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Is it safe to leave MacBook plugged in all the time [merged]
- Thread starter mpc91
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I might be old school but about once or twice a month I would unplug and let the battery run down to maybe 50% and plug it back in.
It's definitely good practice to discharge the battery somewhat periodically. Ideally 10-15% of all usage should be on battery with occasional discharges to around 30%. However reality and practicality sometime collide with "ideal".
Highly recommend a little utility called Fruit Juice. Lives in tray, replaces the stock battery icon and keeps an eye on your battery usage. If you're not discharging much it will recommend a maintenance cycle. One of those little utilities I wouldn't be without.
http://fruitjuiceapp.com
A 2018 iMac or possibly 2018 Mac Mini would be more ideal for leaving plugged in and on 24/7 365 but you would have to wait for the 2018 refresh to get a new model with 8th generation Intel chips. Additionally you could wait until the Mac Pro refresh in 2019 if you want a tower.
As others have noted I would discharge it occasionally and also I would set it to only charge to 85% if possible
Once upon a time, waaaaay back in medieval computer era precisely 2011, on a cold blustery January night with the wind howling off the near by lakeshore, while nestling with hot chocolate swimming with a healthy pour of 18 year old Glevnlevit scotch and topped off with whipped cream and a maraschino cheery, our main story character in wrapped their brand new sparkling MacBook Air. After plugging in the 45 watt power chord ever so delicately and entering the correct Apple user name and airport wifi log in credentials, with their trusty and content gray tabby feline ever so cleaver and curious over this new machine that folds in half, play classical and modern music downloaded through an external 1tb hard drive. The cat was very in tune with the masters bewilderment of such a fine yet powerful laptop as he swiped up, across and even applied a 3 finger swipe to switch apps and search through the data freshly stored in this pristine machine. After a successful and fulfilling hours of computing, search the World Wide Web, our main character cuddled off the bed, but ran the battery down to the brilliant red alert, plugged in the reliable 45 watt power chord the cradled ever so perfectly into the MacBook Air.
The next morning with the birds chirping, coffee brewing and a well deserved day off from their midweek place of employment, the Mac book air user updated information, set up creative suite 3 and CONDITIONED the battery.
On a overcast day in gloomy 2018 where the sweltering humidity is relentlessly implementing new exalted and heralded Macbook Pros to a throttling halt. In the distance, large heavy grey nimbus cloud formation loom over from the horizon and uncertainty in new products and marksmanship, our main character nursing a Molson Golden with his trust plump and aloof black angora cat intently groom herself and over grown fur, is typing to others on that MacBook air developed waaaaay in the primitive computer age, without the help from the trusty 45 watt mag safe power chord.
The end
The next morning with the birds chirping, coffee brewing and a well deserved day off from their midweek place of employment, the Mac book air user updated information, set up creative suite 3 and CONDITIONED the battery.
On a overcast day in gloomy 2018 where the sweltering humidity is relentlessly implementing new exalted and heralded Macbook Pros to a throttling halt. In the distance, large heavy grey nimbus cloud formation loom over from the horizon and uncertainty in new products and marksmanship, our main character nursing a Molson Golden with his trust plump and aloof black angora cat intently groom herself and over grown fur, is typing to others on that MacBook air developed waaaaay in the primitive computer age, without the help from the trusty 45 watt mag safe power chord.
The end
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Is keeping the MacBook Pro (specifically 2017 15" model) plugged in at all times good for the battery? Whenever I'm at home, at work, or at the coffee shop, I keep my MacBook Pro plugged in and avoid having the battery go below 80%. Should I be worried about it? Should I use my Mac without having it plugged once in awhile?
i would not, my 2010 MBAir is always plugged in and the battery is good and has a healthy cycle life today.
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The whole concept of don't "overcharge" your battery or routinely allowing it to "calibrate" by draining then charging back up are very out dated practices. You will do no harm to your battery, use it however you want.
https://www.apple.com/batteries/why-lithium-ion/
https://www.apple.com/batteries/why-lithium-ion/
That never made sense, would we do this with flashlights?
This reasoning is were Apple lost a lot of respect from many loyal users because drawing batteries means more reapers and more time inflow of cash.