Mac Battery Problems? Solve them Here
So your mac’s battery is broken? Is it not charging? Is it draining too quickly? Does it have a “service battery” message? Let me help you solve all your mac battery problems with these few key battery tips.
What You need:
- “Battery Health” App from the Mac app store
- a Mac
- hands
Here’s a quick tip before I get into the real diagnostics. If you have the ambiguous “service battery” message, try a PRAM reset (which can be found in the linked article) before you go through the trouble of bringing it in.
Determining the Problem with our app
Download a free app from the app store called “Battery Health” and open it up.
Things to check
The first thing to look at when you’re checking your battery is your cycles. This gives you an idea of how much wear and tear your battery has incurred. My current computer for example has seen 330 cycles at press time.
Next, take a look at the battery health section. This measures the current capacity of your battery vs its starting point. Anything in the 85-90% range after a year is generally good. This number fluctuates as your computer cycles, but if it dips particularly low, that’s your problem and you may need a new battery.
If your battery issue is localized (i.e only when using a certain app), open that app up and then “Battery Health”. Go to the details section, and observe how the consumption graph changes as you use that app. Also take a peek at the time remaining section. This gives you a good indication of whether a certain app is causing your battery troubles. I found for example, that when testing the Leap Motion, my battery life vs average use was cut by 75%.
Calibration is key
It’s important to fully charge and drain your battery at least once a month. This process, known as calibration, is key to keeping the sensors functioning properly, and to keep the battery at its’ peak health.
Problem not solved?
You need professional help…with your battery. Send us an email and we’ll try to help you out.
