Double your MacBook's battery lifespan

UPDATE macOS Tahoe 26.4

If you're on macOS 26.3 or earlier, this guide still works perfectly. We'll update the setup instructions when 26.4 ships publicly.

Apple's macOS Tahoe 26.4 (developer beta) adds a native charge limit slider in System Settings. The slider lets you set a charge limit between 80% and 100% — no Terminal or third-party tools needed.

Tradeoffs:
• No limit below 80%. This guide lets you set 70% (or any number). Apple's slider bottoms out at 80%.
• batt stops working on 26.4. Apple removed the SMC keys that batt relies on. If you update, you lose access to batt entirely.
• No toggle script or keyboard shortcut. Switching between desk and mobile mode means manually opening System Settings each time.
• No auto-drain monitor. If your Mac charges to 100% during a shutdown, it stays there until you notice.

How BetterBattery Works

Your MacBook gets two power modes. Switch between them with a single tap.

⚡

Desk Mode

Battery holds at 70%

Emulates a PSUPower Supply Unit — your battery is still in the circuit, but held in a low-stress zone while wall power does the heavy lifting. Not a true PSU bypass — better thought of as keeping the battery in a resting state.
Learn more → for your MacBook

🔋

Mobile Mode

One tap charges to 100%

Full battery for the road

Your Mac works exactly the same in both modes. The BetterBattery method just changes how power is managed — your Mac may even run cooler on Desk Mode. Your ecosystem will thank you too 🌱

Let's Be Real

Most people's MacBooks live on a desk, plugged in, slowly wearing out the battery that makes it portable. The laptop replaced the desktop — but Apple didn't give you the tools to emulate a PSU. So BetterBattery does. ... more

The Science

High voltage degrades batteries. Keeping a lithium-ion cell above 80% charge puts constant stress on the cathode, accelerating chemical breakdown. Lower charge = lower voltage = less stress.
Every laptop maker knows this. Apple, Lenovo, Dell, and ASUS all ship some form of charge limiting. The science is settled — it's just not turned on by default.
The numbers are significant. Batteries held at 70–80% retain roughly 96% of their capacity after one year. At 100%, that drops to around 80%. That's the difference between a 6-year battery and a 3-year one.

Research citations

Battery University BU-808 — "How to Prolong Lithium-based Batteries." Comprehensive overview of voltage stress, depth of discharge, and temperature effects on cell longevity. Read article

Choi & Lim (2002) — "Factors that affect cycle-life and possible degradation mechanisms of a Li-ion cell based on LiCoO2." Journal of Power Sources. Demonstrated that higher upper charge voltage significantly reduces cycle life.

Wikner & Thiringer (2018) — "Extending Battery Lifetime by Avoiding High SOC." Applied Energy. Calendar aging study showing that state-of-charge is the dominant factor in capacity fade, even more than cycling.

Dahn Lab, Dalhousie University (2019–2022) — Multiple studies on long-term degradation of NMC and LFP cells. Confirmed that reducing upper charge voltage from 4.2V to 4.0V (roughly 100% to 70%) can more than double calendar life.

Apple Technical Support — Apple's own documentation acknowledges that "charging your battery to full and keeping it there for extended periods can be detrimental," which is why they introduced Optimized Battery Charging.

The Bigger Picture

Every battery that lasts twice as long is one that never needs to be mined, manufactured, shipped, and disposed of. Here's what that adds up to.

What if more people did this?

Move the slider to see the impact if a percentage of MacBook users adopted charge limiting:

10%

Over

1.1M battery replacements avoided per year

57,143 tonnes CO₂ saved

8,000 kg lithium kept in the ground

Estimates based on published research from Battery University, Apple Environmental Reports, and MIT. See the numbers behind this

You're not just saving your battery. You're part of something bigger.

