Leaving a laptop plugged in

[pedzsan]

My new M1 MBP arrived on Monday and on Tuesday my old MBP hiccuped and so I took it to the shop. The battery had expanded -- which I knew. I had planned on getting the battery fixed after a few weeks of using the new Mac so transferring files and settings would be easier. While talking to the guy, he said that the laptops could not be left plugged in and charging all the time. This was news to me.

I have the LG 5K monitor with a single USB-C connector that comes out to the MBP. It charges the MBP and gets data. So, to not charge the laptop constantly would be a major hassle for me.

The old 2016 Intel based MBP I will get repaired and likely sell it but I'm curious if what the guy said is true and if it is still true for the new M1 based MBP? I plan to get some type of spacer to lift the MBP off of the desktop a half inch or so so that it has better air flow. I'm wondering what others are doing about this.

By the way, this is the second time for the battery to expand on the old Intel based laptop.

 

[snakes-]

No need for spacer and airflow.
Battery life depends on charging cycles. To prevent a dead battery now big sur has a new battery management while charging.
My 2016 MBP was 98 percent plugged without problems.

 

[Runs For Fun]

Yes what he said is true. Leaving LiIon batteries fully charged all the time is bad for their health.

 

[chabig]

While talking to the guy, he said that the laptops could not be left plugged in and charging all the time. This was news to me.

It's an old wives' tale, no longer applicable. If it was important, Apple would tell you not to leave it plugged in.

 

[rui no onna]

No need for spacer and airflow.

Yep. I've got the M1 MBA sitting on top of a duvet right now and it's not even slightly warm. That's not something I could do with my Intel-based laptop (and likely not the AMD, either).

 

[Zazoh]

New batteries and especially Apple, don't overcharge like some devices did years ago. Once it hits the high 90s it slows down and even stops charging. If you pay attention you may even catch it at 98% or so, while plugged in. Support.Apple.com has several articles on prolonging batteries and charge cycles and heat, are what kills them.

I quit using a wireless charger on my phone after reading an article there, I would notice it was always hot after wireless charging. (Which I guess is very inefficient)

 

[matrix07]

While talking to the guy, he said that the laptops could not be left plugged in and charging all the time. This was news to me.

My 2011 MBA battery is expanded badly pushing out keyboard because of this so now I have never plugged charger in all the time. Once the charge reach 90% I discharge. Battery life will degrade quickly if it's at 100% or 0% for a long period of time.

 

[Apple_Robert]

My 2011 MBA battery is expanded badly pushing out keyboard because of this so now I have never plugged charger in all the time. Once the charge reach 90% I discharge. Battery life will degrade quickly if it's at 100% or 0% for a long period of time.

I seem to recall that even when plugged in, the Mac battery will start to discharge a little bit at a time, after the battery has reached 100%. It doesn’t stay in a state of full charge all the time. My 2o11 MBP did this and so did my 2016 & 2017 MBP.

 

[matrix07]

I seem to recall that even when plugged in, the Mac battery will start to discharge a little bit at a time, after the battery has reached 100%. It doesn’t stay in a state of full charge all the time. My 2o11 MBP did this and so did my 2016 & 2017 MBP.

This discharge might help a bit if you only plug in at night but it will have little effect if you plug in night and day.

 

[/V\acpower]

My new M1 MBP arrived on Monday and on Tuesday my old MBP hiccuped and so I took it to the shop. The battery had expanded -- which I knew. I had planned on getting the battery fixed after a few weeks of using the new Mac so transferring files and settings would be easier. While talking to the guy, he said that the laptops could not be left plugged in and charging all the time. This was news to me.

I have the LG 5K monitor with a single USB-C connector that comes out to the MBP. It charges the MBP and gets data. So, to not charge the laptop constantly would be a major hassle for me.

The old 2016 Intel based MBP I will get repaired and likely sell it but I'm curious if what the guy said is true and if it is still true for the new M1 based MBP? I plan to get some type of spacer to lift the MBP off of the desktop a half inch or so so that it has better air flow. I'm wondering what others are doing about this.

By the way, this is the second time for the battery to expand on the old Intel based laptop.

If you really want to use the battery a bit, like once every week or two unplug the laptop and make it run some "task" while you go to sleep. Like encode a video file. Something that will eat some battery but will end eventually. Just so it leave you at 70% or something in the morning.

 

[jdb8167]

Apple has added software to help manage the situation for people who leave their MacBooks plugged in. Make sure you have Optimized battery charging checked in the Battery Preferences panel under the Battery tab. The answer is clearly yes, leaving your notebook charging 24-7 is bad which is why Apple has created a solution.

If you want to manage it yourself, always keep your battery between about 20% to 80%. This will enhance the lifespan of the battery. But that is so painful to do, you are probably better off letting Apple's software handle the it.

