How long should a apple MacBook Pro hold a charge while in use?

bmoorewilliams wrote:

My MacBook Pro only holds 100% charge for maybe six hours before it’s at one% percent is that normal?

well it is relative not absolute...to make some definitive statement.

But it seems " maybe six hours" is pretty normal.

ref:

Get help with your Mac notebook battery

Learn how to optimize the life of the battery in your Mac notebook, fix battery issues, and get service.

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT

The rule of thumb—if you are near the mains leave it plugged in, if you need the portability then run on the battery only—this is how you help optimize your battery charging and extend the working life of your battery by reducing the cycle count.

Determine battery cycle count for Mac notebooks

Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops - Apple Support

About BHM battery health management:

M1/M2/M3 SoC

About battery health management in Mac notebooks - Apple Support

Intel

About battery health management in Mac laptops - Apple Support

That is normal performance for a new-ish Mac.

But for most users, running all day on battery in NOT NORMAL.

That computer is a battery-CAPABLE device. It is not optimized as a battery-operated device. (It is NOT an iPhone.)

Your computer performs best when connected to AC power. It can use the full output of the Power Adapter AND when doing especially challenging work will also freely "borrow" power from the battery. In some cases, even with the power adapter connected, the charged state may decline during stressful work.

When used only on battery, your computer has no extra cushion of power, and may perform more slowly. However, for ordinary non-stressful tasks this may not be objectionable (possibly not even noticeable.)

In general, you should ALWAYS connect AC power when it is possible to do so, and only run on batteries (which could be somewhat slower) when no AC sources are at hand. Your Mac will NEVER over-charge.