Though seldom used on battery power and almost constantly plugged in, my two month old MacBook Pro sometimes loses battery power while plugged in and doing nothing that requires much power. Cables and brick are all Mac equipment. What to do?
MacBook Pro 15″, macOS 10.15
Is the light on your MagSafe plug glowing green or amber? If it's regularly amber, even after being plugged in for hours, I recommend depleting the battery (run on battery power only) to 20%. Then take it back to 100%. I have found that the battery doesn't blow through cycles while the plug light remains green, but mysteriously does when the light is amber.
I'm currently vexed by the same issue. I've been told by Apple this is normal. Optimized battery performance is smarter than me (I'd fully accept this reality, were it true.)
Third call to Apple was more of the same, but with an added layer of gaslighting.
I'm now taking daily screen shots like this to prepare for call #4 sometime this week.
Where are you seeing these varying opinions, Old Poodle? It's been so long since I've been left high & dry by Apple Support, I have forgotten where to look.
Old Poodle wrote:
Though seldom used on battery power and almost constantly plugged in, my two month old MacBook Pro sometimes loses battery power while plugged in and doing nothing that requires much power. Cables and brick are all Mac equipment. What to do?
This seems normal. You are doing the right thing.
Let the software work for you. Typically after weeks of learning your usage patterns the computer will hold the battery near 80% and exercise accordingly up or down.
The rule of thumb—if you are near the mains leave it plugged in, if you need the portability then run on the battery only—this is how you help optimize your battery charging and extend the working life of your battery by reducing the cycle count.
you can read more about the software—
About BHM battery health management M1/M2/M3/M4 SoC
About battery health management in Mac notebooks - Apple Support
what I see right now—plugged in nearly all the time on my MBP
optimize the life of the battery in your Mac notebook
If you see Service Recommended on your MacBook Air or MacBook Pro - Apple Support
Thank you kindly for your response. There are varying opinions on this matter online, so your reassurance is helpful. This protocol is foreign to as my old MacBook just retired after a dozen years of excellent service; its battery never failed even though plugged in all that time! I shall try to adapt.
MacBook Pro 2024 losing battery power while plugged in