The numbers behind this

6–8g of lithium in every MacBook battery — mined from fragile desert ecosystems in Chile, Argentina, and Australia. IATA lithium content standard

70% of global cobalt comes from the DRC, often from artisanal mines with severe human and environmental costs. USGS Mineral Commodity Summary

~50kg of CO₂ emitted manufacturing and shipping each replacement battery (range: 30–60kg). MIT Climate Portal, Apple Environmental Reports

62 million tonnes of e-waste generated globally in 2022 — the fastest-growing waste stream on the planet. Only 22% is properly recycled. Global E-waste Monitor 2024

Battery chemicals leach. Lithium, cobalt, nickel, and manganese from improperly disposed batteries contaminate soil and groundwater. PMC — Supply chain environmental impacts

Calculator methodology: Based on ~80M active MacBooks (analyst estimates; ~86% of ~100M Macs). Assumes each adopter avoids one battery replacement per 7 years (Apple rates batteries at 1,000 cycles). CO₂ at 50kg and lithium at 7g per replacement. Battery longevity data from Battery University BU-808.

Set It Up

Two ways to get started. Both take about 10 minutes and work on any Apple Silicon Mac (M1–M4).

Recommended

Let Claude set it up

Claude is an AI assistant that walks you through each step — or runs the commands for you automatically. The free version works for this. No technical knowledge needed.

Let Claude set it up

What kind of Mac do you have?

How do you use Claude?

Copy this prompt and paste it into Claude Code. It will run each command directly in your terminal.

I want to set up the BetterBattery method on my MacBook to limit charging and extend my battery life. You have direct access to my terminal — run each command yourself and explain what you're doing.

Here's the full setup guide (from betterbattery.org):

STEP 1 — INSTALL HOMEBREW (package manager for Mac)
- First check if it's already installed: brew --version
- If not found, install it: /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
- After install, run the PATH command Homebrew shows you, then close and reopen Terminal
- If already installed, skip to step 2

STEP 2 — INSTALL BATT (the battery tool)
- brew install batt
- sudo brew services start batt (needs my Mac login password — nothing shows when typing, that's normal)

STEP 3 — SET CHARGE LIMIT
- Ask me: 70% (best for longevity, Mac rarely leaves desk) or 80% (good balance, unplug sometimes)
- Run: batt limit <my choice>
- Verify: batt status — should show "Upper limit: XX%"

STEP 4 — DISABLE APPLE'S OPTIMIZED BATTERY CHARGING
- System Settings → Battery → Battery Health → (i) → toggle OFF "Optimized Battery Charging"
- This conflicts with batt and can override the limit if left on

STEP 5 — CREATE TOGGLE SCRIPT
- Create ~/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh that checks the current batt limit and toggles between my desk limit and 100% (mobile mode), with macOS notifications via osascript

STEP 6 — CREATE AUTO-DRAIN MONITOR
- Create ~/bin/batt-monitor.sh — checks every 60 seconds if battery is above my limit, disables the power adapter to drain, re-enables when at/below lower limit. Skips if in mobile mode (limit is 100%).
- Create a launchd agent at ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.betterbattery.monitor.plist with StartInterval 60 and RunAtLoad true, pointing to the monitor script

STEP 7 — CREATE MACOS SHORTCUT
- Open Shortcuts app → Menu Bar section → new shortcut → "Run Shell Script" action → set shell to zsh → enter path to toggle script → rename to "Toggle Battery Limit"

STEP 8 — SET UP KEYBOARD SHORTCUT (⇧⌘B)
- Create an Automator Quick Action (.workflow) in ~/Library/Services/ that runs the toggle script
- Register ⇧⌘B as the keyboard shortcut via `defaults write pbs NSServicesStatus`
- Check which of Chrome, Arc, and VS Code are installed — if any use ⇧⌘B, remap their shortcut to ⌃⇧⌘B (Control+Shift+Command+B) and tell me what you changed
- Refresh the services cache with /System/Library/CoreServices/pbs -update
- Note: I'll need to log out and back in after this step for the shortcut to activate

STEP 9 — VERIFY & EXPLAIN
- Run batt status (check limit is set)
- Run launchctl list | grep betterbattery (confirm monitor is running)
- Tell me what to expect day-to-day: MagSafe LED colors, battery percentage cycling, what happens during shutdowns
- Remind me to log out and back in, then test ⇧⌘B after logging back in

Run each step, verify it worked, and move on. If anything fails, troubleshoot before continuing.

Claude Code will run the commands directly in your terminal and explain each step as it goes.

The Claude Mac app can either run commands for you (hands-free) or walk you through it step by step. Which do you prefer?

