Force Your MacBook to Only Charge up to 80 Percent (and Why You Should)

Batteries aren't magic. They're chemical. And, like most things built by humans, they wear down over time. I don't need to tell you this—anyone who has owned a MacBook knows that battery life gets worse and worse as it ages. But what if I told you it's possible to slow that process down?

One common bit of advice is to only charge your devices up to 80 percent most of the time. Battery University, funded by a consultancy that helps large companies get more out of batteries, suggests this based on its research. So does the National Renewable Energy Laboratory.

But how do you actually follow this advice? The good news is that your MacBook already does this, sort of, and there's a great free application that allows you to go even further.

Built-In Optimization

Your Mac is designed to only charge up to ...