With macOS Tahoe 26.4, Apple will finally bring a long-requested feature to Macs: a battery charge limiter. This will allow you to select the maximum charge level for your MacBook’s battery.
iPhones have offered a similar battery health feature for a few years now, making its absence on the Mac all the more noticeable.
More control over how your Mac charges
MacBooks already come with an Optimized Battery Charging feature. It automatically decides when to (or not to) charge a Mac’s battery to increase its lifespan. As part of this, a Mac can delay charging to 100% based on your schedule and usage.
The new Charge Limit feature in macOS Tahoe 26.4 will build on this capability (via MacRumors). It will let you set your Mac’s maximum charge level anywhere between 80% and 100%, in 5% increments. So, if you set it to 85%, your MacBook won’t top up its cell beyond that.
By preventing the MacBook from charging to charging from 100%, you will theoretically expand its lifespan and improve battery health.
Reduce stress on the battery by not charging it to 100%
Lithium-ion batteries experience more stress when they remain at or near 100% for extended periods. By capping the charge at 80% or 85%, users who primarily keep their MacBook plugged in can reduce long-term battery wear.
Third-party apps like AlDente gained popularity for offering this exact functionality — something Apple is now building directly into macOS.
If you install the macOS Tahoe 26.4 beta on your MacBook, you will find the new Charge Limit option under System Settings > Battery, then tap the i button next to Charging.
The addition of this feature also brings macOS closer to iOS in terms of battery management.
Apple may not bring the Charge Limit feature to older Intel-based Macs, limiting it to Apple silicon models.
Rajesh has been writing about consumer technology for over a decade, with a strong focus on iPhones, Macs and Apple’s ecosystem. He enjoys digging into Apple software updates, hardware changes, and discovering new Mac apps that make work faster and more enjoyable.
