Summary created by Smart Answers AI
In summary:
- Macworld reports that Apple MacOS 26.4 beta introduces a manual battery charge limit feature for MacBooks that allows users to set limits between 80% and 100% in 5% increments.
- This feature builds on existing optimized battery charging technology and helps extend battery life by reducing wear and tear from constant full charging.
- The update addresses user requests and may impact third-party battery management apps like AlDente that previously offered similar features.
Apple released macOS 26.4 beta to developers on Monday, and those who installed it found a new feature that’s been around for a while. Apple adds ability to set battery charge limit on MacBook. With the new slider, you can set the limit to 80 percent, 100 percent, or an increment (of five) in between.
Apple added Optimize Battery Charging to macOS Catalina, which uses machine learning to limit charging, but since then users have been asking for the ability to manually set the charge limit below 100 percent. Apple added this capability for iPhones in iOS 18, and now it’s finally coming to Macs.
Why is this an important feature? Every time you charge and discharge the battery, it wears down and over time the battery will hold less than before. Charging to 100 percent and discharging will completely speed up this process. Studies have shown that keeping the battery below 100 percent reduces wear and tear, making the battery healthier over time. And the lower the upper limit you can manage, the better it is for battery health. Read more about how to keep your MacBook battery healthy.
There is one downside to adding this feature: The main feature of AlDente, a popular tool for MacBooks, is Sherlocked. However, the AlDente has a lot of features that are quite useful, such as the ability to recalibrate the battery, thermal protection, the ability to control the color of the MagSafe LED, and many others – features that Apple is unlikely to include.