Find the apps using your battery
- Open Activity Monitor › Energy. Sort by Energy Impact for what's using power right now.
- Check 12 hr Power. This column shows each app's average impact over the last 12 hours, which is better for spotting slow, steady drains.
- Look at Preventing Sleep. Apps marked Yes can keep your Mac awake when it should be resting.
- Check System Settings › Battery. It charts your battery level and screen-on usage for the last 24 hours and 10 days.
Fixes that make the biggest difference
| Fix | Why it helps |
|---|---|
| Lower screen brightness | The display is one of the biggest power users |
| Quit apps with high Energy Impact | Busy apps keep the chip awake and working |
| Close unused browser tabs | Tabs with video, ads or live updates keep running in the background |
| Turn on Low Power Mode | System Settings › Battery › Low Power Mode lowers power use across the system |
| Unplug accessories you're not using | Some drives and devices draw power from the Mac |
| Update macOS and your apps | Updates often fix battery-draining bugs |
Check your battery's health
Batteries lose capacity as they age. Go to System Settings › Battery and click the ⓘ next to Battery Health to see its condition. For the cycle count, hold ⌥, choose Apple menu › System Information, and select Power. If the condition says service is recommended, a battery replacement will bring back the old battery life.