How to check battery health on a MacBook
2 min read · 4 steps · Updated 2 October 2026
Open System Settings, click Battery, and click the i next to Battery Health. Normal means the battery is fine. Service Recommended means it holds much less charge than when new.
A MacBook battery slowly loses capacity with every charge cycle. macOS tells you its condition, how much capacity is left and whether a replacement is worth considering.
Step by step
Open System Settings and click Battery
Click the Apple menu, System Settings. Battery is in the list on the left.
Click the i next to Battery Health
A panel shows the condition and, on Macs with Apple silicon, Maximum Capacity as a percentage.
Read the condition
Normal: nothing to do. Service Recommended: the battery works but holds noticeably less charge, or is not working normally.
Check the cycle count
Hold the Option key, click the Apple menu and choose System Information. Click Power on the left and look for Cycle Count. Current MacBooks are designed for 1,000 cycles.
Good to know
Leave Optimised Battery Charging on. It learns your routine and delays charging past 80% until you need it, which slows ageing.
A MacBook that sits on a charger all day is fine. macOS manages the charge level. Heat is the bigger enemy: do not use it on a duvet or leave it in a hot car.
To see which apps use the most energy, click the battery icon in the menu bar, or open the Battery page and look at the usage graphs.
In short: System Settings, Battery, i next to Battery Health.
- Apple Support: Check the condition of your Mac laptop battery
Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.