Using MacBook While Plugged In — Good or Bad for Battery Long-Term? M4 Users Share Your Experience!

Question

Using MacBook While Plugged In — Good or Bad for Battery Long-Term? M4 Users Share Your Experience!

Hi everyone 👋

I’m using a MacBook Air M4 and I want to keep the battery healthy for years. I’m a little confused about one thing:

--> Is it okay to use the Mac while it’s plugged in all the time, even after it reaches 100%?

Does it affect long-term battery health in any noticeable way?

I’d love to hear from Mac users (especially M-series owners):

Do you mainly use your Mac on charge or on battery?
How’s your battery health / cycle count after months or years?
Any tips or habits that helped you maintain good battery life?

Your real-world experience will really help me and others understand the best battery practices.

Thanks in advance!

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 26.1

Posted on Dec 9, 2025 2:56 AM

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Answer 1

Dec 9, 2025 3:56 AM in response to PandiriUdayKumar

YES — it is completely safe to use your MacBook while plugged in at 100%.

Apple designed M-series MacBooks to handle this, and doing so does NOT harm the battery.

In fact, for many users, this results in better long-term battery health when combined with Apple’s optimized charging features.

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Answer 2

Dec 9, 2025 5:50 AM in response to PandiriUdayKumar

I keep my MacBook airs plugged in 24/7 except when using offsite obviously, which is not very often.

My 2020 M1 MacBook I got in November 2020 when it first came out after 5 years still has 90% capacity.

My M4 MacBook Air I bought June of this year with the same treatment is still at 100% capacity.

I do have Optimize battery charging enabled in "Settings->Battery->BatteryHealth->Optimized Battery Charging" and it limits maximum charge to 80% which I can boost to 100% when I know I will use it on the road. It will also "learn" your habits and can charge to 100% in advance if you have a regular schedule of using it on battery.

So, keeping on the charger will harm nothing.

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