How do I optimise my MacBook Pro's battery?

Hi Josetroti:

When you leave your MacBook Pro plugged in, it will stop charging automatically when it reaches 100%. There is not need to unplug it.

I turn my Macbook Pro on in the morning and leave it on unless I am going out for a few hours in which case I will power it off.

At night I power it off. I don't use sleep mode, as with the SSD drives the Macbook boots up very quickly. But that is just my preference.

I have heard that if you leave your computer plugged in all the time, that a least once a month you should let it run down to about 30% and then recharge it.

It is not good to let it go down lower than 10%.

Here are some tips about battery usage. About Mac notebook batteries - Apple Support

To start, use it as you need ... plugged into the wall on a desk more, or use it at a desk in class unplugged much of the time.

Now... lithium-ion batteries develop a "memory". If you run it dead even once, it starts to think it should store less charge. For me the magic "minimum charge" that lets the LI battery still want to hold a full charge is 30%. Also LI batteries need a little exercise now and then as as "always 100%" can shorten life.

I can leave my system plugged in most of the time, but exercise it down to 30% once a month for exercise ... combines the "30% rule minimum drain" and "exercise it now and again".

If you need to run it at a desk in class, the system will be closer to 30% than 100% much of the day. That is fine ... that is just "life". But I would advise you do plug it in at least 20 minutes during the day (lunch, classes without the computer) to keep it away from that 30%.

Hi again Josetroti:

It looks like Steve has given you a lot of good information.

You asked about whether to Shut down your computer or put it into sleep mode. When your computer is in sleep mode it still uses some battery power.

If you shut it down it does not use any.

If you are going between classes and need to put it to sleep for 10 - 20 minutes that is fine, but if you are not going to use your computer for a while, I would recommend shutting it down to conserve battery power.

Small addition to KimUserName's advice ... "sleep" still uses power, still needs cooling which means free space around it. "Sleeping in my backpack" is the same as "heating up and not able to cool itself easily".

Tough call, but easier than in the past with slow startups on HDs.

Steve, gonna have to call you out on this one. Lithium-ion batteries do NOT develop memory. Ever. Only Nickel-based batteries did that. And those have gone the way of the dodo bird. Next, sleeping MacBooks are doing that: sleeping. CPU is off, drive is spun down, fans are off and memory elements are in a quiescent low-power state that do not generate measurable heat. However if yours heats up, it means that a sleep state has not been reached: some process is impeding it. In the old HDD/removable battery models you could verify by ensuring the pilot light up front was pulsing or "breathing". Nowadays you need to put ear to metal and listen for the fans shutting off.

OP, oodles of info can be had at theBattery University.

Hi Josetroti,

Here is Apple's official documentation on maximizing your battery life:

http://www.apple.com/batteries/maximizing-performance/

Always make sure your MacBook is using the latest version of OS X. If you’re connected to the Internet, OS X automatically checks for software updates every week, but you still control when the updates are installed. To confirm that you’re using the latest software, go to the Apple menu and choose Software Update.

Learn more about updating OS X

Energy. The Energy Saver preference pane includes several settings that determine power levels for your MacBook. Your MacBook knows when it’s plugged in and runs accordingly. When using battery power, it dims the screen and uses other components sparingly. If you change this setting to maximize performance, your battery will drain more quickly.

Brightness. Dim the screen to the lowest comfortable level to achieve maximum battery life. For instance, when watching a video on an airplane, you may not need full brightness if the cabin lights are off.

Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi consumes power, even if you are not using it to connect to a network. You can turn it off in the Wi-Fi status menu in the menu bar or in Network preferences.

Applications and peripherals. Disconnect peripherals and quit applications not in use. Eject an SD card if you’re not currently accessing it.

Make sure your MacBook is plugged in and powered on when you’re using it to charge other devices via USB. Otherwise those devices may drain the battery in your MacBook faster than normal. If another device is connected to your MacBook when it’s turned off or in sleep or standby mode, the device’s battery may drain.

Thanks,

Mark