With the release of macOS Catalina 10.15.5, Apple has introduced a new Battery Health management feature to macOS. This feature is similar to what is already found in iOS and it aims to extend the lifespan of your MacBook by reducing the wear and tear on it.
Most people tend to use their MacBooks for up to 5 years or even longer periods of time. The battery is usually the first to go on older MacBooks as the hardware is usually good enough to survive over five years of heavy use. While it is possible to replace the battery on MacBooks, most consumers don’t usually do it since it is expensive. With the new Battery Health management feature in macOS Catalina 10.15.5, Apple is hoping to extend the battery lifespan of MacBooks depending on one’s use case.
How Does Battery Health Management in macOS Catalina Works?
The Battery Health management feature in macOS Catalina 10.15.5 will analyze your MacBook’s usage and charging habits and automatically prevent it from charging to 100% if it deems necessary. Having a battery always charged to 100% and keeping it plugged in is not good for its lifespan which is why Apple has introduced this feature. Many MacBook owners use their machine as a desktop-replacement meaning it is almost always plugged into a power source. In such cases, the Battery Health management feature will prevent your MacBook from charging to 100% thereby extending the lifespan of the battery.
Enabling Battery Health management does not mean that your MacBook will stop charging its battery to 100% though. The feature will analyze your usage patterns first and then accordingly make adjustments. If you have a very erratic schedule or if you are always on the move, you could consider turning off the Battery Health Management feature as it is not going to be of much use to you. However, if you are always near a power source and want to extend the battery lifespan of your MacBook, you should keep this feature enabled.
Compatible MacBooks
All MacBook and MacBook Pro models featuring a Thunderbolt 3 port and launched on or after 2016 support the Battery Health Management feature. This means all MacBooks and MacBook Pro models launched in or after 2016 are compatible with this feature. Older MacBooks and Macs that do not run on battery power are incompatible with this feature.
Battery Health Management is enabled by default if you are updating your MacBook to macOS 10.15.5. However, if you get a new MacBook that’s running macOS Catalina 10.15.5 out of the box, you will have to enable the Battery Health Management feature manually.
How to Disable Battery Health Management On Your MacBook
Step 1: Go to System Preferences -> Energy Saver on your MacBook running macOS Catalina 10.15.5.
Step 2: Click on the ‘Battery Health’ option at the bottom of the window.
Step 3: From the dialog box that pops up, you will have the option to turn off the Battery health management feature. You will have to again click on ‘Turn Off’ to confirm your selection.
What are your thoughts on the Battery Health management feature of macOS Catalina 10.15.5? Drop a comment and let us know!
