Apple’s been in the courtroom for several years now, after the company was found to be slowing down older iPhones without the consent of the owners. The company’s reasoning? The health of the batteries inside those iPhones had degraded to a point where running at full speed could trigger shutdowns or other issues.
That series of lawsuits has also led to Apple adding a very useful tool into its products, including the Battery Health feature.
The feature lets you see how well your battery is faring under your usage, and also tells you if you can do things to improve the battery’s health, or if you need to replace it. That same tool is also coming to the Apple Watch, and macOS is getting some new stats pages for a more complete picture of your battery use, as well.
Here’s how to check the battery health of your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and MacBook
Pictured above you can see the results from scanning my iPhone 6s Plus, iPhone 7, and iPhone 8 Plus with coconutBattery. If you look at the far left picture, you can see that after about 207 charge cycles — a charge cycle is the use of 100% of the battery's capacity — my iPhone 6s Plus is only able to charge to just under 90% of the original battery capacity. What is battery health management? Apple offers a more technical explanation on how battery health management works. The battery health management feature in macOS 10.15.5 is designed to improve.
It’s pretty simple to check the new inbuilt tools that Apple added, so you can keep an eye on your not-user-replaceable battery.
iPhone or iPad:
- Open the Settings app
- Scroll down to Battery and tap
- Tap on Battery Health
- You’ll see percentages detailing your battery’s health, plus suggestions if your battery is less than optimal Image: KnowTechie
Mediainfo 18 12. This last screen will also tell you if your battery has degraded to the level of needing a replacement. Just know that’ll cost around $80 if so.
Apple Watch:
You’ll need to be updated to WatchOS 7 to be able to check the battery health on your Apple Watch. So, until the public beta arrives, you’ll need to be using a developer account to access this currently. If you are, here’s how to check:
- Open the Settings app
- Scroll down until you see Battery, then tap on it
- Tap Battery Health
That’s it, you’ll now see a percentage indicating how healthy your battery is, and any advice you may need on how to improve it.
MacBook:
Apple added a Battery Health feature to macOS back in April, but macOS Big Sur (the next major update) brings even more battery tools. You’ll be able to see exactly which apps are draining your battery, both as a daily rundown or over the last ten days.
- Open System Preferences from the Apple logo at the top left of your screen
- Click on Battery
You’ll now see graphs of your Mac’s energy usage on the Usage History tab, along with a graph of Screen On Time, so you can match the two together. You can also check the battery health of your MacBook by going to System Preferences > Power Saver > Battery Health.
That’ll give you the health status, and an option about disabling Battery Health Management, which automatically adjusts performance and the maximum charge of your MacBook’s battery depending on your usage habits. It’s pretty much the same system that’s in iOS, so it will be interesting to see how well it works when it hits my work laptop in the fall.
Optimized battery charging
Image: KnowTechie
While you were checking out your battery health on your iPhone, you probably saw a toggle for Optimized Battery Charging. This handy setting learns your charging routine, then instead of fully charging your device, it’ll charge to 80% until before you usually pick it off the charger, when it will finish charging to 100%. That puts less strain on your battery over time, hopefully resulting in a longer lifespan for your device.
Oh, and while we have you. If you had an iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 6S, or SE, or an iPhone 7 or 7 Plus that experienced slowdowns, go join the class action so you get some cash for your troubles.
What do you think? Plan on using these features to check on your iPhone’s battery health? Let us know down below in the comments or carry the discussion over to our Twitter or Facebook. Anymp4 mp3 converter 8 2 12 full.
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About the lithium-ion battery in your Mac notebook
Mac notebook batteries use lithium-ion technology. Lithium-ion batteries charge quickly, are long-lasting, and currently provide the best technology to power your computer.
All rechargeable batteries are consumable components that become less effective as they get older—and their age isn't determined only by time. A battery's lifespan depends on its chemical age, which is affected by factors such as its temperature history and charging pattern. As your notebook's battery ages chemically, its charging capacity gets smaller.
With these tips for maximizing battery performance, you can get the most out of all your Apple devices. And with battery health management, your Mac notebook can take battery optimization even further.
How battery health management helps
The battery health management feature in macOS 10.15.5 is designed to improve your battery's lifespan by reducing the rate at which it chemically ages. The feature does this by monitoring your battery's temperature history and its charging patterns.
Based on the measurements that it collects, battery health management may reduce your battery's maximum charge when in this mode. This happens as needed to ensure that your battery charges to a level that's optimized for your usage—reducing wear on the battery, and slowing its chemical aging.
While battery health management benefits your battery's long-term lifespan, it can also reduce the amount of time your Mac runs on one battery charge when capacity limits are applied. If your priority is making your Mac notebook last as long as possible before recharging, you can turn the feature off.
When battery health management is turned on, your battery's maximum charging capacity might be limited. Although the feature is designed to improve your battery's lifespan, the limited maximum capacity might update your battery status menu to indicate a need for service.
How to control the battery health management feature
Battery health management is on by default when you buy a new Mac notebook with macOS 10.15.5, or after you upgrade to macOS 10.15.5 on a Mac notebook with Thunderbolt 3 ports.
Battery Health Macbook Pro 2017
If you want to turn it off, follow these steps:
- Choose System Preferences from the Apple menu , then click Energy Saver.
- Click Battery Health.
- Deselect Battery health management, then click OK.
- Click Turn Off.
Safari download. Note that turning this feature off might reduce your battery's lifespan.
Learn more
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Battery Health Mac Check
If you feel that your battery isn't lasting as long as it should, you can learn about getting service for your Mac notebook.