Why did the issue start all of a sudden? Can't say for sure...

Yesterday, I had another call with a senior advisor to resolve my bad disk wipe issues (this time, I did it myself) and do a clean install:

- He walked me through the full disk wipe (via internet recovery). For some reason, my MBP was only letting me download Catalina instead of Big Sur, so I did that and then immediately downloaded Big Sur. The advisor said this wasn't an issue on my end.

- At this time, I haven't reinstalled BD or Affinity yet, but will be doing that later today. I plan to test the same way I did on Catalina to see how the battery fares in Big Sur.

- Yesterday's battery life (post Big Sur upgrade) = 5 hours, which is 2-3 hours less than Catalina. But, it's better than my first Big Sur install. 

- Right now, I've been off the adaptor since 4:45 a.m. and am currently at 6 hours of battery life. I've got 29% left which will give me another half hour or so. Note: I did notice the battery dropped more quickly while I had my external HD plugged in.

- Thus far, I haven't noticed any overheating but TBD.

I don't know if these details will be helpful to any of you but figured I would pass them along.

I seem to have mostly fixed my problem by uninstalling Malwarebytes too. When I used Activity Monitor to see what processes were using the most CPU time, I found that a process called "kernelmanagerd" was the big culprit. Elsewhere in the Apple discussions I saw someone flag Malwarebytes as the application that uses this process.

Apple should be proactively warning its customers about the potential for this problem -- and recommended mitigation and solutions -- when the software update utility first recommends this "upgrade." Having to track this down as a novice user is a real pain.

Hi

I had the same issue after upgrade from Catalina to Big Sur, after read a lot of information and tried some advices, my macbook pro mid 2014 is running ver well with big sur, first a saw in the activity monitor the process "secd" was consuming the 170% of the cpu and other processes too, the fans were running really fast a doing a lot of noise and ny computer gets too hot. I read in other community sorry I don't remember what community, that in some cases you just have to log out your apple ID, restart your computer and log in your apple ID again. That was the solution for me, at least by now.

This was really easy, if you get another way to solve this issue, please post it.

SMFowlkes wrote:

It’s been more than a few days and battery drain still remains ridiculously fast. This makes me very disappointed in Apple.

Welcome to Apple Support Communities!

If it has been more than a few days, you likely have the same problem as so many others (here and in other, similar Discussions): third-party software that simply wasn’t ready for such a major Operating System (OS) upgrade (not just an update).

It has, typically, been a problem with background processes that most users never even know are there, unless they look for them (using Activity Monitor).

A reasonably good place to start is the article linked to by drji41, above, at https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252033589?answerId=254255583022#254255583022.

However, I’m disappointed that the article didn’t point out the need to change Activity Monitor’s Views to “All Processes”, rather than the default of “My Processes”, since, many times, the errant processes will not show under the default.

Note: that article is not exhaustive, since the issue is as varied as the software (and peripherals) users have on their Macs.

The problem is not Apple’s, except, perhaps, in their assumption that users would be wise, and check their software and peripheral device compatibility with any OS upgrade.

After all, the distinction between an update vs. an upgrade is important:

• Updates cannot have incompatible OS changes: only compatible OS changes are allowed.
• Upgrades can, and usually do, have incompatible OS changes: in fact, this is the only time there should ever be incompatible OS changes.

Welcome, k_w8, to Apple Support Communities!

Unfortunately, the listing of processes using a significant portion of your Battery is not comprehensive: it misses almost all background processes. This is true even if you use the Energy tab in Activity Monitor.

It simply appears that most background processes are not “instrumented” for Energy/Battery use.

If that were not the case, tracking down the culprits would be much easier!

However, except in cases of Hardware failure (such as a short-circuit, potentially even within the Battery itself), computers cannot use significant amounts of Energy without doing a significant amount of computer work: usually CPU or GPU, but significant wireless communications—especially far from a base-station—can also use significant Energy.

What did you do when you «factory reset [your MacBook]»?

Even a full wipe-n-restore may not help, since it restores your third-party software—including their “invisible” background processes.

Wiping the drive, and reinstalling a “virgin” copy of the Operating System (OS)—but without restoring or reinstalling any third-party software—is the test that demonstrates that the issue is with third-party software that is, simply, not ready for the new OS.

Unfortunately, this wipe and reinstall of a “virgin” OS is not for the “faint of heart”: there are multiple ways people can get it wrong, as attested to by some other reports on Apple Support Communities.

Only after demonstrating that the problem doesn’t occur on the “virgin” OS install, would one restore their Data—still no third-party software.

At this point, your system will begin doing a significant amount of background work—analyzing, indexing, caching, etc., the new files you just “dumped” on the OS. However, this should “settle down” in a day or two (or, possibly, longer, depending upon how many files were “dumped”).

Then, and only then, should one begin to restore or reinstall third-party software—being keenly aware that any of them could be the culprit causing your troubles!

Alternatively, we can help you to try and track down the culprits on your current installation.

