Home
News
You are here

Apple is adding a macOS feature that you should definitely use to extend your MacBook's battery life.

Keep your MacBook's battery healthy for a long long time.

0comments

By Aman Kumar

Published: Feb 16, 2026, 11:41 PM

Add as a preferred source on Google

Apple Laptops

Apple MacBook Pro. | Image by Apple

iPhones may not have batteries as big as the 10,000 mAh battery of the Honor Power 2, but they do come with an incredible battery health management feature. I'm talking about Charge Limit, which allows you to set the maximum charge level of your device. Until now, the feature was exclusive to iPhones and iPads, but Apple is now introducing it for MacBooks as well.

Control how much you want your MacBook to charge

In 2023, along with unveiling the iPhone 15 series, Apple also introduced a new Charge Limit setting. It was an opt-in feature that allowed you to limit iPhone charging to 80%. Then, with the release of iOS 18, Apple updated this functionality by letting you set a battery charge limit of 80%, 85%, 90%, 95%, or 100%.

The Charge Limit feature was basically introduced to keep the battery healthy for a long time. As it turns out, the lithium-ion battery used in Apple products like iPhones experiences the most stress when it is constantly fully charged. This constant stress could adversely affect its health, ultimately preventing it from delivering peak performance for a long time.

Limiting the battery charge to anywhere between 80% and 100% slows down its aging, which is highly influenced by the amount of stress it experiences. Since the battery ages more slowly, it will remain healthy for a long time and subsequently will be able to offer peak performance for years.

All that said, the battery health management feature is now coming to MacBooks as well. It is currently available in the macOS 26.4 beta update and can be enabled by opening the Settings app, selecting the Battery option, and clicking the info icon next to Charging.

Which of these practices do you think really helps keep your device battery healthy?

Keep the device battery healthy for a long time

OH MY GAWD ! ! ! ! ! !

Charge limit option added in Tahoe 26.4 Beta!!!!! pic.twitter.com/SxNgMV3YsP
— Mr. Macintosh (@ClassicII_MrMac) February 16, 2026

The Charge Limit feature is definitely a great addition to macOS. You don't get any similar charge-limiting option on macOS's direct rival, Windows OS. Certain brands like Dell and Asus do allow you to configure your Windows laptop to stop charging at a particular level through their dedicated apps, but Windows doesn't officially offer any such built-in option.

However, it's important not to get confused between the exciting Optimized Battery Charging and the upcoming Charge Limit option. If you have the Optimized Battery Charging option enabled, your Mac will learn from your daily charging routine to prevent the battery from getting fully charged. Until it is needed for use, based on your charging habits, the laptop will only charge up to 80%. The Charge Limit option, on the other hand, will enforce a hard restriction on the limit you choose, between 80% and 100%.

As aforementioned, the new feature is available in the beta update. The issue with beta updates, however, is that they might be unstable. So, if you really want to give it a try on your MacBook, you can download the beta update. Otherwise, I would recommend waiting until the macOS 26.4 stable build is released, which, if I have to guess, could happen in late March or early April.

Get unlimited talk, text, & data on the T-Mobile 5G Network plus earn cash back for data you don’t use.

Buy at Noble Moblie

View Full Bio

Aman Kumar is a tech news writer with a long-standing passion for smartphones. Aman specializes in everything smartphones, from AI features like Pixel’s Camera Coach to understanding ideal hardware combinations. He loves breaking down complex features in a simple, clear way and hopes manufacturers bring back bold designs like the Nokia N-Gage. When he’s not writing, he’s either gaming on PUBG or talking fitness as a dedicated gym enthusiast.

Read the latest from Aman Kumar