The quick check: Battery Health in System Settings
- Choose Apple menu › System Settings, then click Battery in the sidebar. You may need to scroll down.
- Find Battery Health. It reads Normal or Service Recommended.
- Click the info button ⓘ next to it for the details.
What the panel shows depends on your macOS version:
- macOS 26 Tahoe and macOS 27: Battery Condition, Maximum Capacity and, on some models, Manage battery longevity. Charging settings have their own info button next to Charging: Charge Limit (macOS 26.4 and later) and Optimized Battery Charging.
- macOS 15 Sequoia: the Battery Health info button also holds Optimized Battery Charging. Apple's macOS 15 guide doesn't mention Maximum Capacity in this panel. If yours doesn't show it, the Terminal command below does.
(Sources: Apple, Change Battery settings on a Mac laptop, for macOS 15, 26 and 27.)
What “Maximum Capacity” means
Apple describes it as the measure of your battery's capacity relative to when it was new. A new battery reads 100%, or slightly less: Apple says a battery may show a little under 100% depending on how long it sat between manufacture and first use. As the battery ages, the number falls, and so does the runtime you get from a full charge.
“Normal” vs “Service Recommended”
Normal means the battery is functioning normally. Service Recommended means its ability to hold charge is less than when it was new, or it isn't functioning normally. Apple is clear that you can keep using your Mac safely either way (Apple). Apple doesn't publish the Maximum Capacity at which the label changes, so don't expect it to flip at an exact number. If you see it, our guide to battery Service Recommended covers what to do and what a replacement costs.
On older versions of macOS without Battery Health, hold Option and click the battery icon in the menu bar. It may say Replace Soon, Replace Now or Service Battery.
Find your cycle count
A charge cycle is using 100% of the battery's power, but not necessarily in one go. Use half today and half tomorrow, and that's one cycle, not two.
In System Information
- Hold the Option key, click the Apple menu, and choose System Information.
- Under Hardware, select Power.
- The cycle count is listed under Battery Information. On macOS 27 it sits under Health Information, next to Condition and Maximum Capacity.
In Terminal
This prints the same three health lines. It only reads information, needs no administrator password and changes nothing:
system_profiler SPPowerDataType | grep -E "Cycle Count|Condition|Maximum Capacity"On the M2 Max MacBook Pro we used for this guide, running macOS 27.0.1, it printed:
Cycle Count: 262
Condition: Normal
Maximum Capacity: 82 %Older guides use ioreg, and it changed in macOS 27. ioreg -rn AppleSmartBattery still lists CycleCount, but on macOS 27.0.1 it no longer has AppleRawMaxCapacity or Temperature, and the design and full-charge capacities appear only inside BatteryData. Formulas built on those keys give nothing, or a different figure. On our Mac, full-charge capacity divided by design capacity comes to 78%, while macOS reports 82%. Apple recommends going by the battery health macOS reports.
What's a normal cycle count?
Apple publishes a maximum cycle count for every MacBook. Your battery is designed to keep up to 80% of its original capacity at that count. You can keep using it afterwards, with less runtime; Apple recommends a replacement at that point for best performance (Apple).
| Rated cycles | Models |
|---|---|
| 1,000 | Every MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with Apple silicon, M1 through M5; MacBook Neo; Intel MacBook Pro from 2009 onward; MacBook Air from late 2010 onward; 12-inch MacBook; 13-inch MacBook from late 2009 and mid 2010 |
| 500 | MacBook (13-inch Aluminum, Late 2008), MacBook Pro (15-inch, Late 2008), MacBook Air (Mid 2009) |
| 300 | Earlier MacBook, MacBook Pro and MacBook Air models |
So for any Mac with Apple silicon, the number to compare against is 1,000. Against 1,000, a few hundred cycles leaves most of the rated life to go. The cycle count on its own doesn't tell you the battery is worn, though. Maximum Capacity and the condition do.
Reading the three numbers together
| What you see | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Normal, above 80%, under the rated cycles | Wearing as designed | Nothing |
| Normal, but runtime feels short | Usually something using power, not wear | Check Activity Monitor's Energy tab |
| Maximum Capacity falling faster than cycles explain | Age, heat or long hours at 100% | Keep it cooler; consider a charge limit |
| Past the rated cycles, still Normal | Beyond rated life, still working | Keep using it; expect less runtime |
| Service Recommended | Holds less charge, or isn't working normally | Safe to use; plan service if runtime bothers you |
How long a MacBook battery lasts, in cycles and in years
Apple rates batteries in cycles and doesn't publish a lifespan in years. You can turn cycles into time with your own habits: if you use about one full battery a day, 1,000 cycles takes a little under three years. If you use half a battery a day, it takes about five and a half.