One-time setup: To let Claude run commands, you need to install Desktop Commander — a free, open-source extension (5,500+ GitHub stars) that gives Claude access to your terminal. You only need to do this once.

Step 1: Open the Terminal app (Cmd + Space, type “Terminal”).

Step 2: Paste this and press Enter:

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/wonderwhy-er/DesktopCommanderMCP/refs/heads/main/install.sh | bash

Step 3: Quit and reopen the Claude app.

Now copy this prompt into the Claude Mac app. Claude will run each command for you:

I want to set up the BetterBattery method on my MacBook to limit charging and extend my battery life. You have access to my terminal through Desktop Commander — run each command yourself and explain what you're doing.

Here's the full setup guide (from betterbattery.org):

STEP 1 — INSTALL HOMEBREW (package manager for Mac)
- First check if it's already installed: brew --version
- If not found, install it: /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
- After install, run the PATH command Homebrew shows you, then close and reopen Terminal
- If already installed, skip to step 2

STEP 2 — INSTALL BATT (the battery tool)
- brew install batt
- sudo brew services start batt (needs my Mac login password — nothing shows when typing, that's normal)

STEP 3 — SET CHARGE LIMIT
- Ask me: 70% (best for longevity, Mac rarely leaves desk) or 80% (good balance, unplug sometimes)
- Run: batt limit <my choice>
- Verify: batt status — should show "Upper limit: XX%"

STEP 4 — DISABLE APPLE'S OPTIMIZED BATTERY CHARGING
- System Settings → Battery → Battery Health → (i) → toggle OFF "Optimized Battery Charging"
- This conflicts with batt and can override the limit if left on

STEP 5 — CREATE TOGGLE SCRIPT
- Create ~/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh that checks the current batt limit and toggles between my desk limit and 100% (mobile mode), with macOS notifications via osascript

STEP 6 — CREATE AUTO-DRAIN MONITOR
- Create ~/bin/batt-monitor.sh — checks every 60 seconds if battery is above my limit, disables the power adapter to drain, re-enables when at/below lower limit. Skips if in mobile mode (limit is 100%).
- Create a launchd agent at ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.betterbattery.monitor.plist with StartInterval 60 and RunAtLoad true, pointing to the monitor script

STEP 7 — CREATE MACOS SHORTCUT
- Open Shortcuts app → Menu Bar section → new shortcut → "Run Shell Script" action → set shell to zsh → enter path to toggle script → rename to "Toggle Battery Limit"

STEP 8 — SET UP KEYBOARD SHORTCUT (⇧⌘B)
- Create an Automator Quick Action (.workflow) in ~/Library/Services/ that runs the toggle script
- Register ⇧⌘B as the keyboard shortcut via `defaults write pbs NSServicesStatus`
- Check which of Chrome, Arc, and VS Code are installed — if any use ⇧⌘B, remap their shortcut to ⌃⇧⌘B (Control+Shift+Command+B) and tell me what you changed
- Refresh the services cache with /System/Library/CoreServices/pbs -update
- Note: I'll need to log out and back in after this step for the shortcut to activate

STEP 9 — VERIFY & EXPLAIN
- Run batt status (check limit is set)
- Run launchctl list | grep betterbattery (confirm monitor is running)
- Tell me what to expect day-to-day: MagSafe LED colors, battery percentage cycling, what happens during shutdowns
- Remind me to log out and back in, then test ⇧⌘B after logging back in

Run each step, verify it worked, and move on. If anything fails, troubleshoot before continuing.

Claude will run the commands and explain each step as it goes. You may see approval prompts for certain actions — just click Allow.

Copy this prompt and paste it into the Claude Mac app. Claude will walk you through the entire setup.

I want to set up the BetterBattery method on my MacBook to limit charging and extend my battery life. Walk me through everything step by step. I'm not technical — tell me exactly what to do, and wait for me to confirm each step before moving on.

