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Is it good to leave a MacBook Air connected to charger (using it like a desktop) ?
If charging cycle count is the main factor in battery lifespan it would seem that keeping the computer connected to the charger would be a good thing. In addition, I can then have a brighter screen w/o draining the battery to get it.
Or is keeping the charger connected somehow bad for the battery ?
MacBook Air
Keeping your Macbook connected to a charger is no problem. It wouldn't make much sense to leave it unplugged and drain the battery every time just to recharge it again and unplug again. Especially if you are doing heavy tasks on it which drain the battery even quicker.
Cycle Counts will remain low if you just let it plugged in and you can get away if gaining only one cycle per one/two week period. If your Air is older (2015ish or older) you should however once a month drain it and recharge it so the battery meter remains somewhat accurate in measuring the actual remaining run-time. On newer models I believe macOS does this automatically and uses the battery from time to time even with the power adapter connected.
I unplug my 2013 MacBook Pro at night when I go to bed and do a full discharge every month. This is especially important if the computer has only been used on a desk, was plugged in almost all the time and not really used on battery power for some time.
The old battery of my Macbook had swollen up, and while I don't think that it was the result of me leaving it plugged in most of the time, or maybe it was just an overall defect, but I think it was rather the result of excessive heat that is building up in the chassis because of the poor software engineering regarding how the fans are controlled (they only kick in when the Computer already is very hot in favor of keeping the device operating quietly) which I think is total rubbish. I'd rather have a cool computer that does make slight fan noise than an overheating one. I wouldn't run any Mac without MacsFanControl anymore. If you don't have it installed, I highly recommend it.
Keeping your Macbook connected to a charger is no problem. It wouldn't make much sense to leave it unplugged and drain the battery every time just to recharge it again and unplug again. Especially if you are doing heavy tasks on it which drain the battery even quicker.
Cycle Counts will remain low if you just let it plugged in and you can get away if gaining only one cycle per one/two week period. If your Air is older (2015ish or older) you should however once a month drain it and recharge it so the battery meter remains somewhat accurate in measuring the actual remaining run-time. On newer models I believe macOS does this automatically and uses the battery from time to time even with the power adapter connected.
I unplug my 2013 MacBook Pro at night when I go to bed and do a full discharge every month. This is especially important if the computer has only been used on a desk, was plugged in almost all the time and not really used on battery power for some time.
The old battery of my Macbook had swollen up, and while I don't think that it was the result of me leaving it plugged in most of the time, or maybe it was just an overall defect, but I think it was rather the result of excessive heat that is building up in the chassis because of the poor software engineering regarding how the fans are controlled (they only kick in when the Computer already is very hot in favor of keeping the device operating quietly) which I think is total rubbish. I'd rather have a cool computer that does make slight fan noise than an overheating one. I wouldn't run any Mac without MacsFanControl anymore. If you don't have it installed, I highly recommend it.
Hey there, BaltoBird!
Thanks for stopping by the Apple Support Communities. It sounds like you have some questions regarding how to manage the battery life on your MacBook Air. You've come to the right place to get some help!
Based on what you've asked, I would suggest reviewing the following Apple Support articles. They will give you some information on how your battery works, how to manage its lifespan, and where to check its health status:
About battery health management in Mac notebooks - Apple Support
Check the condition of your Mac notebook’s battery - Apple Support
Determine battery cycle count for Mac notebooks - Apple Support
Get help with your Mac notebook battery - Apple Support
Best!
Thank you very much for commenting and giving those references. But I have read all those things, and nothing (that I have found) directly from Apple answers the questions. I have seen contradictory answers from "experts" online. It seems to me that leaving the MacBook Air connected to power would be the best choice, but with technology logic does not always apply.
Thanks for the thoughtful reply. I appreciate that you took the time. Your response makes sense.
MacBook Air battery: Keep plugged in or not ?
