Hey there. I'm kinda concerned about my MacBook's battery. I bought a brand new 13" M1 MacBook Air a month ago and my battery health is at 98% with 11 charge cycles. Is this normal and are there any tips to slow down the degradation?
MacBook Air 13″, macOS 14.1
I had the exact same issue with my 15" M2 MacBook Air, and similar concerns about my MacBook battery's longevity. From my perspective, this is a big issue. I don't know if it's a design flaw, poor choice of battery manufacturer, or if it's an overzealous software check on the battery health.
I got a replacement for my MacBook a few months ago for an unrelated issue. I'm currently at 15 charge cycles and 100% battery health. Before the replacement I was down 96% battery health with 18 charge cycles.
It's worth trying to see if a replacement is possible, but you would need AppleCare+ if you are outside of the return window. But you're likely to hear that a degrading battery is "normal," despite the fact that a quick drop like that is not typical.
If a replacement is not possible, the best solution depends on how you use your computer. If you typically keep it plugged in most of the time like I do, there is an app called AlDente that allows you to set a charge limit to keep your MacBook from charging all the way to 100%, which can reduce the strain that having a full charge can have on the battery long-term. For instance, my laptop will stop charging when it reaches 50%, and will then switch to pulling power directly from the charger rather than the battery. It's a great app, and I think it will go a long way to protecting my battery long-term.
If you use your laptop off the charger most of the time, then you could still benefit from having AlDente with adjusted settings to keep the charge at around 70%. Spend some time reading through the app's recommendations to find the best settings for how you use your computer.
The unfortunately reality is that batteries don't last forever. The best way to protect yourself moving forward is to invest in AppleCare+ so you can get a battery replacement when the battery health drops below 80%.
Is this normal ...
... and are there any tips to slow down the degradation?
Well here’s the thing: I live in a country where AppleCare+ isn’t available otherwise i’d have gotten it the moment I bought my MacBook. It obviously still has the regular warranty so I guess I’ll bring it in for a checkup or just live with it and replace the battery after a couple of years since I’m planning on using the Mac for quite a while.
I offered an alternative solution in my previous reply, I strongly recommend considering it to maximize the longevity of your battery since you don't have access to AppleCare+ and are not considering a replacement.
MacBook Air Battery Health Concern