Here's the full setup guide (from betterbattery.org):

STEP 1 — INSTALL HOMEBREW (package manager for Mac)
- First check if it's already installed: brew --version
- If not found, install it: /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
- After install, run the PATH command Homebrew shows you, then close and reopen Terminal
- If already installed, skip to step 2

STEP 2 — INSTALL BATT (the battery tool)
- brew install batt
- sudo brew services start batt (needs my Mac login password — nothing shows when typing, that's normal)

STEP 3 — SET CHARGE LIMIT
- Ask me: 70% (best for longevity, Mac rarely leaves desk) or 80% (good balance, unplug sometimes)
- Run: batt limit <my choice>
- Verify: batt status — should show "Upper limit: XX%"

STEP 4 — DISABLE APPLE'S OPTIMIZED BATTERY CHARGING
- System Settings → Battery → Battery Health → (i) → toggle OFF "Optimized Battery Charging"
- This conflicts with batt and can override the limit if left on

STEP 5 — CREATE TOGGLE SCRIPT
- Create ~/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh that checks the current batt limit and toggles between my desk limit and 100% (mobile mode), with macOS notifications via osascript

STEP 6 — CREATE AUTO-DRAIN MONITOR
- Create ~/bin/batt-monitor.sh — checks every 60 seconds if battery is above my limit, disables the power adapter to drain, re-enables when at/below lower limit. Skips if in mobile mode (limit is 100%).
- Create a launchd agent at ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.betterbattery.monitor.plist with StartInterval 60 and RunAtLoad true, pointing to the monitor script

STEP 7 — CREATE MACOS SHORTCUT
- Open Shortcuts app → Menu Bar section → new shortcut → "Run Shell Script" action → set shell to zsh → enter path to toggle script → rename to "Toggle Battery Limit"

STEP 8 — SET UP KEYBOARD SHORTCUT (⇧⌘B)
- Walk me through creating an Automator Quick Action that runs the toggle script, then assigning Shift+Command+B as the keyboard shortcut in System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Services
- Also tell me if any apps I use (Chrome, Arc, VS Code) already use that shortcut and what to do about it
- Note: I'll need to log out and back in after this step for the shortcut to activate

STEP 9 — VERIFY & EXPLAIN
- Run batt status (check limit is set)
- Run launchctl list | grep betterbattery (confirm monitor is running)
- Tell me what to expect day-to-day: MagSafe LED colors, battery percentage cycling, what happens during shutdowns
- Remind me to log out and back in, then test ⇧⌘B after logging back in

If anything goes wrong at any step, help me troubleshoot before moving on.

Claude will tell you when to open Terminal and exactly what to type. Just follow along step by step.

Copy this prompt and paste it into Claude at claude.ai (free). Claude will walk you through the entire setup.

I want to set up the BetterBattery method on my MacBook to limit charging and extend my battery life. Walk me through everything step by step. I'm not technical — tell me exactly what to do, and wait for me to confirm each step before moving on.

Here's the full setup guide (from betterbattery.org):

STEP 1 — INSTALL HOMEBREW (package manager for Mac)
- First check if it's already installed: brew --version
- If not found, install it: /bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
- After install, run the PATH command Homebrew shows you, then close and reopen Terminal
- If already installed, skip to step 2

STEP 2 — INSTALL BATT (the battery tool)
- brew install batt
- sudo brew services start batt (needs my Mac login password — nothing shows when typing, that's normal)

STEP 3 — SET CHARGE LIMIT
- Ask me: 70% (best for longevity, Mac rarely leaves desk) or 80% (good balance, unplug sometimes)
- Run: batt limit <my choice>
- Verify: batt status — should show "Upper limit: XX%"

STEP 4 — DISABLE APPLE'S OPTIMIZED BATTERY CHARGING
- System Settings → Battery → Battery Health → (i) → toggle OFF "Optimized Battery Charging"
- This conflicts with batt and can override the limit if left on

STEP 5 — CREATE TOGGLE SCRIPT
- Create ~/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh that checks the current batt limit and toggles between my desk limit and 100% (mobile mode), with macOS notifications via osascript

STEP 6 — CREATE AUTO-DRAIN MONITOR
- Create ~/bin/batt-monitor.sh — checks every 60 seconds if battery is above my limit, disables the power adapter to drain, re-enables when at/below lower limit. Skips if in mobile mode (limit is 100%).
- Create a launchd agent at ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.betterbattery.monitor.plist with StartInterval 60 and RunAtLoad true, pointing to the monitor script

