How Long Should I Charge My MacBook Pro/Air for the First Time?

If you’ve been using mobile devices (such as laptops and smartphones) since their “early days,” you certainly know a bit about battery calibration. In other words, you might be asking yourself how long you should charge your brand-new MacBook Pro/Air for the first time? We’re here to re-introduce you to modern batteries used in Apple’s laptops and answer all your questions along the way. So, let’s jump right in. 

First and foremost, keep in mind one thing. There’s no need to worry about calibrating your new MacBook’s battery. In other words, there’s no need to charge your MacBook Pro/Air for the first time in any specific manner. Feel free to deplete its battery or charge it all the way up – it really makes no difference, and here’s why.

Here’s Why Your MacBook’s Battery Doesn’t Need to be Calibrated (Anymore)!

Modern mobile devices (including laptops, smartphones, tablets, and similar) no longer need to be “formed” or calibrated. In the past, you had to charge your mobile devices for at least 8-12 hours or make sure to go through at least one full battery cycle. However, that’s no longer needed due to the following reasons: 

• Today’s batteries (especially those that Apple uses) are typically Li-Ion or Li-Po batteries that work in a bit different way than Ni-Cd or Ni-MH batteries (those used to require to be calibrated). Li-Ion batteries already come fully prepared for use, as they’re typically both charged and tested by the manufacturer. 
• Li-Ion batteries don’t have a so-called “memory effect,” causing them to lose some of their maximum capacity if not immediately charged. They’re also not prone to “overcharge” issues, as Apple’s Li-Ion and Li-Po batteries come with optimized charging built-in. That means that they charge up to 80% in the fastest possible way. Then, they gradually charge the remaining 20% to preserve their chemical age. 
• Batteries used across Apple’s mobile products come with both hardware and software systems that protect their health. For example, a ‘Battery Management System‘ ensures that your MacBook’s battery doesn’t operate outside its safe operating area. You can think of it as the brain of your notebook’s battery, ensuring its safety and performance.

How to Know When Your MacBook Pro/Air is Fully Charged? 

We’ll answer another commonly asked question about new(er) MacBook Pro/Air models. Since they don’t have charging indicators built-in, it can be hard to know when your notebook is fully charged. So, here’s what you need to know. 

• If you have an older MacBook Pro/Air (with a light indicator on the MagSafe connector), you need to see what that light “says.” More precisely, if the light is orange, that means that your MacBook is charging. Once the light turns green, your MacBook is fully charged.
• If you have a new MacBook Pro/Air (without a light indicator / charging over USB-C), you will need to turn to macOS to check its battery. In other words, the only way to check if your MacBook is fully charged is by powering it on, logging into your account, and taking a look at the top-right corner of macOS’ menu bar.   

How Long Does It Take for a New MacBook Pro/Air to Fully Charge? 

On average, it takes around two hours for a MacBook (Pro/Air) to fully charge. And in case you plan on buying Apple’s brand-new M1-powered MacBook, keep in mind that charging its battery will take around three hours. Those numbers apply to charging your notebook using its original charging adapter. 

Keep in mind that Apple has recently introduced M1-powered MacBook Pro and Air models. You can also still buy their Intel-powered counterparts. There are significant differences between those models, and that especially applies to their batteries. So, here’s a quick overview. 

How to Set Up Your New MacBook for Optimized Battery Charging? 

Last year, macOS received two exciting features that have a direct impact on your MacBook’s battery. We highly recommend enabling both of those features, especially if you have a brand-new MacBook Pro/Air. Here’s what you need to do. 

• First, navigate to Apple > System Preferences > Battery. 
• Then, click on ‘Battery‘ using the left-placed sidebar. This is where you’ll see a small group of helpful battery-related settings, letting you use your MacBook as long as possible before having to charge it. Our strong advice is to check the box next to ‘Optimized Battery Charging.’ This feature has the power to reduce your notebook’s battery aging by letting your Mac learn your daily charging routine. 

• Then, make sure to click on ‘Battery Health‘ in the bottom-right corner. A pop-up will appear, providing a report on your notebook’s battery health. Our recommendation is to check the box next to ‘Manage Battery Longevity.’ This feature will reduce your notebook battery’s peak capacity, which in turn should extend the battery’s lifespan. 

As you can see, there’s no really no need to charge your brand-new MacBook Pro/Air in any specific manner – as your notebook already comes with an intelligent battery. And with that said, we conclude this short and helpful guide. In case of any questions, don’t hesitate to post your comment below. And finally – thanks for reading!