MacBook Air 2020 Intel - Suspected Failing Battery

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Level 1

24 points

MacBook Air 2020 Intel - Suspected Failing Battery

in the last week that battery in my MacBook Air 2020 (Intel) has started to experience some rapid discharging and charging behaviour, resulting in the laptop's screen switching off and going to sleep, when the battery is on battery. The battery is the original one that came from the factory. The MacBook is running macOS 15.7.1.

While running the MacBook Air on battery, bringing it out of sleep with the battery levels around 85%, within around 90 mins, the level drops to around 65%. At this point, the screen goes off and it appears to go into Sleep. I then plug it in and after a little while, it powers back on with the battery level of 1%. Within around 10 mins, the battery level is at 65%. It then charges as normal until it reaches 100%.

This has happened the last four times that I have used the MacBook Air.

I appreciate that the MacBook Air is over 5 years old, so the battery is degraded. It has been through 271 Charge Cycles. System Information reports the battery as 'Normal'.

This doesn't look right to me, as I have been using MacBooks for over 15 years and I usually get around 800 Charge Cycles out of the factory fitted battery.

I have reset the SMC and the NVRAM. The fans have stopped kicking off, like they were. But this doesn't appear to have resolved the issues with the battery. So I think the batter is on the way out.

I took the MacBook Air to the local Apple Store last year and they tested it, said it was fine - at the time.

I am planning to take it back for a replacement battery at the beginning of next month. The local Apple Store isn't that close to me.

Does anyone have any suggestions for things to try to help confirm the issues?

Many thanks in advance!

MacBook Air 13″, macOS 15.7

Posted on Nov 1, 2025 7:03 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Allan Jones

Level 9

77,456 points

Nov 1, 2025 10:10 AM in response to HobbsN

The symptoms in your second paragraph strongly suggest the battery failing. Sudden jumps and reading as low as 1% when they were higher only minutes before are very concerning and all too familiar. However...

Before doing anything else, I recommend trying an SMC reset. The System Management Controller has responsibility for many aspect of the Mac hardware suite including power management. See this article and use the section "MAc with Apple Silicon."

Reset the SMC of your Mac - Apple Support

If that does not help then an new battery is in order. Please DO NOT get any old store to do the battery or you'll be back here with a litany of new problems.

Aftermarket batteries are virtually all trash, and providers who are not Apple Authorized Service Providers cannot get genuine Apple batteries.. Plus removal of the old battery requires solvents that cannot be used or stored in a retail setting. Even an Apple Authorized Service Provider will probably send it in. Apple will not replace the battery in-store but will send it to a centralized Apple refurbishment facility that has the required safety measures in place

The local Apple Store isn't that close to me.

Then I recommend using Apple's send-in service. Other senior members here who had Apple replace a laptop battery found Apple had, for the cost of the battery repair alone, replaced the entire upper deck assembly which includes the deck, battery, keyboard and trackpad. That greatly reduces turnaround time so you are not without your device so long. NOTE: The availability of that service may depend on where you are in the world.

It is 100% your responsibility to make a full back—preferably two— before handing over the computer for any service.

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Answer 2

HWTech

Level 9

68,078 points

Nov 1, 2025 6:17 PM in response to HobbsN

When taking the laptop to Apple or an AASP, I would recommend making sure the battery charge is below 65% charge since that appears when your battery encounters a problem. That may allow the Apple tech to actually see the issue occur.

Unfortunately it is difficult to confirm battery failures using normal means since macOS & even the Apple Diagnostics (even the service diagnostics) rarely detect issues even when confirmed through other means. Plus the issue may "disappear" once a power adapter is connected which is why diagnostics may not detect a problem.

FYI, most Apple batteries tend to need replaced when they get about 3-5 years old.

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Answer 3

HobbsN Author

Level 1

24 points

Nov 2, 2025 3:37 AM in response to Allan Jones

Thank you for this. I live in the UK and the nearest Apple Store that I can easily get to is a 40 min train ride - so more just inconvenient than anything.

I got in last night, the MacBook was no turning on - so plugged in the power cable and it came back to life, this time with the battery at 65%. I charged it to 99% and put it to sleep. This morning, I opened the lid and it woke up with a battery level of 95%. This morning, when he batter got to 65% - the display went off.

I plugged in the power and after a moment, the display came back on with the battery and 65%.

So I reset the NVRAM, I think I actually managed to do it this time - I had been pressing the 'Control' button, rather than the 'Option' button. The MacBook restarted twice and booted. I then reset the SMC and it restarted.

I then ran Disk Utility on the local disk - no issues detected.

I have been using it on the power this morning, just disconnected the power and using it on battery.

I'll see what happens this evening - as I am about to go out and will leave the MacBook in sleep.

I'll update this thread again later

Kind regards,

Neil

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Answer 4

HobbsN Author

Level 1

24 points

Nov 2, 2025 3:45 AM in response to HWTech

Thank you. Yes, I have been thinking about getting a replacement battery directly from Apple. The MacBook has different ideas.

That is a very good point about the 65% charge point. However, this morning - the screen just went off, and when it came back out of the black screen mode - the battery was at 65% and not 1%

I will look to run the Diagnostics, to see what it finds. If anything?

I have reset the NVRAM and SMC this morning

I'll update this thread in due course.

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