 

[leman]

As mentioned by others, Apple laptops contain sophisticated charging controllers that will prevent your batteries from overcharging, and will do some cycling to make sure the battery stays healthy. That said, it’s probably still not the best idea to leave your laptop on the charger 24/7.

 

[giggles]

Well this generation of Macs certainly makes this topic more relevant then ever.

Why buy a Mac Mini M1 when you can have a fanless Macbook Air M1 + thermal pads mod + Brydge Dock + Ultrafine 4K 23.7” (no fan) + the new 2021 OWC Thunderbolt Dock (with TB3 port multiplication)? That also has a “built-in UPS” being battery-powered?

Who’s with me in the 16GB/2TB Macbook Air as a desktop hype train?

Imagine that with the M3 Air in 2022.

 

[armoured]

As mentioned by others, Apple laptops contain sophisticated charging controllers that will prevent your batteries from overcharging, and will do some cycling to make sure the battery stays healthy. That said, it’s probably still not the best idea to leave your laptop on the charger 24/7.

I'm sure they are much better now than before in this respect.

But, I'm still going to exercise common sense and use them off AC power once in a while, and not leave them plugged in for weeks and weeks. (Or just turn the power strip off)

 

[matrix07]

Well this generation of Macs certainly makes this topic more relevant then ever.

Why buy a Mac Mini M1 when you can have a fanless Macbook Air M1 + thermal pads mod + Brydge Dock + Ultrafine 4K 23.7” (no fan) + the new 2021 OWC Thunderbolt Dock (with TB3 port multiplication)? That also has a “built-in UPS” being battery-powered?

Who’s with me in the 16GB/2TB Macbook Air as a desktop hype train?

Imagine that with the M3 Air in 2022.

It is crazy that Apple now is building the perfect computer at last.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Why buy a Mac Mini M1 when you can have a fanless Macbook Air M1 + thermal pads mod + Brydge Dock + Ultrafine 4K 23.7” (no fan) + the new 2021 OWC Thunderbolt Dock (with TB3 port multiplication)?

Surely no-one is bothering with the thermal pads mod on M1 Airs? Is it even applicable?

OMG they are !

 

[Quackers]

My 8 year old 2012 rMBP is still in very good order and it's been plugged in nearly all of that time.
No swelling at all but it's only had about 90 cycles iirc.

 

[Toutou]

My 6 year old 2013 rMBP can pull over 5 hours of browsing with the original battery, and I've been using it for school (cycling like crazy) and work (100 % plugged in).

 

[Bubble99]

It's an old wives' tale, no longer applicable. If it was important, Apple would tell you not to leave it plugged in.

Well normally laptop computers should discharge every month. So if 90% of the time you are using the laptop as a desktop computer plugged in and only 10% time or less using it has laptop using the battery you will mess up the battery memory.

So in other words don’t buy a laptop and use it as a desktop computer and hardly use the battery.

 

[chabig]

...you will mess up the battery memory.

Again, old wives’ tales. Modern batteries don’t have memories.

 

[TPadden]

My 2011 MBA battery is expanded badly pushing out keyboard because of this so now I have never plugged charger in all the time. Once the charge reach 90% I discharge. Battery life will degrade quickly if it's at 100% or 0% for a long period of time.

Do yourself a favor and swap out the battery yourself, easy 10 minute job and available for $40-50 from Amazon.

Tom

 

[Zazoh]

So if 90% of the time you are using the laptop as a desktop computer plugged in and only 10% time or less using it has laptop using the battery you will mess up the battery memory.

NiCad batteries had this problem. We don’t use those anymore.

Apple, rightly so, claims two battery killers, recharge cycles and heat. Avoid those two for longer battery life.

But ultimately all batteries are consumables.

 

[Bubble99]

Yes what he said is true. Leaving LiIon batteries fully charged all the time is bad for their health.

Well other thing is not charging the battery when it is only 50% battery life.

But discharging the battery before putting it on the charger.

 

[Fishrrman]

My advice (and I don't care if it's "an old wives tale" or not, I'll keep repeating it):

DO NOT leave a MacBook plugged into the charger ALL the time.

3-4 times a week, take it OFF the charger and let the battery discharge to, say, 40% or so. Then, plug it back in.

AT NIGHT, do this (whether you shut it down or let it sleep):
UNPLUG the charger from the wall.
In the morning, plug it back in, and reboot the MacBook if you had it powered down).

I would not trust Apple battery management software, either.
I'd "do it myself"...

 

[TPadden]

My advice (and I don't care if it's "an old wives tale" or not, I'll keep repeating it):

Pull the battery out, smear it in Peanut Butter, put it in the freezer, sacrifice a chicken ... then INSTALL A NEW BATTERY...works for me. ?