Guides
How to check the battery of your Mac, iPhone, iPad, AirPods, Beats, Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse and Magic Trackpad from a Mac, what battery health, charge cycles and Service Recommended mean, and how the battery apps for Mac compare.
Your devices
- How to add a battery widget to your MacHow to add the Batteries widget to the desktop or Notification Center on a Mac, what it shows, and what it leaves out.
- How to check AirPods battery on a MacFour ways to see the battery level of your AirPods on a Mac, what each one shows for the left bud, the right bud and the case, and what to do when your AirPods are connected to your iPhone instead.
- How to check AirPods case battery on a MacmacOS only shows the AirPods case battery while a bud is in the case with the lid open, or just after you take the buds out. Here is where to look, why the case disappears, and how to keep its level in your menu bar.
- How to check Beats battery on a MacThree places macOS shows the battery level of Beats earbuds and headphones, and how to keep the level in your menu bar.
- How to check your iPad battery from a MacThe two places macOS shows your iPad's battery, what each one needs, and how to keep the exact percentage in your Mac's menu bar over Wi-Fi.
- How to show or check your iPhone battery on a MacThree ways to see your iPhone's battery on a Mac, why it is missing from the Batteries widget, and how to show the exact percentage in the menu bar over Wi-Fi.
- How to check your Magic Keyboard batteryThree places macOS shows the battery level of a Magic Keyboard, and how to see it in the menu bar before it runs out.
- How to check your Magic Mouse batteryThree places macOS shows the battery level of a Magic Mouse, and how to see it in the menu bar before it runs out.
- How to check your Magic Trackpad batteryThree places macOS shows the battery level of a Magic Trackpad, and how to see it in the menu bar before it runs out.
- How to show the battery percentage in the Mac menu barWhere the Show Percentage setting is in macOS, what the battery menu tells you, and how to see the percentage of your other devices next to it.
Problems
Battery health
- How to check battery health on a MacWhere macOS shows the condition, the maximum capacity and the cycle count of a MacBook battery, what a good number is, how many cycles to expect after one, two and three years, and how to watch it change.
- How to check your iPhone's battery health and cycle countWhere iOS shows the maximum capacity and the cycle count of an iPhone battery, which models show a cycle count, and what the numbers mean.
- How to check your MacBook's battery cycle count and healthWhere macOS shows the cycle count, the maximum capacity and the condition of a MacBook battery, the Terminal command that prints them, and what the numbers mean.
- What "Service Recommended" means for a MacBook batteryWhy macOS shows Service Recommended for a MacBook battery, how to check the numbers behind it, and what you can do next.
- What is a battery charge cycle?What Apple counts as one charge cycle, why it is not the same as plugging in, how many cycles a Mac, iPhone or iPad battery is made for, and where to see your count.
Battery apps for Mac
- An AirBuddy alternative for AirPods battery on a MacAirBuddy connects and controls AirPods and Beats on a Mac, and shows batteries too. BatteryBud only reads batteries, and adds history charts and battery health for your Mac, iPhone and iPad. This page compares the two, feature by feature.
- Battery monitor for MacA Mac battery monitor that shows your Mac, iPhone, iPad, AirPods, Beats, keyboard, mouse and other Macs in one menu bar click, with history and battery health. Pay once, no subscription.
- Best Mac battery apps in 2026, sorted by the jobThe best Mac battery app is different for battery health, all your devices, charge limiting, alerts and time remaining. Every current option compared with its price.
- A coconutBattery alternative, if you want every battery in the menu barcoconutBattery is a battery diagnostics tool for your Mac, iPhone and iPad. BatteryBud keeps every battery, including AirPods, Beats and your other Macs, in the menu bar with charts and battery health. This page compares the two, feature by feature.