STEP 7 — CREATE MACOS SHORTCUT
- Open Shortcuts app → Menu Bar section → new shortcut → "Run Shell Script" action → set shell to zsh → enter path to toggle script → rename to "Toggle Battery Limit"

STEP 8 — SET UP KEYBOARD SHORTCUT (⇧⌘B)
- Walk me through creating an Automator Quick Action that runs the toggle script, then assigning Shift+Command+B as the keyboard shortcut in System Settings → Keyboard → Keyboard Shortcuts → Services
- Also tell me if any apps I use (Chrome, Arc, VS Code) already use that shortcut and what to do about it
- Note: I'll need to log out and back in after this step for the shortcut to activate

STEP 9 — VERIFY & EXPLAIN
- Run batt status (check limit is set)
- Run launchctl list | grep betterbattery (confirm monitor is running)
- Tell me what to expect day-to-day: MagSafe LED colors, battery percentage cycling, what happens during shutdowns
- Remind me to log out and back in, then test ⇧⌘B after logging back in

If anything goes wrong at any step, help me troubleshoot before moving on.

Claude will tell you when to open Terminal and exactly what to type. Just follow along step by step.

I'll do it myself

Follow step-by-step terminal commands at your own pace. You'll need to be comfortable copying and pasting into Terminal.

BetterBattery app — coming soon

Skip the terminal. One-click battery management, built right into a Mac app.

Thanks! We'll let you know.

Requires Apple Silicon (M1–M4). Intel Mac? Try AlDente instead.

1. Install Homebrew

Check if it's already installed:

brew --version

If you see a version number, skip to step 2. If you see "command not found," install it:

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"

After it finishes: Homebrew will display lines telling you to run commands to add it to your PATH. Follow those instructions, then close and reopen Terminal before continuing.

2. Install batt

batt is a free, open-source tool that controls your MacBook's charging. No ads, no telemetry, runs locally.

brew install batt

Start the background service:

sudo brew services start batt

Password prompt: Type your Mac login password. Nothing appears as you type — that's normal. Press Enter.

3. Set your charge limit

70% — Best for longevity. Great if your Mac rarely leaves the desk.
80% — Good balance if you unplug a few times a week.

For 70%:

batt limit 70

Or for 80%:

batt limit 80

Verify it's working:

batt status

You should see Upper limit: 70% (or 80%) in the output.

4. Disable Apple's battery management

Apple's built-in battery feature conflicts with batt. Turn it off:

System Settings → Battery → Battery Health → (i) → toggle OFF "Optimized Battery Charging"

Don't skip this. If left on, Apple's feature may override your limit and charge to 100% unpredictably.

5. Create the toggle script

This script flips between your desk limit and 100% (mobile mode). For 70%:

mkdir -p ~/bin && cat > ~/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh << 'SCRIPT'
#!/bin/zsh
CURRENT=$(/opt/homebrew/bin/batt status 2>&1)
if echo "$CURRENT" | grep -q "Upper limit: 70%"; then
    /opt/homebrew/bin/batt limit 100 2>&1
    osascript -e 'display notification "Charging to 100% — Mobile Mode" with title "Battery"'
else
    /opt/homebrew/bin/batt limit 70 2>&1
    osascript -e 'display notification "Capped at 70% — Desk Mode" with title "Battery"'
fi
SCRIPT
chmod +x ~/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh

For 80%, use this version instead:

mkdir -p ~/bin && cat > ~/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh << 'SCRIPT'
#!/bin/zsh
CURRENT=$(/opt/homebrew/bin/batt status 2>&1)
if echo "$CURRENT" | grep -q "Upper limit: 80%"; then
    /opt/homebrew/bin/batt limit 100 2>&1
    osascript -e 'display notification "Charging to 100% — Mobile Mode" with title "Battery"'
else
    /opt/homebrew/bin/batt limit 80 2>&1
    osascript -e 'display notification "Capped at 80% — Desk Mode" with title "Battery"'
fi
SCRIPT
chmod +x ~/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh

No output means it worked.

6. Install the auto-drain monitor

This script runs in the background and automatically drains your battery when it's above your limit — for example, after a shutdown charges it to 100%. Without this, you'd have to wait for natural drain.