Cycles aren't the whole story. Apple says a battery's chemical age depends on its temperature history and charging pattern, not just how long it has existed. Our test Mac above is a good example: it has used about a quarter of its rated cycles, yet its Maximum Capacity is 82%. A Mac that's plugged in most of the time adds cycles slowly, so heat and hours spent at full charge matter more than the count.
Why the numbers move
- Battery health management. On Apple silicon, macOS monitors the battery's temperature history and charging patterns, and may temporarily reduce its maximum charge to slow aging (Apple).
- Recalibration after updates. Apple says your Mac might recalibrate maximum battery capacity after an Apple software update, and may briefly run on battery while plugged in as it does. A Maximum Capacity that rises a point or two afterwards is a better measurement, not a battery that healed.
Intel MacBooks with Thunderbolt 3 ports have their own version of battery health management, which you can switch off with Manage battery longevity. Apple's Intel article says those steps are for "macOS Ventura 14 or later", which looks like a typo, since Ventura is macOS 13 (Apple).
What slows wear
Heat and long hours at full charge are the two things you control. Apple says MacBooks work best at ambient temperatures of 10 to 35 °C (50 to 95 °F), that higher temperatures can permanently damage battery capacity, and that some cases trap heat while charging (Apple). Optimized Battery Charging, and Charge Limit on macOS 26.4 and later, cut the time the battery sits at 100%. Whether a limit is worth it depends on how you use your Mac; Should I use a charge limit? walks through it, and why your MacBook runs hot covers the heat side.
When to think about a replacement
When the shorter runtime gets in your way, or the condition says Service Recommended. Below 80% Maximum Capacity, AppleCare+ replaces the battery at no charge. Without coverage, Apple's US out-of-warranty price is $149 to $249 depending on the model (Apple's estimator, read 13 October 2026). What to do when your battery says Service Recommended has the full price table and your options. If the battery is fine but drains fast, start with why a MacBook battery drains fast instead.
How Tend helps
Tend's free Battery page shows health, cycle count and how much of the rated cycle life you've used, such as 212 of 1,000 cycles. It shows the same Maximum Capacity as System Settings whenever macOS reports it; otherwise it divides full-charge by design capacity, so the two can differ by a point (how Tend's figure relates to Apple's). Tend Pro keeps a daily health record and charts it, so you see the trend instead of a single reading, and its Monday report includes battery health.
Questions
What is a good battery health percentage for a MacBook?
Apple doesn't define a "good" percentage. It designs MacBook batteries to keep up to 80% of their original capacity at their rated cycle count, which is 1,000 for every Apple silicon MacBook. A Maximum Capacity above 80% before you reach that count is in line with the design. The condition label, Normal or Service Recommended, is Apple's own verdict.
How many battery cycles is too many for a MacBook?
Every MacBook with Apple silicon is rated for 1,000 cycles, and older models for 300, 500 or 1,000. Past that count the battery still works, but you may notice less runtime, and Apple recommends a replacement for best performance.
Why did my Maximum Capacity go up?
Apple says your Mac might recalibrate maximum battery capacity after an Apple software update. Battery health management can also adjust how the battery is charged. A small rise is a more accurate measurement, not a battery that has recovered.
How long should a MacBook battery last?
Apple rates batteries in cycles, not years: 1,000 cycles for recent MacBooks, keeping up to 80% of original capacity. At about one full battery a day that's a little under three years; at half a battery a day, about five and a half. Heat and long hours at full charge shorten it.
How do I show the battery percentage in the menu bar?
On macOS 26 and 27, open System Settings, click Menu Bar, select Battery, click Battery Options, then turn on Show Percentage. On macOS 15, open System Settings, click Control Center, go to Battery and turn on Show Percentage.
Related guides
Battery “Service Recommended” on a MacBook
What it means, whether it's safe, and what a replacement costs.
Should I use a charge limit?
When an 80% limit slows wear, and when it only costs runtime.
MacBook plugged in but not charging?
Tell a battery setting from a real charging fault.
coconutBattery and its alternatives
What battery apps add to what macOS already shows.
Sources
- Apple, Change Battery settings on a Mac laptop (macOS 15, 26 and 27 versions)
- Apple, Check the condition of your Mac laptop's battery
- Apple, If you see battery "Service Recommended" on your Mac laptop
- Apple, Determine battery cycle count for Mac laptops
- Apple, About battery health management in Mac laptops with Apple silicon and in Intel-based Mac laptops
- Apple, About Optimized Battery Charging and Charge Limit on Mac
- Apple, Batteries – Maximizing Performance
- Apple, Monitor your Mac laptop's battery (macOS 15, 26 and 27 versions)
- Terminal output from our own MacBook Pro (M2 Max) running macOS 27.0.1, 13 October 2026
See your battery's health over time
Tend is free to download. Pro is $1.99 a month, $12.99 a year with a 7-day free trial, or $29.99 once.