Is your Mac’s battery still running at full capacity or has it depleted since you bought it a few years ago? Constant charging and depleting of your battery is going to have an effect on its capacity over the years, but by how much is the real question.

We cover how you can check the health status of your Mac’s battery and what options are available if it needs to be serviced or replaced. We also look at how you can optimize your Mac’s battery for better performance and how you can make use of Apple’s recycling program if the time has arrived to get a new Mac.  

How to check the health of your battery

To check the condition of your battery, hold the Option key and click the battery icon. Next to Condition you will see one of four status indicators: Normal, Replace Soon, Replace Now or Service Battery.  

You can access further battery information by clicking on the Apple logo in the top-left menu bar > About This Mac > System Report > Power. On the Battery Information screen, in addition to seeing the health information, as described above, you will also see its max capacity and charge remaining.

You can also use third-party OS X apps, like Battery Health and coconutBattery, to check the status of your battery. However, Apple does warn on their support page that the data provided by third-party apps can be inaccurate, so you should rather rely on the information in the battery health menu as described above.

Is it covered by AppleCare?

If you bought your Mac less than a year ago, then you will still be covered under Apple’s one-year limited warranty. This warranty includes replacement coverage for a defective battery.

If you purchased an AppleCare Protection Plan, which costs between $249 and $349 depending on the model, you enjoy the advantage of having extended coverage for three years. This means that your Mac’s battery will be replaced, at no charge, if it is retaining less than 80 percent of its original capacity.

If you are passed the one-year warranty stage and didn’t buy an AppleCare Protection, then you can get your battery replaced or serviced for a fee.    

Servicing your Mac’s battery

All computers with built-in batteries, like the MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro, should have the battery replaced by an Apple Authorized Service Provider or Apple Retail Store. If you attempt to replace it yourself, your Mac won’t be covered under warranty.

Options include taking it into an Apple Authorized Service Provider, making an appointment at an Apple Retail Store, or sending it to Apple (contact them and they will send you a box to use). The cost will depend on the extent of the repair.

How to optimize your battery

Making certain adjustments on your Mac could allow you to get more out of your battery life.

• Adjust screen brightness: Dim the screen by pressing the F1 key until it is at a comfortable setting for you. Alternatively, adjust the brightness by going to the Apple menu > System Preferences > Displays.
• Energy Saver: The Energy Saver pane has various options available that will allow you to improve your Mac’s battery when it is sitting idle. To access the Energy Saver pane, click the battery icon > Open Energy Saver Preferences.
• Disable power-sapping features: There are certain features that can have a significant impact on your battery even when not in use. Disable Bluetooth or AirPort, eject any CDs or DVDs, disconnect devices like an external USB, FireWire, ThunderBolt, SD card or Expresscard.
• Automatic graphics switching: Many MacBook Pro models have two graphics processors (GPU). The discrete GPU provides the best performance but at the expense of the battery, while integrated GPU lacks the performance of the discrete GPU but allows for optimal battery life. There is an Automatic graphics switching that is by default turned on and will allow your Mac to automatically switch between the two GPUs based on the applications currently running on your computer. This will allow your Mac to optimize its battery life.

To check that it is switched on, select the Apple menu > System Preferences > Energy Saver > the Automatic graphics switching checkbox should be ticked.

Use Apple’s recycling program

If there is nothing more that can be done for your battery or your Mac then make sure you use Apple’s recycling program that will ensure they are recycled responsibly.

Tell Apple what device you have and they will email you a prepaid mailing label. Delete your data, ship your device and Apple will recycle the device. In exchange, you may qualify for a credit towards your next Mac.

It is your responsibility to ensure all your data is deleted before you send your Mac to Apple, make sure you follow the below steps.

1. Create a backup.
2. Sign out of iTunes. Open iTunes > Store > Deauthorize This Computer > enter Apple ID and password > Deauthorize.
3. Sign out of iCloud.
4. Deregister from Apple Support. Sign into Apple Support with your Apple ID and remove your Mac if it is listed.
5. Sign out of iMessage. In the app, select Preferences > Accounts > select your iMessage account > Sign Out.

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