Create the monitor script:

cat > ~/bin/batt-monitor.sh << 'SCRIPT'
#!/bin/zsh
# batt-monitor.sh — Auto-drain battery to target limit
BATT="/opt/homebrew/bin/batt"
LOG_TAG="batt-monitor"

STATUS=$($BATT status 2>&1)
UPPER=$(echo "$STATUS" | grep "Upper limit:" | grep -oE '[0-9]+')
LOWER=$(echo "$STATUS" | grep "Lower limit:" | grep -oE '[0-9]+')

# Mobile mode (100%) — make sure adapter is on, exit
if [ "$UPPER" = "100" ]; then
    ADAPTER_DISABLED=$(echo "$STATUS" | grep "Use power adapter" | grep -c "✘")
    if [ "$ADAPTER_DISABLED" -eq 1 ]; then
        $BATT adapter enable >/dev/null 2>&1
        logger -t "$LOG_TAG" "Mobile mode — re-enabled adapter"
    fi
    exit 0
fi

CHARGE=$(echo "$STATUS" | grep "Current charge:" | grep -oE '[0-9]+')

if [ -z "$UPPER" ] || [ -z "$LOWER" ] || [ -z "$CHARGE" ]; then
    logger -t "$LOG_TAG" "Could not read batt status — skipping"
    exit 0
fi

ADAPTER_DISABLED=$(echo "$STATUS" | grep "Use power adapter" | grep -c "✘")

if [ "$ADAPTER_DISABLED" -eq 1 ]; then
    if [ "$CHARGE" -le "$LOWER" ]; then
        $BATT adapter enable >/dev/null 2>&1
        logger -t "$LOG_TAG" "Reached ${CHARGE}% (lower ${LOWER}%) — re-enabled adapter"
    fi
elif [ "$CHARGE" -gt "$UPPER" ]; then
    $BATT adapter disable >/dev/null 2>&1
    logger -t "$LOG_TAG" "At ${CHARGE}% (above ${UPPER}%) — disabled adapter to drain"
fi
SCRIPT
chmod +x ~/bin/batt-monitor.sh

Now create a background agent that runs it every 60 seconds:

cat > ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.betterbattery.monitor.plist << PLIST
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>Label</key>
    <string>com.betterbattery.monitor</string>
    <key>ProgramArguments</key>
    <array>
        <string>/bin/zsh</string>
        <string>/Users/$(whoami)/bin/batt-monitor.sh</string>
    </array>
    <key>StartInterval</key>
    <integer>60</integer>
    <key>RunAtLoad</key>
    <true/>
    <key>StandardErrorPath</key>
    <string>/tmp/batt-monitor.err</string>
</dict>
</plist>
PLIST

Load it:

launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.betterbattery.monitor.plist

Verify it's running:

launchctl list | grep betterbattery

You should see a line with com.betterbattery.monitor. The monitor will now keep your battery at your target automatically.

7. Create a macOS Shortcut

First, find your username:

whoami

Open the Shortcuts app (Cmd + Space, type "Shortcuts") and:

Click "Menu Bar" in the left sidebar
Click + to create a new shortcut
Search for "Run Shell Script" and add it
Set Shell to zsh
Enter: /Users/USERNAME/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh
(replace USERNAME with your whoami result)
Leave "Run as Administrator" unchecked
Rename to "Toggle Battery Limit"

You'll now see it in your menu bar under the Shortcuts icon.

8. Add a keyboard shortcut (optional)

Add a system-wide ⇧⌘B (Shift+Command+B) shortcut so you can toggle without touching the mouse.

Create the Automator Quick Action:

mkdir -p ~/Library/Services/Toggle\ Battery\ Limit.workflow/Contents && cat > ~/Library/Services/Toggle\ Battery\ Limit.workflow/Contents/Info.plist << 'INFOPLIST'
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>NSServices</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>NSMenuItem</key>
            <dict>
                <key>default</key>
                <string>Toggle Battery Limit</string>
            </dict>
            <key>NSMessage</key>
            <string>runWorkflowAsService</string>
            <key>NSRequiredContext</key>
            <dict/>
        </dict>
    </array>
</dict>
</plist>
INFOPLIST

