Apple laptop: calibrate your computer's battery for optimal performance

Summary

You can calibrate the lithium-ion batteries on iBook, PowerBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro for optimal performance.

The battery has an internal microprocessor that provides an estimate of the battery power consumption during battery charging and discharging. Battery needs to be recalibrated from time to keep the battery time and percentage displayed on the screen accurate and to ensure the highest battery efficiency. You shall execute this process when you use your computer for the first time, and then execute it every several months. If you usually connect your Apple laptop to an AC power supply and seldom use battery power, you may need to perform this process once a month. WebsiteWww.apple.com.cn/batteries/More help information about battery is available and an iCal calendar is provided to remind you to calibrate the battery.

Note:: If you are not sure about your PowerBook model, seePowerBook G4: how to identify different modelsFor help

Affected Products

IBook, MacBook Pro, MacBook, PowerBook, and MacBook Air

IBooks and other PowerBook G4 computers except PowerBook G4 (15 inch, dual-layer SD)

1. Plug in the power adapter and power off the computer's battery until the battery indicator goes off and the adapter plug indicator turns green from Amber, which means the battery is fully filled.
2. Disconnect the power adapter and use iBook or PowerBook. When the battery power is reduced, a warning dialog box is displayed. Continue to use the computer until it goes to sleep. At this point, the battery is completely exhausted for calibration.
3. Connect the power adapter until the battery is fully powered again and unplug it.

You must fully charged and then discharge the power again to calibrate it. After that, you can connect to and disconnect the power adapter when the battery is at any power level.

Prompt: When the battery power is "empty", the computer will be forced to enter sleep mode. In fact, the battery power is not really "empty", but will be retained to keep the computer in sleep for a period of time. Once the battery is exhausted, the computer is forced to shut down. In this case, all opened files will be lost. Therefore, it is important to find the power outlet and connect the adapter before force shutdown.

PowerBook G4 (15 inch, double-layer SD), MacBook (all models), MacBook Pro (all models), MacBook Pro (17 inch) (all models), and MacBook Air

The battery calibration of PowerBook G4 (15 inch, double-layer SD) and all models of MacBook or MacBook Pro is updated by the use of new battery on the computer. To use these computers, follow these steps to calibrate the battery:

1. Plug in the power adapter and power your PowerBook battery until the indicator or LED on the power adapter plug turns green and the screen indicator on the menu bar shows that the battery is fully powered.
2. Do not use a battery to keep it fully charged for at least two hours. You can still use your computer during this period, but you need to first plug in the power adapter.
3. When the computer is still running, unplug the power adapter and start using battery power to run the computer. You can use your computer during this period. When the battery power is reduced, a warning dialog box is displayed.
4. Save your work. Continue to use your computer. When the battery power becomes low, the computer will automatically go to sleep.
5. Shut down your computer or put your computer in sleep for at least five hours.
6. Connect the power adapter until the battery is fully powered again and unplug it.

Prompt: When the battery power is "empty", the computer will be forced to enter sleep mode. In fact, the battery power is not really "empty", but will be retained to maintain the computer for a period of time. Once the battery is exhausted, the computer is forced to shut down. At this time, the PowerBook G4 (15 inch, double-layer SD) computer will start the safe sleep function, the computer memory content will be saved to the hard drive. When the power is restored, the computer will automatically return to its pre-sleep status using the secure sleep image in the hard drive.