Apple states that the latest MacBook Air models can run for up to 15 hours whilst browsing the internet and up to 18 hours whilst playing videos. In practice, battery life is affected by workload, screen brightness, connected accessories and the condition of the battery. You can help reduce battery consumption by adjusting macOS settings, managing active programmes and preparing files for offline use.
Briefly about the main points
- Apple claims up to 15 hours of internet use and up to 18 hours of video playback.
- The «Energy» tab in the Activity Monitor shows the processes that consume the most power.
- Screen brightness and power-saving mode reduce energy consumption.
- Smartphones and USB devices can drain your laptop’s battery.
- Local copies of files allow you to access content without an internet connection.
Load and programmes determine the actual range
The battery life figures stated by the manufacturer are based on specific conditions. In everyday use, battery life is affected by the apps running, the display brightness, connected devices and the battery’s condition.
Tasks that make heavy use of the processor and graphics system – such as video editing, photo editing, gaming and lengthy video conferences – consume the most energy. A web browser can also significantly reduce battery life if you have lots of tabs open at the same time containing videos or other resource-intensive content.
Apple It is advisable to check the power consumption of individual processes using the «Activity Monitor». In the «Energy» tab, the ‘Energy Impact’ metric helps you identify the programmes that have the greatest impact on battery usage.
Which macOS settings reduce energy consumption?
The display backlight consumes power, so when working indoors, it is advisable to reduce the brightness to a comfortable level. Also, in macOS A battery-saving mode is available, which optimises the laptop’s performance for longer battery life.
You can enable it via the Apple menu: «System Preferences» → «Battery» → battery-saving mode. The names of the menu items may vary depending on the version of macOS. For documents, emails and web pages, this mode does not usually cause any significant inconvenience.
It is also worth setting the display to switch off automatically when the device is idle. This setting is available in the «Lock screen» section of the system settings.
What to disconnect and which tasks to postpone
When using your device without charging it, you should close any apps you don’t need and disconnect any devices you aren’t using. A smartphone being charged via a laptop, an external storage device or USB accessories consumes additional power.
Apple recommends switching off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth when they are not needed. However, you should not manually close all system processes: macOS manages many background tasks automatically.
It is best to carry out resource-intensive tasks first, whilst the battery charge is still high. You can leave text editing, working with spreadsheets and other less demanding tasks for when battery life is limited.
How to prepare your files and check your battery before switching off
Before a possible power cut, it is advisable to synchronise your documents with cloud storage services and save important files directly onto your laptop. Instructions, presentations and other necessary materials should be downloaded in advance so that you can access them without an internet connection.
If the power cuts last for a long time, you should save your work periodically and monitor the remaining battery charge to ensure you have enough time to complete priority tasks. You can check the battery status in «System Settings» under the «Battery» section: a service notice may indicate that the battery life is shorter than before.