cat > ~/Library/Services/Toggle\ Battery\ Limit.workflow/Contents/document.wflow << WFLOW
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd">
<plist version="1.0">
<dict>
    <key>AMApplicationBuild</key>
    <string>523</string>
    <key>AMApplicationVersion</key>
    <string>2.10</string>
    <key>actions</key>
    <array>
        <dict>
            <key>action</key>
            <dict>
                <key>AMAccepts</key>
                <dict>
                    <key>Container</key>
                    <string>List</string>
                    <key>Optional</key>
                    <true/>
                    <key>Types</key>
                    <array>
                        <string>com.apple.cocoa.string</string>
                    </array>
                </dict>
                <key>AMActionVersion</key>
                <string>2.0.3</string>
                <key>AMApplication</key>
                <array>
                    <string>Automator</string>
                </array>
                <key>AMBundleIdentifier</key>
                <string>com.apple.RunShellScript</string>
                <key>AMCategory</key>
                <array>
                    <string>AMCategoryUtilities</string>
                </array>
                <key>AMIconName</key>
                <string>Automator</string>
                <key>AMName</key>
                <string>Run Shell Script</string>
                <key>AMProvides</key>
                <dict>
                    <key>Container</key>
                    <string>List</string>
                    <key>Types</key>
                    <array>
                        <string>com.apple.cocoa.string</string>
                    </array>
                </dict>
                <key>ActionBundlePath</key>
                <string>/System/Library/Automator/Run Shell Script.action</string>
                <key>ActionName</key>
                <string>Run Shell Script</string>
                <key>ActionParameters</key>
                <dict>
                    <key>COMMAND_STRING</key>
                    <string>/Users/\$(whoami)/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh</string>
                    <key>CheckedForUserDefaultShell</key>
                    <true/>
                    <key>inputMethod</key>
                    <integer>0</integer>
                    <key>shell</key>
                    <string>/bin/zsh</string>
                    <key>source</key>
                    <string></string>
                </dict>
                <key>BundleIdentifier</key>
                <string>com.apple.RunShellScript</string>
                <key>CFBundleVersion</key>
                <string>2.0.3</string>
            </dict>
        </dict>
    </array>
    <key>connectors</key>
    <dict/>
    <key>workflowMetaData</key>
    <dict>
        <key>workflowTypeIdentifier</key>
        <string>com.apple.Automator.servicesMenu</string>
    </dict>
</dict>
</plist>
WFLOW

Refresh the services cache and register the shortcut:

/System/Library/CoreServices/pbs -update

defaults write pbs NSServicesStatus -dict-add '"(null) - Toggle Battery Limit - runWorkflowAsService"' '{ "key_equivalent" = "@$b"; }'

App conflicts: Chrome and Arc use ⇧⌘B for "Always Show Bookmarks Bar," and VS Code uses it for "Run Build Task." If you use these apps and want to remap their shortcut to ⌃⇧⌘B (Control+Shift+Command+B):

# Chrome (skip if you don't use Chrome)
defaults write com.google.Chrome NSUserKeyEquivalents -dict-add "Always Show Bookmarks Bar" "^@\$b"

# Arc (skip if you don't use Arc)
defaults write company.thebrowser.Browser NSUserKeyEquivalents -dict-add "Always Show Bookmarks Bar" "^@\$b"

For VS Code, open ~/Library/Application Support/Code/User/keybindings.json and add:

[
    { "key": "ctrl+shift+cmd+b", "command": "workbench.action.tasks.build" },
    { "key": "shift+cmd+b", "command": "-workbench.action.tasks.build" }
]

Note: You’ll need to log out and back in for macOS to activate the keyboard shortcut. A full restart also works, but isn’t necessary.

9. Add to Control Center (optional)

Open Control Center (click the icon in your menu bar)
Click the + at the bottom left
Find and add Shortcuts
Select "Toggle Battery Limit"

Now you can toggle with one tap from Control Center.

