MacBook battery draining fast? See what’s busy

Which app is using the most energy?

The quickest check is the battery menu.

1. Click the battery icon in the menu bar.
2. Look under Using Significant Energy. macOS lists the apps drawing a lot of power.
3. If you aren’t using an app listed there, quit it, especially on battery.

For the full picture, use Activity Monitor:

1. Open Activity Monitor. It’s in Applications > Utilities, or search for it with Spotlight.
2. Click Energy, then click the Energy Impact column heading to sort the list, highest first. Energy Impact compares apps with each other: a higher number means more power right now.
3. Look at 12 hr Power too: each app’s average energy impact over the last 12 hours, or since your Mac started, whichever is shorter.

The bottom of the window shows the charge left, the time remaining and how long your Mac has been on battery.

What should I do about it?

• If the app is doing work you asked for, such as a render, an export or a large download, plug in until it finishes, or let it finish first.
• If you don’t need it right now, quit it from its own menu, saving your work first.
• If it isn’t responding, select it in Activity Monitor, click the Stop button, then choose Quit. Choose Force Quit only if Quit doesn’t work, because unsaved work in it is lost.

How do I make the battery last longer?

Turn on Low Power Mode for when you’re on battery:

1. Choose Apple menu > System Settings, then click Battery.
2. On Macs with Energy Mode, open the On battery pop-up menu and choose Low Power. On other Macs, open the Low Power Mode pop-up menu and choose Only on Battery.

Low Power Mode reduces energy use to increase battery life. A bright screen uses more power too. On some MacBooks, the battery menu shows Display Brightness when the screen is bright enough to use significant energy; click it to turn the brightness down.

Is my battery worn out?

If nothing is busy and the battery still drains fast, check its health: Apple menu > System Settings > Battery > Battery Health. Service Recommended means the battery holds less charge than when it was new. MacBook battery health and cycle count, explained shows how to read it.

Questions people also ask

What does Preventing Sleep mean in Activity Monitor?

It shows whether an app is keeping your Mac awake. An app that keeps your Mac awake keeps it using power, so check that column when the battery drains while you’re away.

Does Energy Impact show which app used the battery?

Not exactly. Energy Impact is a relative measure of each app’s energy use right now, and 12 hr Power is its average over the last 12 hours. Neither says how much of the charge an app used.

Can I see my battery use over time?

Yes. In System Settings > Battery, Last 24 Hours shows the battery level and screen-on usage, and Last 10 Days shows energy usage and screen-on usage.