Please see my post, above, at https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252033589?answerId=254327588022#254327588022

gobsmacker wrote:

This is stupid. I shouldn't have to be a computer wiz to have a laptop that works and doesn't drain in 2 hours. I'm an old lady who runs a business and needs my laptop to be at 100%. Unreal I have to jump through hoops just to have it running normally.

I understand, especially with Macs.

If this had been a mere update, there would have been no excuse for there being any such issues: updates, to an Operating System (OS), can only have compatible OS changes.

However, the upgrade to Big Sur was just that: an upgrade; in fact, a major upgrade, sufficiently major for Apple to increase the major version number, from 10 to 11, for the first time since 2001!

Unfortunately, while you may not know it, the incompatible OS changes inherent in OS upgrades, has always (for as long as we have had electronic computers that use OSs) meant that users must carefully check the compatibility of their current software before making the “leap” to an OS upgrade—especially a major OS upgrade. (This has been true since something like the ‘60s.)

Now. In my opinion, Apple made a “tactical” error in providing this major OS upgrade through the usual Update Panel.

Before Big Sur, one could only obtain OS upgrades through the Mac App Store (or retail outlets, before that). (This is why I didn’t even look at the Update Panel when I wanted to upgrade to Big Sur.)

As a result, we have many users, such as yourself, that are in the unenviable position of running a major OS upgrade with incompatible software.

What’s worse is that instead of the incompatible software simply “bombing”, when run, or simply refusing to run; the incompatible software—particularly background (having no Graphical User Interface [GUI]) processes—still “run”, but use a huge amount of your computer’s resources (especially Central Processing Unit [CPU] resources) doing nothing useful, to you, the user; but draining your Battery.

As I’ve written, this is an unenviable position for anyone to be in, but particularly for people who are not «computer wiz[zes]»!

We, your fellow users, are here to help you through this difficulty!

As a simple remedy, you could take your «laptop» to «a computer wiz»—preferably an Apple Genius Bar appointment, or to an Apple Authorized Repair Facility—to have them backup your «laptop», wipe its drive, and provide you with a clean install of Big Sur or Catalina (or whatever your previous macOS was).

If you go for your previous macOS, you, or they, can simply restore all your files, software, and settings.

If you go for Big Sur, you, or they, can restore your files, and, maybe, your settings, but restoring your software will need to be done with great care, to keep your system from being “restored” right back to its troubled state.

As I’ve written, you are in an unenviable situation, but we, your fellow users, are here to help!

Hi update on my battery drain. Guy from apple care did some hardware and software test after an hour manage to find the culprit. It wasn't actually the Big Spur, It was Google Chrome. Uninstalled and did fresh install for google chrome and problem sorted. Battery back to normal returning over 10 hours in full charge, laptop is not getting hot and charges quick. every thing back to normal.

So Happy now my mac is back to its full performance. Worth the time spent with apple care. Thanks to apple care team. Much appreciated. Give them a go.

pvmikev1:

See my response: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252033589?answerId=254186451022#254186451022

hayrettin193 wrote:

today i have upgraded to macos big sur. however, there is significant battery drain after this upgrade. battery drains in 1 hour after this upgrade. how this issue can be solved. my device is 2018 macbook pro.

Reboot.

Try resetting the SMC https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201295

This has been exactly my case: MBP, 16'', tremendous drain of battery even after two days and after spotlight has finished its duties. NVRAM and SMC reseted at no avail.

BUT, after noticing the Google Chrome Helper was still working even with Chrome closed, and AFTER KILLING Google Chrome Helper, everything has gone back to normal: battery drain as usual (nearly 7 hr), temperature normal (no super-hot as before), no fan...

Well, I know this is not the definitive solution, as Google Chrome Helper was working flawlessly with Catalina, and not with Big Sur, but at least I know what I must do now while Apple doesn't provide a solution.

Thank god!!! I've solved the problem for me. I used to only get 2 hours on my MacBook Pro 16" (2019) Model and it'd overheat (I could hear the fans like crazy) and I've thought about wiping my entire laptop clean. I was thinking about just surviving on those 2 hours (unplugged battery use) for another week - just desperately waiting for an update. I did a backup and was mentally ready for my restart to factory settings when I read about Google Chrome (as an app) having caused some issues in the past. So I thought I'd give it a shot by deleting (deinstalling) Google Chrome from my laptop. And it stopped all the issues I've had!!! I'm no longer reliant on my charging cable :) I have absolutely no idea what Google Chrome has to do with Big Sur but it's solved the problem for me and I'm no longer complaining. I hope I could help someone else with this!

However, I still think Apple should address this ASAP.

I saw Spotlight under 'Using Significant Energy' all the time for more than five days. Removing the Spotlight.plist files and killing the actual Spotlight process via terminal had no impact, so I unticked all categories that can appear in Spotlight as well as adding all drives into the privacy list.

Et voilá 'No App Using Significant Energy' anymore. To bad that it can not simply be turned off and on if you are running the Mac on Battery ... ideally it should do this automatically for all unnecessary processes ...