What to Expect

After setup, here's what you'll notice day-to-day:

⚡
The lightning bolt stays. The battery icon in your menu bar will still show a lightning bolt (⚡) when plugged in. That means "connected to power," not "currently charging." This is normal.
🟢
MagSafe LED colors. Green means your battery is at the limit and holding. Amber means it's actively charging (either toward your limit or toward 100% in mobile mode).
🔄
Small cycling is normal. Your battery might drift between 68% and 70% (or 78% and 80%). This tiny range is normal and healthy — batt lets it fluctuate slightly to avoid constant micro-charging.
📉
Battery above limit will auto-drain. If your Mac charges to 100% during a shutdown, the auto-drain monitor will notice and gently drain it back to your limit by disabling the power adapter temporarily. You might see the percentage dropping — that's the monitor doing its job.
🔌
Shutdowns charge to 100%. When your Mac is fully shut down, batt isn't running, so the hardware charges normally. This is a hardware limitation — it's fine for occasional shutdowns. The monitor will drain it back when your Mac wakes up.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will this void my warranty?

No. You're not modifying hardware or bypassing security protections. batt communicates with the SMC (System Management Controller) the same way Apple's own tools do. You can uninstall everything in under a minute.

Is batt safe?

Yes. It's open source with over 1,500 stars on GitHub, meaning its code is public and auditable. It collects no data, has no telemetry, requires no internet connection, and runs entirely on your Mac. View on GitHub

Should I pick 70% or 80%?

70% is better for long-term battery health. 80% gives you more charge when you unplug. Both are significantly better than 100%. If your Mac rarely leaves your desk, go with 70%. If you unplug a few times a week, 80% gives you more buffer.

What about Apple's built-in charge limit?

Recent versions of macOS (Sonoma 14.4 and later) include a built-in 80% charge limit option. It works, but batt gives you more control: any percentage you want, a toggle script for desk/mobile mode, and the auto-drain monitor that actively manages your battery. If you prefer Apple's native option, it's a fine choice too — 80% is far better than 100%.

Does this work on Intel Macs?

No. batt only works on Apple Silicon Macs (M1, M2, M3, M4). If you have an Intel Mac, look into AlDente, which supports both Intel and Apple Silicon.

Does this work on Windows or Linux?

No — batt and this guide are for Apple Silicon Macs only. For Windows laptops, check your manufacturer's battery management software (Lenovo Vantage, Dell Power Manager, ASUS MyASUS, HP Command Center). Many Windows laptops have built-in charge limiting in their BIOS or companion apps. The same science applies — keeping any laptop battery at 70–80% extends its life regardless of platform.

Can I change the limit later?

Anytime. Run batt limit XX with your new number. If you made a toggle script, also update the percentage inside it.

What about sleep or closing the lid?

Handled. batt disables charging before sleep to prevent your Mac from quietly charging to 100% overnight. When it wakes, the limit is re-applied automatically.

Something isn't working — how do I troubleshoot?

Go to claude.ai and tell it: "I followed the BetterBattery guide at betterbattery.org and [describe what's wrong]. Help me fix it." Claude can run diagnostics, check your configuration, and walk you through fixes.

How do I uninstall everything?

These commands remove everything:

sudo brew services stop batt
brew uninstall batt
rm ~/bin/toggle-battery-limit.sh
rm ~/bin/batt-monitor.sh
launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.betterbattery.monitor.plist
rm ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.betterbattery.monitor.plist
rm -rf ~/Library/Services/Toggle\ Battery\ Limit.workflow

Then go to System Settings → Battery → Battery Health and turn Optimized Battery Charging back on. Delete the Shortcut you created in the Shortcuts app. If you remapped keyboard shortcuts for Chrome, Arc, or VS Code, revert those changes.

Keep batt updated

batt is actively maintained. To update, run brew upgrade batt in Terminal occasionally. Updates add new macOS compatibility and bug fixes.

Your MacBook battery is dying
while it sits on your desk.

Over 100 million Macs sit plugged in right now, batteries held at 100% — slowly degrading. Every worn-out battery means more lithium mining, more manufacturing emissions, and more e-waste. A simple change can double your battery's lifespan.

2× Longer battery life at 70–80% charge

$199+ Apple battery replacement cost

80M+ MacBooks that could benefit

78% Of e-waste never gets recycled

Set it up now →

How BetterBattery Works

Let's Be Real

The Science

The Bigger Picture

What if more people did this?

Set It Up

What to Expect

Frequently Asked Questions

Your MacBook battery is dyingwhile it sits on your desk.

Your MacBook battery is dying
while it sits on your desk.