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Apple Brings iPhone-Style Battery Charge Limits to the Mac in macOS Tahoe 26.4

The macOS Tahoe 26.4 beta that Apple released today includes a Charge Limit feature for the Mac. There is a new slider bar that lets Mac users select a charge level from 80 percent to 100 percent.

macos 26 4 charge limit
The Charge Limit is a setting that's available in addition to Optimized Battery Charging, and it can prevent a Mac from ever charging to 100 percent.

Apple's existing Optimized Battery Charging feature keeps a Mac from charging to 100 percent until it's needed for use, with the option using your daily charging routine to determine when to charge to full. While Optimized Battery Charging can help preserve battery life, it still regularly allows a Mac to charge to 100 percent.

The new Charge Limit feature is a hard restriction that keeps a Mac's battery at 80 percent, 85 percent, 90 percent, 95 percent, or 100 percent, giving users more control over the Mac's maximum charging level. Keeping a Mac's battery at 80 percent could increase battery longevity by preserving battery health over time.

Charge Limit can be enabled by opening up the System Settings app, going to Battery, and clicking on the "i" button next to Charging.

Apple's iPhones have had a charge limit feature since the iPhone 15 lineup launched in 2023.

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Top Rated Comments

Macusercom Avatar
8 months ago
Been using AlDente, especially since I mostly have it plugged in. It really helps preserving battery longevity
Score: 37 Votes (Like | Disagree)
tomtad Avatar
8 months ago
Why are the windows so damn round
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
8 months ago
thanks god. time to limit to 80 while working plugged in.
Score: 13 Votes (Like | Disagree)
Mac Fly (film) Avatar
8 months ago
I think Optimized Battery Charging helped a lot with battery health in our phones.
Score: 12 Votes (Like | Disagree)
8 months ago

Apple's existing Optimized Battery Charging feature keeps a Mac from charging to 100 percent until it's needed for use,
Yeah, sure it does. :rolleyes:

I have it turned on, but yet it always charges to 100%.

Maybe the new version will work better, as in at all. That said I'm still at 89% battery capacity after five years so I can't complain very much.
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)
JamesMcFlyJR Avatar
8 months ago
i have my M1 Pro MBP since launch and AlDente has been amazing for me. basically i keep it always plugged in and set the charge limit to 50% which is apparently the best for long term battery health. I do calibration every few months (charge it up to 100% keep it there, discharge to 15% and charge back up or something like that). macOS says my battery health is at 99% with 83 cycles. probably would've been at 800-1000 cycles by now if i just charged it regularly when i needed to (being plugged in all the time makes no difference to me).

i wish apple would let us set the charge limit ourselves and i wouldn't have to use AlDente to do it myself to 50%. maybe one day
Score: 11 Votes (Like | Disagree)