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The battery in your MacBook is an important aspect of your Mac’s health and operating capacity. Critical components like these are designed to function for a long time under normal circumstances.
Technology over the years has really come a long way and laptop batteries today can hold a charge for far longer than similar batteries did 10 years ago.
Even though your MacBook’s battery can last a long time it is still a battery. And that means that it simply won’t last forever. Over time, the overall power of the battery begins to diminish and eventually it can wear down and need to be replaced. And mac battery replacement can be done by visiting nearest apple store.
The ability of your battery is dependent on the number of cycles it goes through in its lifetime and by keeping track of this, you can estimate how long your battery will last.
What is the Battery Cycle?
A battery cycle is the complete process of charging your battery completely and then using all of the power until it’s no longer operating. Every time you charge your battery to 100% and then use the battery power until 0%, that is 1 battery cycle.
There is an estimated number of total battery cycles that your MacBook Pro has until it needs to be replaced. After going through that many battery cycles, the battery will begin to slow down and not function as well.
Just like any other type of battery, the one in your MacBook Pro will not last forever. After time, it will begin to not hold a charge for as long as it did when new.
These batteries will still last a long time but after you go through an estimated amount of battery cycles you will notice worse performance out of your battery. Or you can follow some steps to fix battery issues.
How Many Cycles Can MacBook Battery Go Through?
The estimated number of cycles your battery can go through before needing to be replaced can vary by the model and year of your MacBook.
The average number of cycles is 1000 but can be as low as 300 for some really old models. Some models are 500.
| MacBook Model | Max Cycle Count |
| MacBook Air (Late 2008), MacBook Pro (2008), MacBook (2006-2009) | 300 |
| MacBook (Late 2008), MacBook Pro (Late 2008), MacBook Air (Mid 2009) | 500 |
| All other models (including the latest MacBook Pros released in 2020 and 2021) | 1000 |
The battery is considered consumed once it reaches the limit. Keep in mind that these are only estimates and each battery can vary.
According to Apple,
The MacBook Pro battery is designed to hold 80% of its total charging capacity for at least these estimated battery cycle count numbers.
After the cycle count limit is reached, your battery will still most likely hold a charge and be able to function, it just won’t hold a charge for as long as it used to. Sometimes this dropoff in performance can be dramatic. But if you have questions like how to know if macbook pro is charging, then you can get the answer by visiting this article.
Another thing to keep in mind is that 1 full battery cycle is from complete charge to complete battery drain. Most of us don’t always let our batteries die completely or often don’t charge them all the way up.
This means that one full battery cycle could happen over the course of several days of average use. One battery cycle takes longer to complete than you might originally believe.
How to Determine Battery Cycle Count
It’s really easy to figure out how many battery cycles your MacBook Pro battery has gone through.
This is a good thing to know so you can keep track of the information and have an idea of when you might need a new battery or to troubleshoot a reason why the computer’s performance is being affected.
Knowing how to determine the total battery cycle count is important if you want to keep up on normal maintenance of your computer.
- Hold the Option key down and then click on the Apple menu in the top left corner of your computer screen.
- Click on System Information.
- Then click on Power from the menu on the left-hand side and you’ll see a menu display pop up.
- If you look under Health Information you will see Cycle Count: followed by a number that indicates the total cycle count number for your Mac.
How to Determine Battery Health
Another thing you will want to pay attention to in addition to the cycle count is battery health. If you look in the above image, you will see it lists Condition under the cycle count.
It then says Normal. In this instance, the battery is operating normally with a small total cycle count so everything should be operating just fine.
This condition could come up as any of these:
- Normal – your battery is functioning completely fine and there is nothing to address.
- Service Battery – something is wrong with your battery that needs attention and you should bring it in to a repair or service location to diagnose.
- Replace Soon – the battery has most likely gone past it’s estimated cycle count. It will still be functioning but not holding the charge that it once did and should be replaced soon.
