MacBooks are known for their excellent Battery life and they can reach up to 20 hours of runtime for video playback. However, there are things you do that can ruin your MacBook’s battery for good.

Reckless multitasking

macOS is an excellent multitasking platform, but it doesn’t mean you should keep all apps running simultaneously. If you have finished using an app or playing a game, you shouldn’t just minimize it. If you keep minimizing everything, it will slowly affect the durability of your battery due to more rapid discharge and overuse.

Delaying software updates

Some macOS updates include optimizations and performance improvements, that make your MacBook slightly more efficient in certain scenarios. Impacts may feel negligible with each update, but the cumulative impacts of more than a dozen of updates will be more substantial. It’s a mistake to disable the automatic software update, because you may miss out on some important improvements.

Frequent plugging and unplugging

Some MacBook users compulsively keep their battery level above 80 percent, because they dread the possibility of running out of battery life during a trip. However, frequent plugging and unplugging will wear out your battery. If you are being sensible and do not run apps unnecessarily, your MacBook offers a one-day worth of normal productivity with a single full charge. It takes only about 90 minutes to fully charge a MacBook and you can decide the best time to charge it.

Cranking up the screen’s brightness

With its IPS panel, your MacBook’s display has an excellent viewing angle and if you turn up the screen’s brightness, it’s very useful when used outdoors. However, some MacBook users seem to love using a bright screen, including when working indoors. Yet, the display consumes a substantial proportion of power from the battery. Again, this will increase the use of battery and you will need to charge your MacBook more often than necessary. It’s a habit that contributes to the increased wear and tear of your MacBook’s battery.

Using the MacBook to charge other devices

Because your MacBook has an excellent battery life, you could be tempted to use it to charge your smartphone or tablet. This usually applies to people who don’t want to bring a separate charger for their smartphone. It’s another bad habit that requires you to charge the MacBook more often, reducing its lifespan progressively. In the long run, it is cheaper to get a smartphone with a large battery capacity and rapid charging feature. Things can get worse if you plug the MacBook in while working and charging other devices with it. The battery will heat up due to simultaneous rapid charging and discharging.

Leaving your MacBook in direct sunlight

Even if you are working indoors, there are times when your MacBook is exposed to direct sunlight that goes through the windows. Your MacBook’s battery will degrade due to overheating, whether it’s from internal or external heat sources. It can get worse if you use the MacBook for demanding 3D tasks, which causes the internal hardware to operate at full capacity. Not only you will risk ruining the battery, but internal hardware could get damaged as well.

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