How to check your Mac battery health
Choose Apple menu then System Settings, click Battery in the sidebar, and look at Battery Health. It tells you whether your battery condition is normal or service is recommended. Click the Info button next to it to see Battery Condition and Maximum Capacity.
Steps
- Choose Apple menu > System Settings.
- Click Battery in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.
- Find Battery Health. It shows whether the condition is normal or service is recommended.
- Click the Info button next to the condition.
The Info panel shows:
- Battery Condition: whether the battery is normal or service is recommended.
- Maximum Capacity: the capacity relative to when the battery was new.
- Manage battery longevity: reduces peak capacity to optimize the battery’s lifespan.
Apple’s page notes that some options may not be available depending on your Mac model, and that the guide is shown for macOS 27 on 4 November 2026. Older versions of macOS may label things differently, so check the page’s version picker.
What to do with the number
If System Settings says service is recommended, contact Apple. Maximum Capacity is measured against the battery when it was new.
Charging options that help
Under Charging, click the Info button to see two options. Charge Limit caps how far the battery charges, to preserve its lifespan. To charge fully when you need to, click the Battery status menu bar item and choose Charge to Full Now. Optimized Battery Charging learns your routine and delays charging past 80 percent when you will probably stay plugged in for longer.
See your usage
Further down, the usage history shows the Last 24 Hours (Battery Level and Screen On Usage) and the Last 10 Days (Energy Usage and Screen On Usage). If the battery drains faster than expected, find which app uses the most energy, and consider Low Power Mode.
Desktop Macs
A Mac without a battery has no Battery Health. Apple says desktop Macs use Energy in the sidebar instead.
The notch gauge
NotchStar’s System tool shows the battery level as a ring that turns red when low and green while charging. It shows the charge level, not battery health or cycle counts, so use System Settings for health. The battery ring appears only on Macs that have a battery.
