You don’t need to do anything besides optimize battery charging. Devices are smart.

Turn on "Optimized battery charging" in the settings (it's on by default) and do nothing special. They look after themselves.

Certainly don't zero them.

Apple has a dedicated batteries page, and there is a section for Mac notebooks.

I don’t understand why people bother with that nonsense. I guess it’s empowering to feel you have any control over it. It’s an obsession for many.

Just let macOS handle it. If you use it often enough on battery it will be just natural. If you don’t, macOS will know and put it at 80% and cycle it from time to time.

I just use the 80% option that’s built into the current versions of macOS.

50% is best for long life (to reduce chemical aging, which still occurs even if you don't do any charge and discharge cycles)

How to Prolong Lithium-based Batteries

https://batteryuniversity.com/article/bu-808-how-to-prolong-lithium-based-batteries

can't cite the sources but everything I've read says yes. I do it.

yes, limiting charge improves the lifetime of lipo cells. this is science. does it matter to a noticeable extent in a specific consumer product? much harder to say. there are several factors involved (chassis temp, total charge cycles, charging current, etc) and it takes years to play out.

as a former battery health obsessive, my advice is to just use your computer normally and enjoy it. if you really like it, buy apple care or set aside a few hundred to eventually replace the battery. these computers are way too expensive to constantly worry about optimal battery wear. it's a tool, not a child.

Early 2011 13inch. Used everyday and a lot of cycles on the battery but I don’t mind caring a charger with me so that wasn’t a big deal. I would try to keep the software side relatively clean, never downloading any apps or programs that would have no use and frequently deleting files that were no longer of use. I did drop the MacBook twice out of truck on to the road (my foot sort of broke the fall on both falls) so it has some dents and scratches but that never really bothered me. I find there is no need for those crap cleanup apps. I should also mention I used the MacBook as a student so lots of Netflix, YouTube and normal student stuff like word processing and notes/studying. But I also used it for some light video editing when I couldn’t be at my desktop as well as photo editing. Overall the thing lastly this long with the only upgrade was me adding an SSD after the hard drive failed for the second time ( both times were under AppleCare so I got the new HDD and then swapped it for an SSD when I was out of AppleCare) no clue how it lasted so long other than the thing itself was a tank, it was always on me, that was until I got my new 2018 i9, and has been around the world. I’d say just stick with your instincts turn it off when you are moving it and don’t let it around messy kids.

I’ve had my 2012 15” MBP since 2015 and I love it. I don’t really do anything intensive on it, but my work laptop is the equivalent of a 2013-2015MBP and it’s still doing great.

CPUs haven’t really gotten much faster in the past 6 years until this last generation where we FINALLY got a core count upgrade. The biggest difference has been power efficiency, peripheral support, and integrated graphics.

2010 Macbook 15".. Put more ram and ssd in. Good enough daily user for me. Keep it clean and baby it except it fell once in its life and there's a huge dent now but everything still works.

If you're doing frequent intensive work that pushes the CPU for extended max load, then you should change the thermal paste at least every two years with good high quality thermal paste. It'll ensure that it has maximum thermal efficiency. Bad thermal paste will lower the performance of the CPU once it starts to dry, meaning a slower overall laptop.

Well, mine is a mid-2010 13” and it looks and works like new. Secret, I keep it clean and safe. I charge it when it needs charging, I keep it plugged in when I plan to use it for more than an hour or so (to limit its charge cycles).

My wife has a mid-2009, she is not nearly as careful with hers. It’s battle scarred, but it’s still fully functional. Other than she’s on about her fourth or fifth charger. And has far more charge cycles.

Honestly, its also a bit of luck. I am now on my second macbook air in just 6 years and this one already has battery problems. For the first one, my backlight and motherboard died after 3 years. This second one ive had for just over 2 years and now has the ‘battery service’ warning. I take very good care of my devices... i think i have been unlucky because generally they last ages. I only use it for school, some media like youtube and matlab for school.

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i have a late 2009 MacBook unibody that is still snappy today. older MacBooks are still so capable. but you have to know how to care for them right. i upgraded the RAM and the HDD to an SSD and put the Catalina patcher on it and it gave the vibe of a new MacBook in a classic skin.

there is this term called Molecular Migration. its basically the process of trace molecules slowly moving over time. this is why our computer components die. while theres no real way of protecting against molecular migration as it is constantly happening, you can help reduce it by making sure your Mac (or any computer) does not get too hot. also keep your Fans and heat sync clean by using an anti static vacuum or can of Compressed air to blow out the dust. dont drop it or cause any blunt force upon it as it could break a trace on the boards. and replace the thermal paste on the CPU. i recommend applying fresh paste every few years to maximize the life of your CPU. bc even a old Core 2 Duo is 150 bucks to replace if you fry it. some of these things you can do yourself but some of them you most certainly leave to the professionals to do as someone with none to barely any computer experience could easily shock sensitive computer components. ESD (electro-static discharge) is a real thing and could easily cause you to have to spend alot of money to fix your computer. its why its important to do research and to ground yourself by touching a large metal object, wearing an ESD wrist band, using an ESD mat, and the right tools are so important. and last! opening a computer (in this case a mac) and macs especially you are breaking your rights to service. The rights to service are there to keep IT workers like me safe and it pissed me off when people like Linus Tech Tips bitched about Apple not repairing their iMac Pro after they took it apart and broke some components, even though they offered to pay them for it. we are working with electrical components like batteries and capacitors it is possible to get seriously injured if there is 3rd party work done by people who dont know what they are doing.

