How do I check MacBook battery health and cycle count?

Check battery health

On a recent version of macOS, Apple's page on the "Service Recommended" message gives these steps:

1. From the Apple menu, choose System Settings (System Preferences on older versions).
2. Click Battery in the sidebar.
3. Find Battery Health. It reads either Normal or Service Recommended.

Apple defines the two states plainly. Normal means the battery is functioning normally. Service Recommended means the battery's ability to hold charge is less than when it was new, or it is not functioning normally. Apple adds that you can safely keep using the Mac, and that service is worth considering if the reduced capacity is affecting your day.

If you do not see a Battery Health line, you are on an older Mac or older macOS that lacks the feature. Hold down the Option key and click the battery icon in the menu bar. Older systems can report a condition there such as Replace Soon, Replace Now or Service Battery.

Check the cycle count

A cycle count is the number of full charge equivalents the battery has been through. Using 50 percent twice counts as one cycle, which is why the number grows more slowly than the number of times you plug in.

1. Hold the Option key and click the Apple menu.
2. Choose System Information (it replaces About This Mac in that menu while Option is held).
3. In the sidebar, under Hardware, click Power.
4. Under Battery Information, read Cycle Count, along with Condition and Maximum Capacity on versions that show them.

You can also open System Settings, choose General, then About, then System Report, and go to the same Power section. The layout differs a little between macOS versions, so if Power is not in the sidebar, scroll the Hardware list.

The rated cycle count differs by model and year, so look up your model on Apple's support site rather than relying on a rule of thumb from a forum before deciding a number is high or low.

What the readings tell you

Reading	What it means	What to do
Normal, cycle count well under your model's rating	Healthy	Nothing
Normal, battery short on runtime	Often software or workload, not wear	Check Battery settings and which apps use the most energy
Service Recommended	Battery holds noticeably less than new	Book service if runtime hurts you
Charging paused or on hold	Optimized charging is doing its job	Leave it alone

Apple warns that third-party apps that report battery condition may not be accurate or conclusively show reduced runtime, and that it is best to rely on the health information reported by macOS. Treat a percentage from a third-party app as a rough hint, not a verdict.

About battery health management

Mac laptops use battery health management to slow chemical ageing, and Apple's page on it for Intel-based Mac laptops explains that the battery's lifespan depends on its chemical age, which is shaped by temperature history and charging pattern. As a result the feature may temporarily lower the maximum charge, and that can shorten a single day's runtime. You can turn it off under System Settings, Battery, Battery Health, by clearing Manage battery longevity, but Apple says that might reduce the battery's lifespan. Newer Apple silicon Macs word and place the control a little differently, so use the Battery Health pane on your own version.

Service and warranty

Apple's page says the one year limited warranty includes replacement of a defective battery, and that with an AppleCare Protection Plan Apple will replace a battery that retains less than 80 percent of original capacity at no charge. Without cover, replacement costs money. Batteries in built-in-battery Mac laptops should be replaced by an Apple Authorized Service Provider, an Apple Store or an Independent Repair Provider using genuine Apple parts, since repairs by untrained people or with non-genuine parts could cause damage the warranty will not cover.

For general charging habits, see whether it is bad to leave a laptop plugged in all the time, and for how wear works across brands, how long a laptop battery should last.