macOS Big Sur battery drain issue

Yep, this example does not exist;

Neither does this one;

And this thread from way back in 2011 (well before Big Sur) doesn't show the same exact issue also:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/7943668?login=true

You can believe whatever you want to believe, but you can't change the facts. This is a well known issue not caused by the OS. Oh and the 2015 battery replacement you mentioned was because of faulty batteries (which may overheat and pose a fire safety risk) and again, not because of the OS.

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

Greetings Users!

I've written on the support page about all the methods tried out and I'm waiting for a response there too.

If you are interested, here is the link: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/667067#667067021

Welcome, , to Apple Support Communities!

Are you, likewise, finding your battery being used, quickly, while running your 2017 MacBook Pro? Even when you are doing any particularly “heavy” computing?

Have you tried the recommendations, such as what I shared with david_0908, above (https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252033589?answerId=254046285022#254046285022)?

All I’m recommending is for you, and others, to try and see what’s really going on, on your own computers.

Then, you’ll be better equipped to take appropriate action.

No “censorship” even attempted, dear medsfacts.

Additionally, there is more than simply «"normal 1-2 days of indexing"...»: that is what occurs if there are no errant third-party software involved.

Clearly, most here are in that errant third-party software category.

In fact, our guidance and recommendations are primarily directed at those so afflicted.

In addition, if you wish, you all may provide Apple direct Feedback, via Product Feedback - Apple, perhaps more specifically via the macOS Feedback.

(After all, Apple is not here. It’s just us, fellow users.)

(As an additional point, on this issue: it is easily proved that the issue is not due to an interaction between Big Sur and your Mac; all it requires is a clean install of Big Sur on your fully wiped Mac, with no third-party hardware or software installed.

Even the migration of your data files only brings on the «"normal 1-2 days of indexing"...», for a day or two [or, possibly, longer], depending upon how many files are involved.

Some have “lucked out” to not have the issue recur even after restoring their third-party software, but that seems more like the exception than the rule.)

Hi ByronBorja,

Logging out and then logging in AppleID/iCloud fixed my battery drain problem as well. I described the steps in my earlier post (on the 5th of December), see

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252033589?answerId=254055323022#254055323022

The battery problem has not reoccurred on my MacBook Pro since. I also think vladislav127 suggested this fix around the same time, but this does not appear to be a universal solution for everyone given the variety of software people run on their computers.

Welcome, 1skirk, to Apple Support Communities!

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

This is not a problem Apple can fix, since it doesn’t occur without third-party software.

Welcome, Davydad, to Apple Support Communities!

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

Apple is not here. We are only your fellow users, trying our best to help y’all.

This is not a problem Apple can fix, since it doesn’t occur without third-party software.

Welcome, NJJackinVA, to Apple Support Communities!

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

Apple is not here. We are only your fellow users, trying our best to help y’all.

This is not a problem Apple can fix, since it doesn’t occur without third-party software.

Welcome, rmdnoglu, to Apple Support Communities!

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

Apple is not here. We are only your fellow users, trying our best to help y’all.

This is not a problem Apple can fix, since it doesn’t occur without third-party software.

However, we, your fellow users, are here to help you track down the software that is incompatible with this major upgrade, and causing these issues.

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

jkd22 wrote:

Looks to me like instead of fixing it they made it even worse. Snooze is still broken with only one option but now you have to access a drop down to get to it which now has "Snooze" and "Join" but no Snooze options. How could Apple break something this badly and then not fix it for so long?

If you don’t like the options provided, in Big Sur, then you should provide your Feedback directly to Apple: Product Feedback - Apple, such as the macOS Feedback.

gobsmacker:

See my previous comment at https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252033589?answerId=254779074022#254779074022:

«Hence, there is little, if anything, Apple can do about this issue.»

I’m sorry if that is not what you want to hear.

Welcome, UzzalS, to Apple Support Communities!

Please see my previous comment at https://discussions.apple.com/thread/252033589?answerId=254779074022#254779074022:

«Hence, there is little, if anything, Apple can do about this issue.»

I’m sorry if that is not what you want to hear.

In order to help people solve this issue, there is a very nice resource to help y’all check your applications for compatibility with some of the latest versions of macOS (including Big Sur).

It is recommended for everyone before they upgrade.

I’m hopeful that it will be useful for those that have already upgraded, but are having trouble with «battery drain», or systems that are running “hot”, or “sluggish”, or not “responsive”, etc.

lukasz292:

You can find older versions of macOS via How to get old versions of macOS - Apple Support. The installer links are to Mac App Store (use Safari, since most other browsers will not work properly).