The biggest benefit to a laptop is that you can take it wherever you want to do your work. The only thing you have to make sure you're aware of is how much battery percentage you have left.
Luckily, Mac computers have a way for you to not only see how much battery percentage remains, but also how much time that equals, which you can then use to adjust settings to extend battery life.
How to show the battery percentage on your Mac
1. Click on the Apple icon in the top-left corner of your Mac screen.
2. Scroll down and click on "System Preferences."
3. Click on "Energy Saver" in System Preferences, which is represented by the lightbulb icon. Depending on your version of macOS, it might be in a different spot on this page.
4. This will open the Energy Saver screen. At the bottom of the screen, click on the box, "Show battery status in menu bar" to show the battery percentage in your top menu bar.
5. If your battery is low, you can customize settings here to save battery as well.
- Click on certain settings to conserve energy, such as "Slightly dim the display while on battery power" and "Put hard disks to sleep when possible."
- You can also customize the amount of time of inactivity it will take before your computer goes to sleep, which is especially useful if you take regular breaks while working on battery power.
The bottom of the Energy Saver box also has a button labeled "Battery Health." Like all rechargeable batteries, the battery inside of your Mac degrades over time, and holds less of a charge. This ability to hold a charge is referred to as its "Health."
When you click the "Battery Health" button, you'll be given a reading of how healthy your battery is. You'll also be able to turn on "Battery health management," a mode that lets your Mac extend the life of your battery.
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