Depending on how much you use your MacBook and whether it is Intel-based or a newer Apple silicon machine, the average battery life after a full charge should be 10 to 17 hours. However, some have reported a far faster loss of power on their MacBooks for no obvious cause, prompting them to go online with the question “why is my MacBook Pro battery draining fast?”
What are the causes of my MacBook Pro battery draining fast?
Battery life is not always consistent and is affected by temperature, usage, and settings. Bugs are rarely the cause of MacBook Pro battery difficulties, especially if you have the most recent software loaded.
If you have the screen set to 100% and are downloading gigabytes in a location with spotty WiFi, your MacBook will logically run out of power more quickly because Apple’s battery life predictions are predicated on low brightness and light internet activity. In all other circumstances, it’s reasonable to wonder, “Why is my MacBook Pro battery draining fast?”
Some of the most common reasons are as follows:
Overuse. If your workflow requires a lot of multitasking, don’t be shocked if your MacBook Pro battery drains quickly. The more apps you have open, the more power is consumed to keep them running.
Incorrect settings. Some of the default settings on the MacBook could be eating a disproportionate percentage of the battery’s charge. Bluetooth, screen brightness, keyboard lighting, and Energy Saver options are among the basic settings.
Battery that is old or damaged. The battery may simply have reached the end of its usable life or may have been damaged by mistake, resulting in your MacBook no longer holding a charge. In this instance, replacing the battery is the best option.
How to Restore MacBook Battery Life
Now that you’ve narrowed down the reason of your MacBook Pro battery draining fast, keep reading for the most effective solutions.
Examine the condition of your battery
Battery care is frequently overlooked by laptop owners, yet it is frequently the root cause of a MacBook not retaining a charge as effectively as it should. In light of this, you may be thinking “why is my MacBook Pro battery draining fast?” examines the battery’s life cycle first.
Battery cycles are the many charge-discharge stages that the MacBook battery might go through during its lifetime. A MacBook battery, according to Apple, is good for around 1,000 cycles before it is considered worn out.
Follow these steps to check the health of your Mac’s battery:
- Navigate to the Apple menu.
- Select “About this Mac,” “More Info,” and “System Report”.
- Scroll down to see the power specifications.
- You may get information about your battery’s cycles and condition here. If the condition is described as “fair” or “normal,” you should be fine.
Examine background applications
Most MacBooks can run dozens of programs without you even realizing it. Some of them may be running because you forgot about them, while others may have opened during the setup process. In any case, background programs are one of the things that can cause the MacBook Pro battery draining fast.
Follow these steps to see which apps are consuming the most power without your knowledge:
- Navigate to Applications.
- Utilities > Activity Monitor
- Close any apps that are taking up the most CPU and GPU resources.
Bluetooth should be turned off.
Bluetooth is a sort of technology that allows devices to wirelessly exchange data. If you leave this option enabled on your laptop, it will constantly search for linked devices, causing your MacBook Pro battery draining faster than usual.
Turning off Bluetooth while not in use is a healthy habit. Simply follow these steps:
- In the top left menu bar, select the Bluetooth icon.
- Turn Bluetooth Off by clicking the button.
Configure the power adapter preferences
The power adapter choices on your Mac are a modest but powerful tweak you may make to aid with the MacBook Pro battery draining fast problem. Here’s how to deal with them:
- Go to the Apple store.
- Select Battery from the System Preferences menu.
- Select Power Adapter.
- Uncheck the box next to “Enable Power Nap while connected to a power adapter.”
- If High Power is enabled, click Energy Mode and pick Automatic or Low Power.
Reset battery settings
Some high-power settings on your laptop could be the answer to “Why is my MacBook Pro battery draining fast?” Simply alter or reset a few parameters to eliminate this unnecessary power loss. Here’s how it’s done:
- Navigate to System Settings.
- Click on Battery
- Low Power Mode should be set to Always or Only on Battery.
Reduce the screen’s brightness.
If your laptop screen is always at 100%, don’t be shocked if your MacBook Pro battery drains quickly, just like the brightest light bulbs consume more energy. Dimming the screen by a few degrees improves not only battery life but also your eyesight. To rapidly reduce the brightness of your screen, click the F1 key or, if you have a current MacBook with Touch Bar, tap on the sun icon.
Another lighting feature that could be causing your MacBook Pro battery draining fast is keyboard lighting. The MacBook keyboard light is turned on by default, but you may turn it off with the F5 key or disable it on the Touch Bar.
Change the battery.
If none of the preceding solutions worked and the MacBook Pro battery problem persisted, the battery may have simply reached the end of its lifespan or been damaged and has to be replaced.
It’s best to go via Apple to have your MacBook battery replaced, especially if you have a newer model computer with glued-in batteries that are practically impossible to repair yourself.
MacBook Pro battery draining fast is the most likely to cause uncertainty every time you interact with your Mac. To avoid this, figure out why your MacBook Pro battery is draining quickly and resolve the problem as soon as possible using one of the ways indicated above.