MacBooks are fantastic pieces of kit and if cared for properly they will serve you well for years. One potential issue that may arise however, is the battery not holding its charge. This can be extremely frustrating as one of the main reasons for having a laptop is the ability to unplug it and use it on the go. If you are trying to use your MacBook at school, or work, or a cafe and the battery is not holding its charge, then it has frustratingly become an expensive paper weight.
Fortunately there are several ways of preventing this from happening to your MacBook, or fixing it if this has already occurred.
First you can start by making sure you are charging your MacBook correctly. This may seem obvious but it can be easy to overlook certain things.
- Make sure that the adapter is plugged into the wall properly and that the MagSafe AC adapter is connected correctly. If they are, you could try using a different wall socket to see if that makes any difference.
- Dust around the MagSafe port could also possibly be an issue. Make sure it is clean and free from debris, and also do a visual check of the MagSafe adapter itself. Does it look like it has burned out? Does it look overly worn? You may need to replace it.
- Try resetting the System Management Controller (SMC). This will reboot the power settings on your MacBook which may help the battery to hold its charge again. To do this, check if the battery can be removed from your laptop or not and follow these steps –
If the battery can be removed, shut down your laptop by going to the Apple menu and slecting Shut Down. Then press Shift+Control+Option+power button at the same time for around 10 seconds, then release them. (The Touch ID is the power button if your MacBook has one). Lastly, just turn your machine back on.
If your MacBook has a removable battery, shut it down steps described above, and remove the battery. A professional service can help you with this if you need or prefer them to do it. Then hold down the power button for around 5 seconds. Finally, reinstall the battery and press the power button again to power your laptop back up.
Plug the adapter back into your MacBook and into a wall socket you know definitely works. The light should now be orange or green which means it is charging, however if it still is not holding the charge the may be a fault with the battery itself.
- If you are still having issues, you may need a MacBook replacement battery. No matter how well you treat your MacBook sometimes parts do need to be replaced. This is an easy and straight forward process and will quickly have your MacBook preforming back at optimal levels.