every time I plug my charger in my MacBook Air I get a little plug icon that says "battery on hold". right now it says its on hold 81% and will be charged by 2:00 pm. should I take it in?
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 11.0
All of the above examples that you have mentioned are perfectly normal. The software (Big Sur) learns from your habits and follows Apple algorithms to determine when to stop and start charging. This is all done for battery longevity by utilizing battery optimization while charging. The theory here is that when a computer is mostly plugged in then the battery is best maintained while it is charged under capacity (100%) That can range from 80% to 99%. The Mac learns from your behavior(s) and then attempts to charge it to 100% when it believes that you will use it on battery.
You can turn the Battery Optimization OFF and allow the battery to charge and remain at 100% every single time. This can be achieved by opening System Preferences ➔ Battery ➔ Battery ➔ Optimized Battery Charging : Set this to OFF.
Axel F.
Hi Axel,
Thank you for this detailed explanation.
Does this mean that the Macbook draws power through the cable when being used and charges when not in use - when the charger is connected?
I'm using Big Sur and thank you for explaining all of this. I'm new to MacBooks and you definitely helped me out!
You are most welcome.
Axel F.
what does "battery on hold" mean?