edit. if you know your work load is going to be too heavy for your Mac or computer. dont force it upon it. you can sell it to someone who will use it on a less heavy scale. my first late 2009 i upgraded and realised that my workload had begun to get strenuous on it so i decided to sell it so i could get something more capable (my 2014 MBP). That same MacBook is now in my Step Moms realtor office and is helping people find homes and is having a nice calm rest of its life. but you also have an option of donating it. one of my teachers donated an old Late 2007 to me and i used it to loan to a college student whos computer had just died. sadly the Graphics on that MacBook just kicked the bucket a few days ago but he had a stop gap so he could find a new computer.

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edit 2. i have an original 1999 iBook G3 Clamshell on OS X Tiger and it still funcions 100% perfectly because it had been well taken care of :)

Here are the things I would do:

1. Avoid Chrome as it’s not a lightweight browser.

2. Check for software updates as they include battery optimizations.

3. Reduce the number of notifications and use the "Do Not Disturb"

4. Check your battery health with a monitoring tool like Coconut Battery.

5. Disable the use of location services in System Preferences

6. Online ads use up a lot of battery. Use Ad blockers like Magic Lasso that reduce battery use on heavy sites.

The tips you mentioned can help a bit, but you may need to accept that it won't be as portable as it once was. Batteries almost always lose their total capacity over time

There are battery apps, like AppTamer, that limit the energy that apps use when in the background. You might have a look here: https://macmenubar.com/battery-apps/

If you can, shut down wifi and bluetooth. Keep the screen brightness as low as you can. Working in dark mode may help.

You may consider speeding up your Mac. In effect it means it uses less energy. You can Google for more info. Example article: https://www.macworld.com/article/668632/how-to-speed-up-a-mac.html

Exactly. A good powerbank (or two?) is a good solution.

Buy an external power bank to keep your battery juiced up

I got the anker 24k one. Has an output of 140w so it also fast charges.

Honestly? Just use the laptop as you want and need. A battery cycle count of 3 is nothing. That’s just basically how many times your laptop has used 100% worth of battery. I probably do a cycle count every 3-4 days! I’ve had my MacBook Pro since around February and I’m on 34 cycles. Note your laptop will have had around 2-3 cycle counts before you even opened it!

If you’re using the battery you’re using the battery, there’s not much you can do to change that part of the equation - you will use cycles if you’re charging and discharging the battery

Charge when the battery hits 20%, use one of those tools to limit charging to 80% unless you’re going on a long flight and specifically need 100%. Charge slowly using the slowest charger that fulfils your needs rather than using the fastest charger available, keep the device as cool as you can

Do all of the above whenever you can, but not at the expense of avoiding using your laptop for what you need, because that’s silly

3 cycles in 2 weeks isn’t a lot, that’s about 75 cycles a year and that rate you should easily get ~5-7 years out of the battery before it hits 80% of max capacity. Honestly, you don’t need to fuss about it with your usage

Turn on "Optimize Battery Charging" and never think about this again.

Battery optimisation is now built in to system. No need for 3rd party apps.

If you're using it off battery you'll end up with cycles on the battery. Not the end of the world.

I've got 59 cycles on mine and 100% capacity according to apple and 101% according to coconut.

You could still use aldente or something to keep charge below 80. Try and recharge before you get to 20%. You can also do low power mode when on battery to make the battery last longer during the day.

I have it on and my Mac has NEVER stopped charging at 80%, it doesnt really work for me

Not really, no. It has a miniscule effect. The battery will degrade almost the same with it or without it.

I have it on and after a few days the charging stopped at 80%

According to this article yes, avoiding charging to 100% increases battery lifespan. macOS stock solution has a problem though, it only kicks in when it's basically glued to the charger, if you take it off once and use it on battery for more than a minute it resets and takes another couple weeks to start working again. It's the reason people use tools like AlDente, Battery etc

Just use it like normal. What's the point of a small portable ultrabook if you're just gonna keep it plugged in all the time.

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> Leaving the battery at 100% capacity will decrease its lifespan, but running it through repeated discharge and recharge cycles will also decrease its lifespan. Basically, whatever you do, your battery will wear down and lose capacity. That’s just how batteries work.

Keep it charged above 20% and below 80%. Otherwise just use it as you need it. Don’t become a slave to battery percentage.

Here are some tips to maximize MacBook battery life:

- Turn off the geolocation service, or prohibit it for individual applications.

- Before you leave your MacBook (for more than 6 months) discharge it about halfway, and keep it in this condition, fully charging it up to 100% is not recommended.

- Set up the Power Save Settings on macOS

- If you have to go somewhere for a long time (for more than 6 months) discharge it about halfway, and keep it in this condition, fully charging it up to 100% is not recommended.

Source - https://nektony.com/tips/improve-macbook-battery-life