subject: How To Make Your Macbook Pro Battery Last Longer [print this page] Apple has changed from Lithium/Ion batteries to Polymer/Lithium batteries. This battery will slowly lose its charge capacity until it gets to the point where the life of the battery is over. If you want you the battery to last as long as possible here are some guidelines that you can follow.
The Battery Should be Kept Cool Heat is a natural enemy of battery life. A battery is very sensitive to heat and continued exposure to heat will drastically reduce battery life. So you should be mindful of the temperature outside, keep the battery out of sunlight, and don't leave the Macbook Pro a hot car. If it's a hot summer day, don't take your Macbook Pro to the beach.
Every Few Months Calibrate the Battery Polymer/Lithium batteries don't have memory problems. You can discharge them partially and then charge them back frequently. However, your Macbook Pro's batteries have a gauge inside of them that will tell you how much power they have left. Eventually, these gauges will get out of sync with the battery and need to be recalibrated.
Don't allow Complete Discharges unless it's during calibration
Allowing the battery to discharge all the way or almost all the way often will put additional strain on the battery. This was a common thing to do with some older battery technology since there were memory problems which ultimately reduced its capacity. This isn't the case with a Polymer/Lithium battery.
Use the Battery A battery that is never used will reduce the amount of time that it will last. Give the battery some exercise by using it every now and again. It is recommended that the battery should go through a minimum of one charge cycle a month.
When Mainly Using AC Power, Remove the Battery from the Casing When you are primarily running off AC power, remove the battery and store it. Constantly charging the battery isn't good for it. A Macbook Pro that is constantly running off of AC power will usually run hotter because its power management features permit the processor to run at full speed. Heat is the worst enemy of battery life.
Keep the Battery in the Refrigerator when it is removed Correct storage of the battery is crucial to a long lifespan. You should avoid heat and store the battery in a stable condition. You should store the battery at 40% of its charge in the refrigerator to make sure that it is cool to ensure that it has a stable condition.
