macOS Big Sur battery drain issue

Delete Google Chrome or any application related with Google. Be sure that it works. Chrome is absorbing the battery in this OS. Restart your Macbook a few times and you will see that overheating and battery drain issues are solved forever. Use Opera instead of Chrome if you are obliged.

Hello again,

I have a late 2016 MBP but the battery was changed because of the keyboard so I call it a new one with 100 cycles now. Actually, the problem arises from the safety problems in Chrome. I have tried it hundreds of times. First I suggest you to uninstall Chrome and Google applications, you can use Opera with the same functions. Then, download Avast for Mac. The Free Version is enough to fix the issues. Restart the Mac a few times by checking the heat and battery life with Battey Health 2 application for example. You will se how the battery lasts more than 6 hours. Good luck.

Well, fatihozturk148, you still haven’t answered the question of «what «threats» «Avast» «found» «and» how it «resolved them»?»

However, now, you are implicating Chrome, in your case.

Yes. Many have found Google Chrome to be a poorly compatible App: especially a version held over from a previous version of macOS.

(However. I have new versions of Google Chrome, and other third-party browsers, on both my Intel and M1 based Mac minis, running Big Sur without issue: including without high CPU, high GPU, high energy, high heat, or other usage.)

I have the same issue i have mac pro 2020 and within 1 hour my battery drain from 100% to 20% and getting very heat and the fan getting very fast hopefully, apple realize that and release update to fix that

Welcome, RameshPR, to Apple Support Communities!

Have you tried the recommended procedures to find the old, incompatible third-party software that is abusing the power of your Mac?

It has been well established that Big Sur works well with all the (Apple claimed) compatible Macs: all one need do is fully wipe your Mac and perform a clean install of Big Sur on your Mac—without any third-party software, including no automatically installed driver software for third-party add-on hardware—to verify this, yourself.

This is the most tested configuration for all (Apple claimed) compatible Macs. (That’s not to say that you must do this in order to fix your issue.)

Additionally, y’all can check your applications for compatibility, using the provided link, to see what versions of your software (Apps, at least) are compatible with Big Sur. (It’s usable for previous versions of Operating Systems [OSs] as well.)

Beyond all that, y’all can use Activity Monitor to find any other software that is overusing the resources (such as CPU) of your Mac.

Those of us, here, with long Mac experience, have been helping many to fix this «battery drain issue». We can help you, too.

Welcome, kabukcu, to Apple Support Communities!

Big Sur was never an “update”. Big Sur has always been a major Operating System (OS) upgrade. (It was unfortunate, in my opinion, that Apple presented this major OS upgrade by way of the Update Panel.)

Have you tried the recommended procedures to find the old, incompatible third-party software that is abusing the power of your Mac?

It has been well established that Big Sur works well with all the (Apple claimed) compatible Macs: all one need do is fully wipe your Mac and perform a clean install of Big Sur on your Mac—without any third-party software, including no automatically installed driver software for third-party add-on hardware—to verify this, yourself.

This is the most tested configuration for all (Apple claimed) compatible Macs. (That’s not to say that you must do this in order to fix your issue.)

Additionally, y’all can check your applications for compatibility, using the provided link, to see what versions of your software (Apps, at least) are compatible with Big Sur. (It’s usable for previous versions of OSs as well.)

Beyond all that, y’all can use Activity Monitor to find any other software that is overusing the resources (such as CPU) of your Mac.

Those of us, here, with long Mac experience, have been helping many to fix this «battery drain issue». We can help you, too.

So ... here we have 500 people who complain that Big Sur drain battery and one person that keep saying that is your fault .

By the way I have no third parts software, no Chrome, only Safari, nothing that get too much CPU percentage, done all recommended procedures, no cad programs, and similar ones, always the same office paperwork and procedures, but in my Mcb 2018 battery has gone from 8-9 hours to 3-4 ... The problem IS Big Sur, whatever he says.

TheBobes wrote:

I had the same problem and about the same drain rate. I installed (moved to Trash) Malawarebytes and my problem was solved. Big relief.

Did you mean un«installed (moved to Trash Malawarebytes and [your] problem was solved»?

That would make good sense.

fred_logan wrote:

I've done a clean install and it didn't work. …

What do you think is «a clean install»?

When I use that term, it means fully wiping your drive before installing a pristine version of Big Sur, without any installation or restoration of any software that doesn’t come with the Big Sur installation—including no third-party software drivers for third-party add-on hardware (such are often downloaded, installed, and run without user involvement).

Such has been the most highly tested configuration of all. (The same is true for all versions of macOS.)

Is this what you actually tested?

Yes, exactly. Macbook Pro (15 inch, 16GB RAM, 2017).

I wonder how long it will take Apple to solve this issue as this thread is open since November 2020.

So, a downgrade to Catalina is the only option that REALLY works so far?

fred_logan wrote:

Yes, exactly. Macbook Pro (15 inch, 16GB RAM, 2017).

What version of Big Sur are you running? There was an issue with battery charging on a few models, as I recall, that was corrected in one of the Big Sur updates, a few updates ago.

So. Are you actually claiming that you fully wiped your drive before installing a pristine (more recent) version of Big Sur, without any installation or restoration of any software that doesn’t come with the Big Sur installation—including no third-party software drivers for third-party add-on hardware (such are often downloaded, installed, and run without user involvement)?

That would be quite extraordinary!

Such has never failed! Such is the most tested configuration of macOS (for all versions)!

If you are actually making this claim, then this would suggest you have a problem with your hardware!

However. Maybe an SMC and/or NVRAM reset—on your truly clean Big Sur install—may help correct some firmware issue that is “masquerading” as a “hardware” problem.

I wonder how long it will take Apple to solve this issue as this thread is open since November 2020.

So long as there are no cases where a truly clean Big Sur install fails on well running and well configured hardware (remember, this is the most tested configuration of all), there is nothing Apple can do «to solve this issue», since there is no issue with Big Sur on the hardware Apple has deemed compatible.

So, a downgrade to Catalina is the only option that REALLY works so far?

If you actually have a problem with a truly clean Big Sur install, that cannot be corrected with any of the firmware resets, then «a downgrade to Catalina» is highly unlikely to perform any better.

(Incidentally, there have been a few cases of hardware failures that caused both Big Sur and Catalina to have power drain and other issues. Hopefully, you aren’t another case.)

Welcome, pierfconsa, to Apple Support Communities!

I’m sorry to hear of your trouble.

However, Apple isn’t here. We are but fellow users, here, volunteering our time to help our fellow users.

If you want, we can help you get your issue fixed, as we have done for many of your fellow users with similar issues.

pierfconsa wrote:

Thanks dude I have been trying with this thread for months nothing worked I witnessed this software upgrade destroying my battery

Have you actually tried what the more experienced users (signified through their “Level”, around here) have been recommending?

As I wrote:

«If you want, we can help you get your issue fixed, as we have done for many of your fellow users with similar issues.»

The same for me. ...

By the way on my iPad I have a LOT of third parts app and the "iPad version" of Big Sur: the battery last more than 12 hours!!

That is the proof that the problem is Big Sur, not third part software ...

i have used mac computers for 20 years. i never had to complain about a mac computer. I have tried everything on this thread, nothing worked for me. the computer after the upgrade or whatever you want to call it if not upgrade transition .... after that the computer has become functional only on power. Before then, the strongest point of that thing was battery life was really around 4 hours. It's really disappointing apple trying to drain money from people just trying to have their old computers trashed. I should have not upgraded (transitioned) to this big poop or big sur.