Battery Health
Open the Apple menu → System Settings → Battery. Next to Battery Health you will see Normal or Service Recommended. Click the ⓘ to see Maximum Capacity as a percentage.
MacBook Air · MacBook Pro · Intel and Apple silicon
MacBook battery replacement
A worn battery is the most common reason a perfectly good MacBook starts to feel old. Check yours in thirty seconds below — and if it is time, most battery jobs are done the same day when the part is on the shelf.
Do it yourself first
Check your battery in 30 seconds
Cycle count
Hold Option, open the Apple menu → System Information, then choose Power in the sidebar. Cycle Count is listed under Health Information. One cycle is a full 100 % of discharge, even if it is spread over several days.
What the numbers mean
Apple rates the batteries in most MacBooks from the last fifteen years for 1,000 cycles, designed to keep up to 80 % of their original capacity at that point. A Mac near either line is due a battery; one well past both is overdue.
Signs it is time
When a new battery makes sense
- Battery Health says “Service Recommended” macOS has measured that the battery no longer holds enough charge or is behaving abnormally.
- Maximum Capacity well below 80 % Apple designs MacBook batteries to keep up to 80 % of their original capacity at their maximum cycle count. Below that, runtime drops noticeably.
- Cycle count near or over 1,000 Most MacBooks from the last decade and a half are rated for 1,000 cycles. Past that, wear is expected.
- Shuts down with charge still showing The battery can no longer deliver peak power, so the Mac switches off to protect itself.
- Trackpad hard to click, case rocks on a table, gap along an edge The battery may be swelling. Stop using it and read the warning below.
If the battery is swelling, stop using the Mac
A lithium-ion cell that is breaking down can produce gas and swell. In a MacBook that shows up as a trackpad that will not click, a bottom case that bulges or rocks on a table, or a lid that no longer closes flat. A swollen battery can crack the trackpad and damage the logic board, and in rare cases it can catch fire.
Shut the Mac down, unplug it, do not charge it, and do not press the case back into shape. Carry it flat with nothing on top of it and bring it in.
On the bench
Why it is a bench job, not a five-minute swap
On most MacBooks made in the last decade the battery cells are glued into the bottom of the case, under the trackpad and around the logic board. Getting them out without bending the case or puncturing a cell takes time and care; fitting the new pack is the easy part.
After a new battery goes in, give it a few normal charge cycles. macOS learns the new battery over the first days of use, and the time-remaining estimate settles down.
Making the new battery last
- Leave Optimized Battery Charging switched on (System Settings → Battery). It learns your routine and holds the charge below 100 % until you need it.
- Keep the Mac out of heat: not on a radiator, not in a hot car, not running heavy work under a duvet.
- Use it on battery now and then. Lithium-ion cells do not need full discharges, but a Mac that never leaves the charger ages its battery faster than one used normally.
Battery replacement
Questions
How long does a MacBook battery replacement take?
On common models it is usually done the same day, when the battery for that model is in stock. Call with your model number and we will check before you come.
How much does a MacBook battery replacement cost?
It varies by model and by what the battery costs that week, so we quote rather than publish a list. Call with the model number from the bottom of the case; you hear the price before any work starts.
Will my files be affected?
No. Replacing the battery does not touch your storage. As with any repair, back up first anyway.
Is it worth replacing the battery on an older MacBook?
Often, yes — a new battery is usually far cheaper than a new Mac and gives an older machine years more use. The exception is an Intel MacBook you were already planning to replace, because macOS Tahoe is the last macOS version Apple says will support Intel Macs. Our repair-or-replace guide covers this in detail.
My battery is swollen. Is it safe to bring it on the subway?
Keep it switched off and unplugged, carry it flat in a padded bag without anything pressing on it, and bring it in as soon as you can. Do not try to press the case closed.
12-07 Jackson Ave · Long Island City
Battery on its last legs? Bring it in
Walk in any day between 10 AM and 9 PM — no appointment needed. Call first with your model number and we can tell you whether the part is on the shelf.