- Replace Now – The battery’s charging capacity is wearing down quickly and should be replaced soon. It couldstill be working but chances are it doesn’t last long without being plugged in.
There is a way to quickly and easily check on the condition of your battery instead of going into the System Information menu. Simply click on the battery icon in the menu on the right-hand side of your screen and you will see a couple of pieces of key information regarding your battery.
Depending on the macOS your MacBook is running, this may also tell you your battery condition as well as the battery percentage of remaining life. You can also click on Battery Preferences to learn more.
Under the Battery tab, click Battery Health… to continue, you’ll see a new window similar to this:
Final Words
Knowing the cycle count for your MacBook Pro’s battery can help you determine when it might be time to replace it as well as give you an understanding of the overall health and performance of the computer.
It’s an easy maintenance task to keep track of every once in a while and a good skill to learn that should be no problem to remember.
How many cycles does your MacBook battery have?
About Eric
MB
Hi! I bought my macbook pro 2020 last Aug 2020. And I just checked now the cycle count and it says 740?? Does this mean my macbook is nearing it’s limit? Will I need to replace it asap? I work from home and use my macbook clamshell mode.
Need advice. Thank you
Gulshan
if my battery is at 40% and I charge it to 80%, will this be considered as 1 cycle count? And are there any ways 1 cycle count lasts for many days ?
Hassanools
No You should charge it completely and then use it until the battery runs 0%. Then thats a 1 cycle.
Allahu Snackbar
No one cycle is one entire charge up, meaning if you are at 80 and charge 20 percent, and next day your battery is dead and charge it up to 80, it would be a full cycle.
Alex Fischer
My cycle reads 1089. Does this mean that I should replace the battery?
Chris
Just got a mid 2015 cycle count is 96 I think I’m okay
Huma
My battery cycle count is 550 but the condition says ‘replace now’ and it doesn’t work if not plugged in.
How long will the battery last?
John C.
My mid 2012 MacBook pro has Cycle Count: 1396, suggesting replacement.
I have also acquired the notorious “wandering cursor,” of which some commentators have suggested that the battery may be swelling enough to impinge on the trackpad. I will replace the battery soon.
Has anyone experienced a bloated battery affecting the cursor ?
Poorna Deepa
It’s been six months and I use my MacBook pro-2020 for almost 8-10 hours a day(since I have online classes and too many assignments). Currently, my cycle count is 85. I am a little afraid that my laptop will not be alive for more than two years? What do you think? How should I take care of by battery?
rabin
my battery says 30 cycle count how dos it mean
Asif
My macbook pro2013 battery cycle count us 680. Is it high time to replace it!?
Nourouddin
i’m using a macbook pro mid 2015… my battery cycle count is 1104…it says replace soon… but i always have my charger connect on since i’m into graphic design and movie production and i use adobes software like 18 hours over 24 hours and sometimes 22/24… is that gonna be a problem if i don’t change it and keep it plugged in with i work?
Ajay
If you don’t need to be on battery and you always have a charger on hand you should be fine
Paul Z
You should upgrade to the M1 Pro. The new memory architecture allocates memory when and where it is needed, and the result is a much more efficient laptop. I can go an entire day without charging the laptop, while connected to 2 31″ monitors and running various Adobe products, including Premier and After Effects. Plus it has not overheated once.
Bella
I’ve had my macbook for about 2 years now and the cycle count is 455. Is that normal?
Berto
my battery say 23 cycle count what do you think i need a new battery. i only use for 2 hours without the cable i have a macbook 13. thanks
Rey
No you’re good. Just like the article said, check the cycle count and condition. If you’re still confused, go to apple support and there’s a chart that determines whether your Mac is in a good condition or not
Ryan
My 13in Macbook Air also only runs for maybe 30 minutes to 2 hours. 253 Cycles used, and only 2800mAh battery. Awful battery.
bob
Drop you computer and immediately go to an Apple store to buy a new battery